Maple-Roasted Rhubarb Sauce

This post is by Full Circle’s resident Farm Foodie – Debra Dubief

My adoration for rhubarb seems to intensify every year. I’m not sure if that’s actually the case or if my memories are just a little hazy. Either way, as soon as we began to see signs of spring here in the Pacific Northwest my rhubarb radar was on and I bought some just as soon as I could.

Then I began to obsess about the myriad possibilities. Each morning as I grabbed the milk for my coffee those crimson red stalks starred back at me, urging me to get cooking. A pie would be divine, but I wasn’t sure I was up for making pie crust and my usual pie back-up – cobbler – didn’t seem right. No, the perfect thing would be an easy, unadulterated rhubarb dessert that would let the tangy deliciousness of this vegetable shine.

I knew just the thing and with Mother’s Day right around the corner, I thought it would also be the perfect recipe to share with you. So easy it can be whipped up while preparing a special brunch or to cap a lazy dinner. This rosy pink sauce can adorn anything from waffles or French toast to oatmeal to ice cream, but really needs nothing more than a spoon to enjoy.

Maple-roasted rhubarb is a wonderful marriage of two spring crops. Although maple syrup is most often considered an autumn staple, the trees are actually tapped for their amber sap in late winter to early spring and turned into sweet golden bliss shortly thereafter. Real maple syrup, made in small batches like my favorite from Dragonfly Sugarworks, doesn’t hit you over the head with intense maple flavor, instead it’s a delicate symphony of maple-laced with rich buttery notes and a subtle hint of vanilla that you might swear came from a Tahitian bean.

The perfect foil to rhubarb’s tartness, this has to be one of the most delicious things to come of so little effort. In fact, it’s so easy that the strategic placement of this recipe and some prepped rhubarb could lead someone to make it just for you!