Make Ahead

Rhubarb Strawberry Compote

by:
May 17, 2011
5
6 Ratings
Rhubarb Strawberry Compote
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • Makes about 2 cups
Test Kitchen Notes

Riva's recipe is appealing in its straightforwardness: all she calls for are 1 pound of strawberries, 1 pound of rhubarb, sugar (1 3/4 cups of it) and water. While I loved the concept, her compote was a little sweet for my taste, and I had some ideas for a possible riff. The second time around, I added less sugar (I used turbinado, which I think gives the compote a caramel undertone), infused the compote with some orange peel, and splashed in a glug or two from the open bottle of rosé that was lying around in my fridge. The compote, cooked just until the fruit started to fall apart but had not yet become a complete mush, was tart and fresh, perfumed with the oils from the orange peel, and it had just enough sweetness to keep your mouth from puckering. —Merrill Stubbs

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 cups rhubarb (4 large stalks), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pound frozen or fresh strawberries
  • 6 tablespoons raw (turbinado) sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • Peel from 1/2 large navel orange
  • 3 tablespoons rosé wine
Directions
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and add 1/4 cup water. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook gently, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if the mixture seems too dry. You want the fruit to cook through and soften without completely losing its texture.
  2. Cool and serve over yogurt or ricotta, with ice cream, or on its own.
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19 Reviews

Elizabeth E.
Elizabeth E. June 15, 2024
Made this with Iillet - cannot get over how delicious! Definitely a keeper and I want to make more immediately, maybe can be canned? Thank you for such a fabulous recipe 🙏
 
Kim
Kim August 18, 2020
Absolutely delicious! Adding less sugar allows the fruit and rose to take center-stage. Still plenty sweet enough to serve as a lovely contrast with tart plain yogurt or creme fraiche. Also added some crumbled ginger cookies for contrasting texture and flavor.
 
kbobrowstrain
kbobrowstrain May 2, 2016
Am making my second batch after devouring the first batch last week! So good. For first batch I didn't have rose so added 1 T St Germain. I also liked it with a little more sugar than called for. 2nd batch I'm upping to 2 T St Germain because it was good but too subtle with only 1. Spooned it over tart yogurt, sprinkled with walnuts, as a snack, breakfast or dessert.
 
Mish
Mish August 14, 2015
Can we use microwave which cooks fruit on high for short time without burning?
 
MoLiver4u
MoLiver4u May 17, 2013
This is delicious even though my California rhubarb never gets that deep red color! I used some triple sec to up the orange notes and it's delicious! I wish I had prepared canning jars to save it longer!
 
Cathy G.
Cathy G. April 29, 2013
I made the compote yesterday... delicious and so simple! I ate some spooned over some cottage cheese this morning. The one thing I learned.. I didn't need to cook it for the full time, I would prefer a bit less time so that I have more berry "substance" Mine was cooked down a tad too much, but still truly wonderful!
 
Foodiewithalife
Foodiewithalife April 24, 2013
Rhubarb compote is one of my favorite things to make in the spring and summer! I was messing around with it last year and made a cherry-rhubarb compote for a fun twist. It was so good the concoction made its way into everything from sparkling lemonade to a cheese board. Cheers to rhubarb and this beautiful recipe!

Christina
www.foodiewithalife.com
 
Shann44
Shann44 April 21, 2013
Read the lead in! It says that the original recipe was too sweet, so they cut down the sugar content.
 
rukahn
rukahn April 21, 2013
The lead-in says far more sugar than the recipe calls for...1 3/4 cups vs 6 Tablespoons. Can you explain?
 
Cynthia G.
Cynthia G. April 19, 2013
Looks delicious, and I do need to try rhubarb this year... Could I use honey instead of raw sugar?
 
agamom
agamom July 23, 2012
Worked with what I had on hand - Framboise, lemon & brown sugar instead of rosé, orange & turbinado....beautiful!! Have made this over and over this summer & it was fantastic each & every time.
 
francisbacontoast
francisbacontoast May 17, 2012
I didn't have any Rose on hand, so I used a splash of Sauvignon Blanc and Calvados (in equal measures) and it turned out perfect. Agreed that it's hard not to eat it right out of the pan with a spoon!
 
Kristin A.
Kristin A. April 10, 2012
Where is the glass bowl from?
 
The G.
The G. May 13, 2012
It looks to me like it's from Crate and Barrel... Maybe Ikea?
 
Dazzle-dae
Dazzle-dae February 3, 2013
Lots of research and I came up with Willem Wagenfeld egg coddler by JENAer Glas - so not cheap - each one somewhere around $18!!!
If you find similar, cheaper, ie. IKEA or C&B let me know, PLEASE.
 
drbabs
drbabs June 5, 2011
Ok, we got rhubarb in our first CSA box, so I made this today. I used port in place of the rose because that's what I had open. It is wonderful! I'm having trouble not eating the whole batch with a spoon! BTW, don't you usually label the recipe as an editors' pick when you and Amanda post them to the blog? I'm asking because I had a little trouble finding it, and I think it would have popped up sooner in the search if it were an editors' pick. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
 
greglandrum
greglandrum May 28, 2011
There was no orange in the house, so I used lemon zest. Like Sagegreen, I used a (dry) riesling instead of rose, because that's what was open. I guess I also used more than 3 Tbs, it was a good splash or two. The riesling complements the strawberries really well and I think the acidity of the wine also played along nicely.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen May 22, 2011
I just made this with some riesling I had open, and it was wonderful. The orange is so perfect with the strawberry rhubarb duo. We have our first fresh local strawberries now. Yay.Thanks, Merrill.
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. May 22, 2011
You're welcome! Riesling sounds like a great substitute, by the way.