I searched high and low for rhubarb this year. There was none to be found. Towards the end of May, I started getting pretty worried, thinking that I might not get any this year. Because, for me, rhubarb is just so spring. And here it is, basically summer now, and I’ve just now found some at the farmers market. Whew. That was a close one.
But here’s the problem. I made this crumble. Which, really is not a problem at all, because it’s so delicious and such a perfect use for rhubarb. The problem is that since I made this crumble, I don’t have any rhubarb left to make rhubarb cake. Which is my favorite, and which just might be the next contender for Monday Cake Day. So, once again, I’ll have to trek out to the farmers market on Saturday to find some. Not that I mind going to the farmers’ market on a Saturday morning or anything…
Ok, back to the crumble. Wow. Is there really anything that goes more perfectly and deliciously with rhubarb than strawberries? I just don’t think so. This crumble cooks long enough that the rhubarb and strawberries sort of melt and mush together, releasing all their beautiful ruby juices, only to be soaked up by a crisp topping of buttery oats and rich, nutty pistachios. I’d never actually made a crumble with pistachios before, and the recipe didn’t call for them… but when I opened the cupboard to grab some walnuts or pecans of something, my eyes fell on these little green beauties instead, and I couldn’t resist. Something about the pistachios works so well against the sweet-tart combination of the strawberries and rhubarb. Pecans may never been seen in my rhubarb crisp coming out of my kitchen again. And I have a feeling no one will miss them.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
Large pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 pound strawberries, hulled, halved (about 4 cups)
12 ounces bright red rhubarb, ends trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
Combine flour, 2/3 cup sugar, and salt in medium-sized bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter. Rub in with fingertips until mixture sticks together in clumps. Stir in oats and nuts.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Place 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; whisk to blend well.
{Fun extra: Use the remainder of the vanilla bean to make vanilla sugar! Just throw the scraped bean in a container of regular granulated sugar, and let it hang out. Next time you need sugar, voila! Vanilla Sugar!}
Add strawberries and rhubarb to sugar in bowl; toss to coat well. Pour fruit into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle oat topping evenly over filling.
Bake crumble until filling bubbles thickly and topping is crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Spoon warm crumble into bowls. Serve with ice cream, or sweetened whipped cream. Without ice cream, a big messy spoonful of this goes perfectly with a cup of coffee in the morning for breakfast. Or with ice cream. Whatever.
