Rhubarb Confit with Rhubarb Syrup for Improvising

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Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dry white wine
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons wild flower honey
2 to 3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
2 pounds rhubarb, preferably red stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick (8 to 10 cups)
2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the wine, 3/4 cups of the sugar, the honey, and the strawberries and bring to a low boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the strawberries are flabby and pale, 10 to 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the strawberries to a bowl. Occasionally pour juices that collect around them back into the pot. (If the strawberries still have some flavor, save them to eat with yogurt.)

2. Add the rhubarb and return to a low boil. Cover until the rhubarb has released its juices, about 3 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the rhubarb is falling apart, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Working in batches if necessary, pour the mixture through a fine strainer set over a bowl; let sit several minutes, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula or a spoon to extract most of the liquid. Transfer the thick confit left in the strainer into a bowl.

4. Stir 1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice and additional sugar into the confit if desired. Transfer the syrup to a jar and add a pinch of salt, 1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and additional sugar if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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A former chef, Sally Schneider has won numerous awards—including four James Beard awards—for her books and magazine writing. She is creator of the lifestyle blog the improvised life, a featured blogger on The Atlantic Monthly's Food Blog, and author of The Improvisational Cook and A New Way to Cook. She has served as a contributing editor to both Saveur and Food & Wine, and her work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Saveur, Food & Wine, SELF and Connoisseur.