Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

I'm a bit late in posting this. It would be hard to find rhubarb at this point in the growing season however if you're like me you would have had bits and pieces that you tossed in the freezer to use later. Pick up some ever bearing strawberries (which actually taste decent this year)  and you are set.

I do not often turn the oven on during the summer but when I do it is usually for some sort of dessert. Cobblers are perfect - you can toss in whatever fruit is in season and you are off. With this version the rhubarb, which is very tart, is combined with strawberries to mellow out the flavour.

The most classic combination of strawberries and rhubarb is seen in the traditional strawberry-rhubarb pie. But, when I don’t have the time or patience to deal with pie dough…I make a deliciously simple crumble. You can mix this crumble together, bake it and eat it in about an hour.

This recipe is by Bobby Flay.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar (or turbinado sugar aka Sugar in the Raw)
Zest of one lemon
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 quart strawberries plus a few extras, hulled, quartered
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt

Heat oven to 375°F. Prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugars and lemon zest and add the melted butter. Mix until small and large clumps form. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Toss rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and a pinch of salt in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or 9-inch square glass baking dish. Let sit 10 minutes.

Remove topping from refrigerator and cover fruit thickly and evenly with topping. Place plate or dish on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake on the middle rack until crumble topping is golden brown in places and fruit is bubbling beneath, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let the crumble rest for at least 15 minutes then serve warm with vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream or Greek yogurt.