Rhubarb strawberry compote

Tart and sweet this compote won't last long in your fridge. It can basically be put on anything from a scone to ice cream to just plain out of the jar! It's especially good with homemade yogurt.

5 stalks or 1 pound of rhubarb cute into 1/2" thick pieces
10-15 strawberries cored and roughly chopped
1/4-1/2 cup of sugar (depending on how tart/sweet you like it)
Optional: splash of apple juice, orange juice, and orange zest

Combine all ingredients into a sauce pan over medium heat. Once at a boil lower heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft and beginning to break down. Store in the fridge. I wouldn't keep this over a week unlike jam since it has a relatively low sugar content, but it won't matter because it is too delicious to resist!

Learning from the best

Please welcome Jessica as a guest contributer!
-Alex


Living in Los Angeles I was exceptionally spoiled to have Alex around. The fridge was constantly stocked with canned goods, including my favorite pickles to date! Since moving to New York, I've had to fend for myself in that category. This weekend I made my first attempt at quick pickles. I wasn't so much worried they wouldn't turn out, rather I hoped that they would be up to standards I had been used to! I used the standard recipe, adding dill at the end with the cucumbers. They are delicious! While I very much doubt I'll venture into canning anytime soon, I would like to attempt some more recipes, like beets!




I also made a blueberry compote. Normally, I would jam, but a compote boasts the advantage of significantly less sugar! Still, quite a bit of sugar, just not the absurd amount present in jams. It's super easy. Take a pint of blueberries, and divide in half. One half in a heat-proof bowl, the other in a saucepan with about a third cup of sugar and the juice of a lemon, bring to a simmer and allow all juice to release (about 8-10 min), then bring to a boil and reduce. Then pour over the other blueberries and fold in! Thats it! The sweet compote with the whole uncooked-blueberries is a great contrast, with a sweetness that isn't as intensely dessert like, and slightly tart. I think I prefer this to jams, though I have to admit jamming has its benefits, and lends itself better to pastry applications, when placed simply on bread I think the compote wins out!