All summer long backyards across Canada are filled with friends and family, good music, laughter and great food! Canada Day should be no different, there is guaranteed to be a BBQ somewhere and I’ll be going! Jana always volunteers to bring something, so naturally I am more than happy to oblige. Potluck style BBQ’s are pretty common out east, and a great way to dine with friends. The host will handle the Q, and the guests usually bring sides, salads, desserts, drinks etc. It works great! There is less stress for the hosts, I get to sample all kinds of food (it makes some people nervous, which is kind of fun!), and there are many hands to help with the clean up before the party gets started.
We went to Heidi and Anders Annual Summer Solstice Party this past weekend with the kids for a BBQ and camp out. It was like smorgasbord meets barbeque; friends, food and fun! I brought a rhubarb crisp, it was fantastic, took me right back to the house I grew up in. Every summer when her one rhubarb plant was ready, my mom would make rhubarb crisp of some sort, and I loved it! The sweet, crisp oat crumble hiding the tart rhubarb below, gorgeous, it screams summer! So once I saw the sign at the local rhubarb patch down the road, I pulled in and bought 5 lbs for 5 dollars, awesome!
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it is more often prepared as a fruit. It is a perennial and grows like crazy in temperate and colder climates, like Canada! The leaves are toxic (oxalic acid), but the stalks are edible. They are however rather acid so you need to be generous with the sugar to create the desired sweet and sour taste you find in crisp and pies, and is just as delicious in jams, preserves, and cobblers. Rhubarb pairs well with: citrus, cinnamon, ginger, and sweet berries. I recommend using the younger more tender stalks; they don’t need to be peeled like the thicker older ones.
This recipe is a variation of the one I did for the Summer Solstice. I included fresh strawberries from the Annapolis Valley, and added some macadamia nuts in the crumble for taste and texture. I would definitely recommend serving this crisp with a scoop of really good vanilla ice cream. When the ice cream melts on the hot crisp, it creates this custard like sauce that compliments the tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries oh so beautifully.
Happy Cooking!
Chef Ryan Skelton
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Makes 1 large crisp or many individual crisps
2 1/2 lbs fresh local rhubarb, cut into 1 inch long pieces
1 pint fresh local strawberries, washed hulled and halved
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
1 ½ cups (375 mL) all purpose flour
¾ cup (188 mL) brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
6 tbsp (90 mL) cold unsalted butter, cubed
¾ cup (188 mL) rolled oats
¾ cup (188 mL) roasted and chopped macadamia nuts
- Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and lemon in a large bowl and gently mix together.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, then rub the butter in with your fingertips, until it is well blended and large crumbs form. Mix in the oats and nuts.
- Pour the fruit mixture into a large casserole dish or small individual gratin dishes, and cover with the crumb topping. Bake for 60 minutes, the juices should be bubbling and the crumb a nice golden brown. Let cool before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top.
