Any other perfectionists out there please raise your hands? I’m aware that I’m not the only one who pursues perfection and pays a price for it. Perfectionism, in its milder forms, can be a positive trait and a constant motivation to get better. But lately, I’ve gone overboard and into never-good-enough land. I am currently my own worst adversary and harshest critic. My dissatisfaction cascades downward to the point of failure whenever a tried-and-true recipe idea fails me, I don’t like what I see in the mirror, or the crumbs and splatters cover my kitchen surface.
I eventually get myself to my feet and fasten Cookie’s leash so we may leave by walking. Those quick strolls give you perspective. I keep telling myself that there is no such thing as perfect. Furthermore, it is impossible. Never will anything be flawless. Why then do I persist in such a fruitless endeavor? My desire to excel simply serves to make me feel unworthy, envious, and even resentful. Not me, please! I have enlisted the aid of a specialist to accomplish that. Instead of giving up when something isn’t ideal, I want to learn how to accept it with grace.
I was looking for the ideal food to accompany this tart and sweet strawberry-rhubarb topping, but it goes well with a number of foods. I made the decision to roast my strawberries and rhubarb in the oven because they were about to go bad, much like I did for this balsamic stone fruit dessert. Fruit roasting is incredibly easy and wonderful. I believe you’ll prefer rhubarb when it’s roasted if you’ve ever boiled it down on the stove and been let down by the fibrous goop that results. The rhubarb’s tartness and the strawberries’ sweetness are intensified by the oven’s heat. The finished dish has a texture similar to the filling in my strawberry rhubarb crisp and is kind of jammy.
It tastes fantastic on ice cream, pancakes, and milkshakes. It would undoubtedly make the best cheesecake topping ever, in my opinion. But I think my preferred creamy base is tart plain yogurt. For a “parfait,” which, strangely, means “perfect” in French, add layers of granola, yogurt, and strawberry-rhubarb things. (Really just a coincidence. (Insert smirk here.) For the photographs, I simply sprinkled some granola on top, but feel free to add more toppings of your choosing. This is the perfect, incredibly straightforward, springtime dessert.
Also read: Simple Goat Cheese and Egg Toasts with Fresh Peas and Dill
INGREDIENTS
- raspberry-strawberry sauce
- strawberries weighing 1 pound, hulled, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 pound of rhubarb, cut into slices 14 inch broad (approximately 4 stalks).
- honey, 1/3 cup
- one little lemon, juiced
- Perfect components
- Several cups of store-bought granola or 1 batch of homemade honey almond granola (nut free if desired)
- 32 ounces plain yogurt (also works with Greek or vanilla yogurt)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set the oven’s temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use parchment paper to line a baking sheet with a rim.
- Spread the strawberry and rhubarb in a single layer on the baking sheet after tossing them with honey. Fruit should be luscious and soft after 20 to 25 minutes of baking, with a midway toss. Because the honey might burn rapidly, keep an eye on the fruit that is on the pan’s edges.
- Juices and fruit should be transferred to a bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir. Serve it warm with ice cream or cheesecake, or allow it to cool and stir it into a milkshake, for example.
- If you wish to make parfaits, layer yogurt, strawberry-rhubarb sauce, and granola in small glasses or bowls as desired.
NOTES
Adapted from my strawberry rhubarb crisp and balsamic roasted stone fruit sundae.
This recipe makes enough sauce to flavor 8 (12 cup) yogurt servings.