Strawberry rhubarb crumble
There's just something magical about the combination of strawberries and rhubarb...it reminds me of summer, and more importantly, it reminds me of my dear Aunt Betty. She made some incredible jams in her day, but my all time favorite was her strawberry rhubarb. It's the perfect combination of sweet and sour; these flavors were made to be mixed together.
I am lucky enough to live near the fabulous Tendercrop Farms, which sources amazing produce from all over the world. So while it's not strawberry season in NH yet (please oh please when will spring and summer be here????), I was able to make this summery dish even while we're still buried in snow.
The original recipe is delicious as is, but I think the addition of browned butter and cinnamon in the crumble make a huge impact in the overall flavor. If you have yet to eat something with browned butter, well, you haven't lived my friend. What ever are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen already!
Strawberry rhubarb crumble
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Level: Easy
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes til you can eat it
Ingredients
For the topping:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
Zest of one lemon
1 stick unsalted butter, browned
For the filling:
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb (roughly 1-inch pieces)
1 quart strawberries, tops removed and quartered
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Make the topping:
First, brown your stick of butter in a small saucepan. Turn the heat on medium low, allow the butter to melt, foam, turn a clear gold, and then develop brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Keep an eye on the pan when you're doing this, you do not want the butter to burn. Total time is about 5 minutes or so.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, sugars and lemon zest with a whisk, then add in the brown butter. Mix together until clumps begin to form. Refrigerate until you're ready to top the crumble.
Stir together the rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a deep baking dish.
Remove the topping from the refrigerator and crumble it over the fruit thickly and evenly. Place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, about 45-55 minutes. Turn the sheet halfway through for even cooking.
Mangia!