Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

When rhubarb shows up you naturally think of strawberries and this past weekend I had the chance to go strawberry picking. If you have a chance to get out there this time of year and pick your own strawberries DO IT! The simplest thing I can say is they taste like strawberries which I know sounds ridiculous but if you taste them you'll understand. That night I simply hulled a container full of berries to take to the baseball game. No sugar added or necessary and they were a perfectly sweet treat.

Today though I wanted to use the strawberries and rhubarb together. I found a low sugar recipe for a strawberry rhubarb crunch and I adapted it with my own additions. It was bright & sweet and with a little crunch on the top. What a perfect way to highlight both the strawberries and rhubarb and not overly sweet.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

4 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
pinch of salt

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a baking dish, mixed together rhubarb, strawberries, agave nectar and pinch of salt. In medium bowl, stir together oats, sugar, almonds, cinnamon and salt. Add butter and crumble the mixture with your hands to form a crumbly mixture. Spread mixture over top of fruit.

Bake in oven for 40 minutes until rhubarb is tender. Serve warm.

New Plan

Well the summer festivities caught up with me and it's been quite a few days since I've been able to cook - let alone post.  I have been making use of a lot of this week's veggies in fresh salads when I've had time to grab a bite at home. Once again I have to tell you how much I am enjoying fresh mint in my salad - it really makes all the other flavours pop and it's a hint of sweet that makes the salad so refreshing.  My new plan is that I expect to post 3 meals a week - this is more realistic a goal and I won't feel guilty for not doing everyday and I'll be much more likely to keep up with this blog. 

Today my goal was to use the rhubarb that has been staring me in the face every time I open the fridge.  A friend of mine who is also part of the CSA mentioned she made rhubarb muffins over the weekend. I decided to go with the classic strawberry and rhubarb pairing, especially since the strawberries are in season right now.  I am not a baker so I bought the rolls of pie dough at the store and when I got home I could not find my pie plates. I think they are at my Mom's for when she makes her 15 pies over Thanksgiving (no that is not an exaggeration).  So instead I decided to make two free form tarts.  They came our pretty good and taste even better.  Of course I probably picked the hottest day of the year so far to have my oven on but I did them early enough in the day that it wasn't too bad.

Check out my "recipe below"

1 box easy to roll pie dough
2 lbs strawberries, cut into 1" slices
1 lb rhubarb, cut into 1/2" slices
1 c white sugar
1/2 c flour
1 T minute tapicoa
1 t salt
1 egg, beaten

I rolled the two pie crusts out a little and then put them on parchment paper on a sheet pan.  I placed those in the fridge to keep cold while I made the filling.

I tossed the strawberries, rhubarb, flour, sugar, tapioca and salt until combined.  Then I piled 1/2 the filling into the middle of each pie crust leaving about a 1 inch edge.  I lifted the edges up over the filling and layered on top of each other. If any dough split I pinched in back together.  I put the tarts in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Before putting in oven I brushed the edges of the tart with the egg. Baked at 400 for 30 minutes.  Removed to wire rack to cool.

Week Two!

I just picked up this week's vegetables and am SO excited. We got a big bunch of fresh cilantro!!!  I am trying to grow some of my own but have never had much luck because I've been told it doesn't get hot enough here but this bunch looks beautiful. I am a sucker for cilantro . . I am not one of those crazy people who think it tastes like dirty dish water.


Here is this week's lists:
Spinach
Young Garlic
Radish
Komatsuna
Cilantro
Kale
Chard
Panisse Lettuce
Scallions
Rhubarb

There will however be no cooking today - I have to leave work a little early to go into Boston to the Pop's so I won't be taking time away to work. There is also a chance I won't be able to cook tomorrow as I am going to my office in Connecticut and that is a long day with a 3 hour trip each way. Maybe I'll be in the mood when I get home but we'll have to wait and see.

A quick tip - I find storing the greens much like herbs in a plastic bag with a bit of paper toweling in the bag keeps them fresh longer.