RECIPE: Rhubarb Compote & Granola

We love the bright pink colour for the forced rhubarb that comes into the shops at this time of the year. Rhubarb compote makes a great dessert or is wonderful with porridge or granola for breakfast. If making it, we suggest that you double the recipe as it will keep refrigerated for a good few days – if it lasts that long! It also makes a great base for a crumble.

Rhubarb Compote

450g rhubarb more sugar may be required if the fruit is sharp
125g sugar

METHOD
1. Clean the rhubarb, removing any tough bits and chop it into approx 2cm pieces.
2. Wash it well but allow some of the water in which it has been washed to cling to the pieces as this will provide moisture whilst cooking.
3. Place the rhubarb in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil. (Do not use an aluminium pan as rhubarb reacts with aluminium.) Use a lid to keep the steam in the pan so that it helps to keep the rhubarb moist. It will draw its own liquid as it cooks.
4. Then turn down the heat and allow the rhubarb to cook. Stir from time to time to ensure that it does not stick. This process is quite quick and will take between 5 and 10 minutes.
5. When the rhubarb is just starting to soften, add the sugar and continue cooking slowly for a few minutes more only.
6. Taste for tartness. If the rhubarb is still too sharp, add more sugar until correct flavour is achieved.
7. Remove from the heat and serve warm or cold with either cream, yoghurt, custard or vanilla ice cream.

Granola

4 cups organic rolled oats
2 cups (approximately) mixed seeds and nuts (made up of 1⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds,
1⁄4 cup sesame seeds, 1⁄8 cup flax seeds, 1⁄2 cup almonds, 1⁄4 cup hazelnuts and 1⁄4 cup walnuts) The nuts are mixed together and coarsely chopped.
1⁄2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
125ml/4ozs/1⁄2 cup apple juice concentrate
125ml/4ozs 1⁄2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon runny honey
115g/4ozs mixed dried fruit (made up of 1⁄2 cup dried apricots, 1⁄2 cup dried figs, 1⁄4 cup prunes, 1⁄8 cup dried cranberries)

METHOD
1. Place all the above ingredients except the dried fruit, in a very large bowl and, using your hands,
mix them together well so that they are all evenly coated with the cinnamon, apple juice, oil and honey.
2. Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet.
3. Bake in oven 100oC – or lower – slow oven is VERY important – for few hours until crisped and pale brown in cover. Do not be tempted to do more speedily as the result is not good.
4. Once the mix has been baked to the required colour, remove from the heat.
5. Add the mixed dried fruit to the roast oat, nuts and seeds and, using your hands, mix everything together well.
6. Leave to cool completely before bottling

This granola is quite wonderful and, best of all, will keep in a sealed jar for a good couple of months.

Category
Recipes