Pancakes with Rhubarb Compote & Blood Orange

Begin by making the compote. Put the rhubarb, sugar, ginger and orange zest into a bowl and toss together. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Transfer the rhubarb and any liquid that has formed to a pan and add the orange juice. Bring quickly to the boil and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, or until the rhubarb softens. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl. Set aside the rhubarb and return the liquid to the pan. Place over a high heat and reduce the liquid right down until it is thick and glossy – when ready, remove from the pan and fold through the cooked rhubarb, stirring until a glossy, vibrant compote forms. Set aside while you prepare your pancakes.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour, crack in the eggs and add the butter and 100ml of the milk. Start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing in the flour. Add another 100ml of the milk and whisk again until a thick mixture forms. Add the final 100ml of milk and whisk again until you have a smooth, creamy batter. Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and grease lightly with vegetable or grapeseed oil. Ladle some of the batter into the pan before tilting in each direction until you have an even, thin covering, then return any excess batter to the bowl.

Return the pan to the heat. The underside of the pancake should turn a lovely golden brown in around 30 seconds if the pan is at the right temperature.

Flip the pancake using a fish slice and make sure the pancake is lying flat before frying for another 30 seconds. Transfer to a warm plate when cooked through.

Repeat with the remaining batter, re-greasing the pan as you go.

Layer up your pancakes with the rhubarb compote, slices of fresh blood orange, yoghurt, pistachios and pomegranate and enjoy warm as a delicious Shrove Tuesday treat. While the compote in this recipe requires some time to prepare, it delivers the most incredible depth of flavour so is worth the wait.