Rhubarb Compote
A seasonal stewed Winter Rhubarb recipe which takes minutes and has just three ingredients. And a monthly edit of all my favourite finds for January.
As someone who loves and enjoys good food my travel recollections often bring back wonderful memories of breakfasts, the type that only a good well-fed holiday can deliver. Holiday breakfasts should have ceremony and in a good hotel I believe they should include beautifully laden tables for self-service with fresh juices, a selection of grains, milks and local fruits. Then an a la carte menu for a hot breakfast perhaps eggs, an omelette, pancakes and so on. Last year my daughter and I travelled to Austria for a skiing holiday (her first ever) and the breakfasts were sublime with freshly baked local breads and pastries, wonderful mountain cheeses, hams, yogurts and many other delights. Her awe bought me back to my own childlike reverie of a good hotel breakfast.
Good hotel breakfasts are also practical: devised to feed a crowd over a period of time there is much to be learnt from them. An exemplary dish for a hotel spread is poached or stewed fruit to be eaten simply as served, or alongside yogurts and granolas, or over pancakes, or porridge oats. The best fruits for poaching are firm and not loaded with seeds: my favourite UK options are Bramley apples in the Spring (which have stored well over Winter), peaches in the Summer, pears in the Autumn and the first forced rhubarb for Winter. At this time of year I cannot resist the lure of seasonal rhubarb, their enticing pink stems are too beautiful not to cook with. Forced rhubarb has just started to appear and will continue from January through until March, after which outdoor-grown rhubarb will take over.
Botanically speaking rhubarb is classified as a vegetable; as it doesn't have any seeds and does not come from the flowering part of the plant, however it is most often prepared like a fruit. Rhubarb pairs beautifully with sweet flavours from fragrant citrus, to sweet vanilla, woody cinnamon, fiery ginger or floral rose water. To prepare the rhubarb firstly remove any leaves and discard them as they are poisonous, the edible part of the plant is the stem. Wash and trim the rhubarb stems and if needed remove any stringy outer layers (this is for outdoor grown rhubarb which hardens to the elements). Cut the washed stems into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Rhubarb poaches beautifully and if you cook it a little longer it will completely collapse into a beautiful soft thick compote, which is just the prefect accompaniment to transport your breakfast.
Recipe of the Week
Rhubarb Compote
250g rhubarb stems
35g goden caster sugar
1/4 vanilla pod
Prep the rhubarb stems, wash and chop into even pieces. Add to a heavy bottomed pan with caster sugar and 1-2 tablespoons water. Turn up the heat and bring up to a gentle simmer, the rhubarb will start to break down and release liquid. If adding a small amount of fresh vanilla seeds, then split 1/4 vanilla pod and remove the seeds and add to the rhubarb now.
Cook for around 5 minutes for soft rhubarb that holds its shape and a further 5 minutes should you want the rhubarb to completely collapse into a compote. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Serve warm over your favourite yogurt and enjoy. Or completely cool and set aside in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy another day.
January Edit
Top 10 Finds
This week I wanted to trial a new feature in my Substack with a round up of recommendations and great finds from the month past. I love creating small shopping edits on Instagram and feel it’s time to share them here on Substack as part of my Friday newsletter. Forgive the eclecticism as I really have chosen a whole variety of things from accessories, to make up, kitchenware, decorative pieces and new ingredients I’m using and enjoying. Thank you always for following and subscribing, this is proving to be such a small tight knit and supportive community for which I am immensely grateful.
Longchamp Le Pliage Mini Bag - the current trend for the classic Longchamp bags in the mini size is one I have jumped on, so convenient for a few essential items when you are on the go. They sadly don’t come with a cross body strap but you can buy one online in matching a leather colour-way: Crossbody Conversion Kit.
Suri’s Sustainable Toothbrush - I switched to Suri toothbrushes halfway through last year, I love mine. They clip onto a wall or cupboard which means they are so much easier to keep clean and the toothbrush heads come with a return envelope for used toothbrush heads.
Rodial’s Lowlighter - this all-in-one concealer, colour corrector and enhancer, it was recommended by a friend and it has become one of my Winter make up essentials.
Coverless Kids Duvets - In January I I sort through all household sundries, including all bedding and towels. I discard any that are worn through and reorganise the bedding and towels into sets. I am a convert to the Night Lark® Junior Coverless Duvet for the kids, as they go straight in the wash, so no need for the washing day battles with duvet covers!
Purdy and Figg Starter Cleaning Sets - these natural cleaning sets smell incredible and they are the easiest switch to reducing chemicals in your home.
Chopping Board Scraper - I found this bench scraper on Borough Kitchen and have just invested in a second one. It’s incredibly useful for scooping up ingredients, from chopped herbs to diced onion. I don’t love stockpiling kitchen gadgets but this is one of the new tools that I now covet.
Kitchen Mixer Sliding Caddy - I didn’t actually know this existed until I watched someone else using one when they went to get their mixer. This is an ingenious board with sliding feet, so that you can slid your Kitchen Mixer across a work surface, or out of cupboard, with ease. I always dread moving mine as it’s heavy. I have a kitchen aid, but I assume they must come in a variety of shapes and sizes to match different kitchen mixers. I bought one this month and it is something small that I really feel makes me want to use my mixer more!
Tulip Floor Lamp - I recently couldn’t resist buying this lamp for my daughter and she absolutely loves it (as do I).
Flippin Lovely Pancake Mix - this has been a huge hit with my kids, making pancakes a reality for breakfast before school as you just add eggs and milk. I serve with berries and some high protein yogurt.
Odysea Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I have been adding the recommended serving each day to my meals and I love the flavour of this oil and it is high in polyphenols.
These are my own recommendations and are not sponsored, products are not affiliate linked.