Rhubarb, Strawberry and Raspberry Compote

Rhubarb, Raspberry and Strawberry Compote

In May, rhubarb is still plentiful, though often a little stringy, while the first of the British strawberries begin to appear in the shops. It’s far too early for those glorious Scottish raspberries, but imported or frozen ones work beautifully here; no shame in that. This is the kind of compote that invites tinkering: adjust the mix of rhubarb, strawberries, or raspberries to suit your mood, and don’t be shy with the sugar if the fruit leans tart.

I first made it on a grey spring afternoon, one that would not be normally inspiring, but the kitchen was filled with the scent of simmering fruit and vanilla, and that memory means it’s been a favourite ever since — spooned warm over ice cream or cool with a generous dollop of mascarpone.

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Approximately950g Compote, 4-6 Portions

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Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Compote

300g finely chopped rhubarb (peeled if thick and remove string)
150g raspberries
300g strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 vanilla pod, cut in half
150g caster sugar (add more or less according to taste)
100ml water

Method

Compote: Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over a moderate a heat and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and leave it gently simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. The fruit should have collapsed down to a rough puree texture. Remove it from the heat, take out the vanilla pod and split it open scraping the seeds into the compote. Serve hot or cold or alternatively place it in sterilised jars and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.