Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

One of the great things about spring in Florida is the bounty of locally grown strawberries that we enjoy each year.  When they were smaller, one of our kids’ favorite field trips at school was a visit to Oak Haven Farm where the kids could all pick their own berries.  The kids would pick the fruit—occasionally popping one in their mouth—and proudly call out when they’d filled their flat.  So, each time we went, I came home with several flats of perfectly patch-ripened fruit and started paging through my recipe files for great things to do with all those strawberries.  Here is a good one.

This recipe pairs strawberries with another quintessential spring treat—which is a cool weather, northern spring crop—rhubarb.  I guess somebody in the produce section of our market feels sorry for us northern transplants, and each year—for a couple of weeks—we’ll have rhubarb in our store.  As soon as I see those bright red stalks in the grocery store or farmer’s market, I grab these imports and our local strawberries and head home to make this favorite dessert.  The tartness of the rhubarb goes perfectly with the sweet strawberries–and the two kinds of sugar don’t hurt either.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

5 cups strawberries, washed, dried and sliced
2 cups rhubarb, washed, dried and sliced
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked oatmeal (old-fashioned, not quick-cooking)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together the strawberries, rhubarb, and sugars.  Spread the fruit in the bottom of a 9 x 12-inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into small pieces and with very clean hands; rub the butter into the dry mixture until it is well blended and crumbly.  Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit.  (You can prepare this a couple of hours ahead of time and let it sit on the counter until you’re ready to bake.)

Just before baking, mix together the lemon juice and the water—and sprinkle it over the top.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the fruit is bubbling at the edges.  Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For another amazing strawberry recipe try this one:

Strawberry Scones at Jane’s Sweets