Tapioca Pudding With Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce (Contra Costa Times, 05/13/2008)

FOR THE PUDDING:

¼ cup quick-cooking tapioca

6 tablespoons sugar

3 cups milk

2 eggs, well-beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 basket (1 pint) strawberries

½ pound rhubarb, cut in ½-inch widths

6-8 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1. To make pudding: Combine tapioca, sugar, milk and eggs in a saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Immediately remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and stir in vanilla extract. Let cool without stirring, then cover and chill. Pudding will thicken as it cools.

2. To make sauce: Hull and quarter strawberries. In a saucepan, combine strawberries, rhubarb, 6 tablespoons sugar and orange juice. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cover, adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until fruit softens and forms a sauce, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure mixture doesn't boil up and spill over the pan. Uncover, stir well, then taste. Add up to 2 tablespoons
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more sugar if necessary, then transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

3. To serve, put a generous tablespoon of strawberry rhubarb sauce in each of 6 balloon wineglasses or compote dishes. Top with ½ cup tapioca. Any leftover sauce may be refrigerated for up to a week.