Rhubarb compote

It's that time of year again: fresh rhubarb!

But I'm not yet excited about the strawberries I'm seeing. They're still the giant, flavorless, hard varieties, shipped in from who-knows-where. I'd rather wait for the fresh, local version.

So instead of making strawberry-rhubarb pie, which is my favorite rhubarb use, I made rhubarb compote and ate it over vanilla ice cream.

Take 3 big stalks of rhubarb and cut them up. Combine them with 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Let the rhubarb sit for about 15 minutes, with the sugar, until the pieces begin to exude some juice. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Cover and simmer on low until the rhubarb is tender, another 10 to 15 minutes.

At this point the compote will look largely like pink mush. That's okay. Cover, turn off the heat, and let cool without stirring. Refrigerate for at least two hours (it'll thicken as it cools).

Serve over ice cream, cake, or eat all by itself.