SURPRISE RHUBARB CRISP

May 18, 2010 countrychick

It is rhubarb time here on the farm and we are so ready for it!!  The new tender stalks are the best and my Dad always said they picked them right away because they were so sweet and tender.  You know what, he was right!  And who doesn’t remember taking a bowl of sugar and heading for the rhubarb patch.  Dip and taste…..the best.

We have a heritage rhubarb plot here at our spot and I will give you a little history of this rhubarb.  It originally came from Iowa when my great grandparents trudged all the way to Saskatchewan to homestead way back in the 1800′s.  I will look up the exact date later on.  It became established on all the family farms back there including my parents and when I finally had a home and yard of my own a root came along with me to B.C.  We have lived in several different homes and when ever I moved I took the rhubarb root with me.  My family have it in their yards and I have passed it on to friends as well.  It could not get more heritage than that and it is a very nice ruby red and just keeps on producing.  We love it!!  On with the recipe…..

SURPRISE RHUBARB CRISP

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2-3 tsps. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb or frozen but unsweetened

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh strawberries

2 tbsp. snipped fresh basil  (now do you know what the surprise is??)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats (quick cooking)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tbsps. butter or marg. melted

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium mixing bowl stir together sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.  Stir in rhubarb, strawberries and basil.  Transfer fruit mixture to a 2 qt. square baking dish and spread evenly.  Set aside.

For topping, in another medium sized bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar and salt.  Stir in melted butter or marg. and sprinkle topping evenly onto the top of the fruit mixture.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is a nice golden brown.  This is so good served warm with yogurt or a scoop of ice cream.  A special spring time treat!!  (you can snip on a little more fresh basil on top if you like…I do, I am a basil fan)

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