Rhubarb Raspberry Whip

I have a couple of rhubarb plants in our otherwise wild back yard in the country where we live. It’s the only plant that seems to survive here. It is impossible to have a garden or even landscaping as we have a large number of wildlife roaming the forest and meadows around us and they eat everything in sight. They even come up on the deck to lunch of my flower pots, when i have them. I don’t resent it at all and if  anything I feel it’s their home and we are the intruders. I love watching the wildlife, a moose and her two young calves, families of deer, the occasional red fox and packs of coyotes wandering around. Sometime we witness the not-so-pretty side of the wilderness. I have seen a large bird (eagle maybe?) pick up a fox and fly away with it, and I have seen a coyote attack a deer near the pond. It’s the cycle of nature, they all have young ones to feed. But what does that have to do with the recipe? oh, yes, the rhubarb plants.  I inherited these two plants from the previous owners of this home (we have lived here more than 20 years) and every spring I go out with a large basket and cut off the beautiful thin deep-red stalks of the two rhubarb plants. It’s amazing how they grow and get so beautifully red without any help from me. So because of these plants I have developed a repertoire of rhubarb desserts that I make often. Rhubarb cobbler is one of them and I should really post it on the blog soon. It is one of my signature desserts that I bake in a large copper paella pan (easily serves 20). This one however is simple and lovely raspberry and rhubarb compote that I lighten up with whipped cream. That’s all there is to it. It is so quick and easy to make and is a welcome ending to a casual dinner. If you serve it beautifully in a delicate dish you could serve it at an elegant dinner just the same. Serve it chilled, straight from the fridge. Enjoy.

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Ingredients:

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4 cups rhubarb, washed and cut into 1″ pieces

1 cup sugar
1 cup apple cider

2 cups fresh raspberries

1 cup whipping cream, whipped fairly stiff
1 tablespoon sugar

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Directions:

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Place rhubarb, sugar and cider in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover with the lid and cook until rhubarb is broken down and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Add raspberries in the last 10 minutes and stir frequently to dissolve them into the rhubarb mixture.

When the rhubarb and raspberries are cooked through and the texture is thick and compote-like remove from heat and allow to cool. The compote will thicken as it cools.

When the compote has cooled sufficiently spoon it into a mason jar, cover with lid and place in the fridge. This compote can keep well in the fridge for several days. You can use it as it is now to add to other desserts (see rice pudding with rhubarb compote here) or continue with this recipe.

A few hours before serving whip the cream with a tablespoon of sugar and lightly mix the cream into the chilled raspberry-rhubarb compote just until blended. You just transformed the compote into a light mousse. Return it to the refrigerator until serving.

When ready to serve spoon the mousse into dessert dishes, garnish with a couple of raspberries and serve chilled. If you have room in the fridge you can fill the dessert dishes with the mousse ahead of time and keep them refrigerated until serving time.

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