Rhubarb become ripe in the Northwest in mid-late April, and is available into June. All though rhubarb is a vegetable, it is commonly used in sweet tarts, pies and jams. It is also wonderful stewed with a bit of sugar, as in this recipe. I love rhubarb paired with a berry or fruit. The tartness of the rhubarb balances out the sweetness. This compote goes so well with cold creamy ice cream or a thick vanilla cake.

Rhubarb Compote

-4 cups of 1/2 inch chopped pieces of fresh rhubarb
-1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1) In a large heavy saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and heat over medium-high.

2) Cook until all of the sugar is dissolved, and then reduce the heat to low.

3) Cover the saucepan and simmer the rhubarb until it is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir a few times to make sure nothing was sticking.

4) Transfer the hot compote to a bowl, and let cool. As it cools, it should become a little thicker and syrupy. Once it is cool, cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This makes about 3 cups of compote.

I like to reheat the compote and then pour it, hot, over the cold ice cream.