Stewed Rhubarb Two Ways

Rhubarb season is at its peak, and, as I’m very fond of its unique texture and tangy flavor, I ended up buying quite a few stems lately. After making my favorite upside-down cake with it (click HERE for recipe), I opted for lighter ways of preparing the stems.I first stewed some roughly cut stalks with aromatic spices, such as star anise, cardamom and cloves, sweetened them with maple syrup, and loved the result. This was served at room temperature, as a light refreshing dessert, after a fairly heavy dinner.
My next version was to cook thinly sliced rhubarb with blueberries, to the point they broke down into a sauce. To thicken it further, I used a bit of tapioca flour. This tasty thickened sauce, with a deep purple color from the blueberries, is to be served cold for breakfast/brunch, with or without a bit of yogurt on top.
Both options will delight any rhubarb fan. Try them and enjoy.

Notes:
* Make sure not to use the leaves of the rhubarb, as they contain oxalic acid, which can be harmful if consumed in large quantities.

Spiced Stewed Rhubarb With Maple Syrup
Makes: 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cups roughly cut rhubarb stalks
½ cup water
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 star anise
4 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods, cracked
Dash salt

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil, over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Uncover, mix gently, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft but still keeps its shape. Taste and adjust flavors if needed. Serve at room temperature.

Stewed Rhubarb and Blueberries with Tapioca Flour
Makes: 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cups thinly sliced rhubarb stalks
1 cup blueberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tsp vanilla paste
Dash salt
2 Tbs Tapioca flour mixed with 2 Tbs water
For serving (optional): plain yogurt

1. In a large pot, mix the rhubarb, blueberries, sugar, water, vanilla and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat to medium and cook, mixing occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the rhubarb breaks down. Taste and adjust flavors if needed.

2. Mix in the tapioca slurry, bring to the boil, and cook for 5 minutes, mixing, until the mixture is thick and shiny. Serve cold, as is, or with plain yogurt.