Recipe: Rhubarb, Beetroot & Lemon Compote

This zingy compote brings together three ingredients that can be found growing in late winter / early Spring - when the sparse season means that supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables are limited - so is a welcome pop of colour and flavour to enliven a breakfast, or indeed a dessert later in the day. It’s also a fun way of getting some vegetables in at the start of the day!

I picked the early rhubarb from our veg patch here at Botelet Farm; the beetroot and lemons were grown within Cornwall and sourced via Fruutbox, and the honey is made locally.

I cooked this compote for Marcus Alleyne of Black Voices Cornwall and we used it to top granola bowls as we shared breakfast during Episode 12 of Breakfast & Beyond - do take a listen.

Recipe: Rhubarb, Beetroot & Lemon Compote

Serves approx 4

Ingredients:

• 200g rhubarb (weight after topped & tailed)

• 100g beetroot

• Rind of 1 lemon, juice of 3 lemons

• Small nub of fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

• 1.5 tbsp honey (replace with maple syrup for a vegan version)

• 100g dried apricots

• 100ml water

• 1 star anise

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tsp chia seeds

Method:

1. Wash the rhubarb stalks and chop into small pieces. Wash and grate the beetroot. Finely chop the apricots. Place all in a medium sized saucepan.

2. Finely grate the find into the saucepan, add the lemon juice, water, a decent grating of fresh ginger and the star anise.

3. Simmer for approx 8 minutes stirring regularly, until ingredients are well combined and softened but there’s still a little shape to the rhubarb pieces.

4. Take off the heat, remove the star anise and stir through the vanilla extract and chia seeds. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes to enable the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid, then eat warm, allow to cool completely or store in the fridge for up to three days.

Spring Recipe: Lavender Infused Rhubarb Compote

The seasonal shift we’re in is, this year, going hand-in-hand with the most extraordinary social shift as we all prepare - as best we can, and in our own ways - for the weeks and months to follow. How lucky we are to be facing this period of home ‘cocooning’ with spring beginning to emerge. We very much appreciate how lucky indeed we are as a family to be doing so in a rural area, surrounded by countryside. So much love to those facing being home-bound within the confines of a city.

For those with access to gardens, local growers (through popping to a farm shop or via deliveries) or even via a supermarket, this seasonal compote celebrates the fresh produce that’s growing around us right now in our gardens and farms. Never has there been a more important time to connect with what’s around us, pare back and embrace the seasons, support local and spread the food load as we all hunker down, making use of what’s around us where we can.

For this recipe I used rhubarb and lavender that are growing in the garden, local honey from and apple juice from Cornish Orchards just a few miles down the lanes.

I love to cook with natural sweeteners (in this recipe I used honey) but you could up the honey quantities and also play around with other spices such as cinnamon and cardamom to soften the taste; but I personally love the simplicity of this recipe, where the rhubarb flavours aren’t overly muted with sweetness. Highly recommended with a bowl of granola and yogurt to set up your day.
Tia x

Lavender Infused Rhubarb Compote

Makes approx 4 - 6 servings of compote

Ingredients

• 500g rhubarb (this weight is once they have been topped & tailed)

• 200ml apple juice

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 3 sprigs fresh lavender

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp chia seeds

Method

• Top and tail the rhubarb, wash then dice to approx 1cm, then pop into a large saucepan

• Add apple juice, honey, ginger, nutmeg and sprigs of lavender (leave the sprigs whole and place in pan)

• Simmer for approx 10 mins, stirring regularly, until fruit is soft. Take off heat, remove lavender stems. Add chia seeds and vanilla extract. Stir again and leave to sit for 10 mins.

• Can be served warm or cold, and kept in fridge for a few days.