Granted, we can’t chew on stalks of rhubarb the way Bugs Bunny munches on carrots. Too tart, too harsh, too fibrous and stringy.
Rhubarb needs cooking and gentle sweetening.
Rhubarb is in groceries and farmer’s markets now, but the season is brief.
Here’s my simple method, which produces a delicious rhubarb compote with a rich syrup, a thick texture and, best of all, bite-size slices of rhubarb that retain their shape and just enough bite to keep things interesting.
Buy a large amount–it cooks down.
Put about 5 five cups of water in a large saucepan along with an entire box of dark brown sugar–you know, the standard grocery-size package.
Bring to a boil, stirring, and keep it boiling. Steam will evaporate, concentrating the liquid.
Meanwhile, rinse and dry each stalk of rhubarb, cut off leaf and stem ends.
Slice each stalk into half-inch-thick pieces. Cut directly across the stalk, not on the bias, to help the slices retain their shape during cooking. You can cut some slices a little thicker, for variety.
What you are going to do is poach the rhubarb in the boiling syrup.
The best tool I know of for this is a large Chinese wire strainer, the kind with the bamboo handle. If you don’t have one, a metal mesh strainer will do (better wide and shallow than narrow and deep). In a pinch, you can get away with a slotted spoon, but it will take longer.
By hand put as much sliced rhubarb on the strainer as it can comfortably accomodate.
Gently lower the strainer into the boiling syrup. Tilt the handle up and jiggle the rhubarb off the mesh and into the liquid.
Now comes the subjective part. You don’t want to overcook the rhubarb and have it fall apart.
The cool or even room temperature rhubarb temporarily depresses the temperature of the liquid. As it returns to a boil, within a minute or so, the rhubarb pieces will rise to the surface and seem to foam.
Fish them out at once with the strainer, shake any excess syrup back into the saucepan and set on a wide soup dish to cool.
Before putting in the second strainerful, taste the first batch–see if you like the texture and sweetness. Is it still too crunchy and a little sour? Has it turned mushy and overly sweet? Use this information to adjust the poaching time for the second, third, fourth and however many more strainers full you have.
Since I do this only once a year, and I’m not the type of cook who takes notes (maybe I associate taking notes with work, i.e. interviewing), I never remember from one year to the next what the ideal poaching time is.
But I can tell you that it isn’t very long. A minute or two.
I set out a number of wide soup bowls on the counter, and place each batch (strainer-full) in a different bowl. That way, when all the batches are done, I can taste them and any that seem underdone I can put back for a few more seconds.
Keep the syrup boiling.
When you’re done and have everything to your liking, there won’t be much syrup left. Keep it at a moderate boil until there’s just a half cup or so left. pour this on your cooked rhubarb.
Transfer the compote to glass or plastic storage jars and refrigerate. It will keep for weeks, but you’ll finish it well before that.
It’s great with plain yogurt and chopped pecans for breakfast. Or over vanilla ice cream for dessert.