Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

Making a batch of strawberry rhubarb compote was the perfect way to celebrate a gorgeous July 4th weekend. This recipe is adapted from Thomas Keller's Bouchon. It is delicious as a topping for ice cream, pound cake, yogurt, you name it.

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Makes approximately 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. strawberries, cleaned quartered
• 1 lb. rhubarb, cleaned and trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for about 4 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another two minutes.
4. Remove from heat and bring compote to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

A Mom-Inspired Meal for Mother's Day

I have my mother to thank for my love for cooking. My first cooking experience was helping her smooth out lumps in the gravy one Thanksgiving when I was in elementary school. From there, I went on to helping her make mashed potatoes, icing for my family members' birthday cakes (and "clean" out the bowl), chocolate chip cookies, and mashed potatoes. It all culminated with one Thanksgiving where I made all of the pies. By then, I had the foodie bug, all thanks to my mother.

Although I could not be with my mother this Mother's day since she was across the Atlantic Ocean, I made the meal that I would have cooked her had I paid my parents a visit. It was truly a mom-inspired meal; after all, my love for cooking comes from her. Here is what I made:


Salmon Fillets Braised in Pinot Noir with Bacon & Mushrooms: My mom will always choose a salmon dish when dining out, so this one was a no-brainer. The recipe came from Molly Stevens' All About Braising, a terrific cookbook my mom gave me last Christmas. I served the dish with mashed potatoes, a dish that my significant eater claims I have perfected, no doubt to the many times I helped my mom make it. My mom did teach me to always have a vegetable with dinner, but I rebelled, choosing not to make any veggies for the sake of not having to wash dishes all night.


Rhubarb Crisp: One of the favorite desserts my mother makes is a blackberry and nectarine crisp. Since blackberries and nectarines are not in season, I chose rhubarb for tonight, and used this recipe from Epicurious. The dessert was good, but it sure doesn't beat my mom's original.

The meal was terrific, as is anything inspired by moms. The only thing missing was that she could not enjoy it with me. When I see her, I will definitely make a mom-inspired meal for my mom. Happy Mother's Day!