Rhubarb is commonly simmered with sugar and made into a filling for a pie, but here we were thinking outside the crust and decided upon a parfait instead. Married with lemon, the rhubarb’s tart edge is brightened, creating a beautifully flavored and pink-kissed compote. This compote would be equally lovely served alongside a selection of local cheeses, stewed into a sauce, or served with a scoop of ice cream.
1 pound rhubarb, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups Gewurztraniuber or sweet Riesling wine
1 cup granulated sugar
One 3-inch piece ginger, sliced
Peel of 1 lemon
1 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 cup granola (I like Nature’s Path granola)
2 tablespoons pistachios, toasted and chopped
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the rhubarb, wine granulated sugar, ginger, and lemon peel in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and gently toss to combine. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and juice, and the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir until well combined. Create 4 parfaits by layering the ingredients in glass in the following order: rhubarb compote, mascarpone cream, and granola. Garnish with pistachios and serve.
