Spring on the North Fork means one thing: farmstand season is finally back. As the first fruits and vegetables of the season begin appearing across the East End, there’s one ingredient we look forward to every year—rhubarb.

Bright, tart, and unmistakably seasonal, rhubarb is one of spring’s most underrated ingredients. While many people only associate it with pie, we love finding new ways to use it, especially in recipes that pair beautifully with wine.

This Baked Brie with Homemade Rhubarb Jam combines two of our favorite things: creamy baked brie wrapped in flaky puff pastry and sweet-tart rhubarb jam made with fresh spring fruit. Paired with a glass of Merlot, it’s the perfect recipe for spring entertaining, date nights at home, or cozy evenings with friends and a great bottle of wine.

Every spring, we eagerly wait for Wickham’s Fruit Farm to open their farmstand because it means rhubarb season has officially arrived. Homemade rhubarb jam has become a seasonal tradition in our kitchen. The balance of tart rhubarb and sweet berries creates a jam that works just as well on toast as it does spooned over warm baked brie.

Add a bottle of Merlot, some crackers, and a spring evening on the patio, and you have one of our favorite North Fork-inspired food and wine pairings of the season.

Baked Brie with Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients:

• 10 stalks fresh rhubarb, chopped
• 1 pint raspberries (or strawberries)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 TBSP cornstarch, dissolved in water
• brie wheel
• puff pastry sheet
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 TBSP butter, melted
• 1 bottle of Merlot

Directions:

1. Wash the rhubarb stalks and raspberries and let air dry. While the fruit is drying, cut off the top and bottom few inches of your rhubarb stalks and discard the ends. Lay the middle section of the stalk lengthwise across your cutting board and cut widthwise into small pieces.
2. Combine chopped rhubarb, raspberries, lemon juice, sugar, and water into a saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes or until the rhubarb has broken down and all is well combined.
3. While the fruit is cooking, make a cornstarch slurry combining the cornstarch in 2 TBSP water.
4. When the rhubarb mixture is finished cooking, pour the cornstarch slurry into your rhubarb mixture and stir on high heat until the fruit mixture begins to thicken.
5. Remove from heat and let cool. Once room temperature, pour fruit jam into a jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
6. When you are ready to make your baked brie, remove puff pastry from the fridge. Let it warm up on the counter for at least an hour. While the pastry is warming, chop walnuts and set aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Roll out your puff pastry into a sheet on your cutting board and place the wheel of brie in the center. Using a sharp knife, score the top of the brie creating a lattice of cuts half way through the cheese. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of the scored brie, putting a few nuts aside.
9. Fold the puff pastry over the top of the brie one corner at a time, brushing melted butter on the corners of the puff pastry to ensure the sheets stick together.
10. Once all four corners of the puff pastry have been wrapped around the brie, flip the brie over and place it on your parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the exterior with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle the top with remaining chopped walnuts.
11. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve topped with raspberry rhubarb jam and crackers. Pair a bottle of Merlot (or another of your favorite wines), relax, and enjoy!