old fashioned strawberry rhubarb crisp

Hello Lovelies! We’re still enjoying our long weekend, even though the sky is threatening rain. I really wanted to go on a picnic today, but it looks like we’ll have to change our plans.

Here’s my favorite recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb crisp. I have been the lucky recipient of garden gifts from my friends and neighbors…wild asparagus, lilacs and rhubarb all in one week…and, soon…morel mushrooms! Can’t wait to make big heaping portions of THIS mushroom crostini with the morels. SO delicious. My second favorite food to fresh shellfish.

Anyway, here’s that strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe! I’ve made this with blackberries and blueberries in place of the strawberries before and it turned out great. One of my facebook friends said she likes hers with raspberries! That sounds really good too. Whatever kind of berries you end up using, just make sure they are fresh, ripe and very sweet so they cut the tartness of the rhubarb.

~ preheat oven to 375 degrees F ~

filling:

2 lb fresh, ripe rhubarb, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 and 1/4 cups sugar

1 lb. fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons fresh lemon jiuce

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

topping:

1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 lb.)

1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 cups rolled oats (not steel cut and not instant)

3 Tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a medium sized mixing bowl, toss the rhubarb chunks with 3/4 cup of the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes. In a separate, larger mixing bowl, toss the strawberries with 1/2 cup of the sugar and let it stand for 10 minutes.

After the fruit has set for indicated amount of time, move the rhubarb chunks to the strawberry bowl with a slotted spoon. Discard the rhubarb sugar/juice. Add the cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla to the fruit. Mix well and transfer to a buttered 9 x 13 glass baking pan. Smooth out evenly using a rubber spatula.

Mix topping ingredients together in a large bowl until evenly combined and large crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over the filling in the baking pan. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake an additional 30 minutes more (until bubbling and golden brown.)

Allow the crisp to  rest and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving. This is awesome with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

~Melissa