We've been going a bit crazy with rhubarb around here as of late. As the first true sign of spring produce we see in these parts we like to greet it's arrival with a bit of fanfare, thank you very much. So far we've used the lovely, tart red-green stalks in a knock-out Rhubarb Fool recipe we pinched from our friends Jody and Ken at The Garum Factory, in some Rhubarb Mojitos concocted by our fun dinner companion Tammy, and in this super easy, yet wildly delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp.
This is basically Ina Garten's recipe with some chopped nuts added in for a little extra something. It is terrific warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla melting atop, and equally as good cold from the fridge for breakfast (don't judge me). We also used it as a topping for an otherwise boring bowl of steel-cut oats as a slightly more healthy breakfast option…..YUM! My Dad, who was visiting last week, committed to walk an extra few miles a day to justify having a small bowl of this as a mid-afternoon treat. Yeah, it's that good!
The pairing of strawberry and rhubarb hasn't become famous by accident, these two stars are born to be used together. The soft sweetness of the strawberries pair perfectly with the tart crunch of the rhubarb, and their combination in this dessert delivers a fruit bomb with just enough pucker to make your taste buds sing the praises of the best that spring has to offer.
Make this one soon, while rhubarb is still available at your local farmer's market!
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1 inch dice (4 or 5 stalks)
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350℉.
- For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch with the orange juice, then mix it into the fruit. Pour the mixture into an 8 x 11 inch baking dish and place it on a rimmed sheet pan.
- For the topping, in the bowl of a standing mixer fit with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, nuts, and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.