How many strawberry-rhubarb recipes does one need? At least two - and here's the second strawberry-rhubarb recipe for you to try - and I really hope you make this one - it's good - and I'm not just whistling Dixie! My mom watched Good Morning America the other day when Wolfie was on - Wolfgang Puck to you. Wolfie made a spring-time risotto which didn't thrill me or her - but then he made this crumble and it just sounded good, you know? So my dad and I went out to buy the rhubarb this morning...let me sum up my shopping experience for you this way:
Cost of 8 stalks of rhubarb for the crumble: $6.75
Cost of gas to drive to THREE different stores to find rhubarb and to get the cheapest price: $10.05
Cost of shopping with my dad, comparing prices, driving all over creation to find the cheapest strawberries because he has nothing but time on his hands: Priceless.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble - Adapted from Sherry Yard, Executive Pastry Chef of Spago via Wolfgang Puck on Good Morning America April 7, 2008...where you can print out the recipe which includes numerous mistakes and errors...or just use this one.
Yield: 1 quart casserole dish, 6 portions
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 stalks rhubarb, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 1/2 pints of fresh strawberries - about 2 cups, hulled and quartered
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine apple juice,1 cup sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil and then add the rhubarb. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until rhubarb is tender. With a slotted spoon, remove rhubarb from pan and place in a bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes, take a large spoon and remove any additional liquid that accumulates, put in a small bowl. Let this liquid cool until warm. Keep remaining liquid in the pan on a low simmer. Mix cornstarch into the cooled liquid, making a paste, stirring until smooth. Add this paste to the remaining liquid in the pan, whisking to incorporate and add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring back to a boil and let cook for about 3 minutes until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon again, remove the rhubarb from the bowl and add the thickened mixture, then fold in strawberries. Stir in orange zest and lemon juice. Pour into casserole dish and top with almond crumble. Recipe for topping follows:
Almond Crumble Topping
1 stick butter, ice cold and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Put the almonds into a food processor or a blender and process until almost flour-like. Remove. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix all ingredients, except butter. Add the butter and watching closely, blend for 2 to 3 minutes until butter is completely blended and the crumble resembles small pebbles.
Remove from the mixer and scrape down sides. Pour out onto a parchment paper or foil-lined sheet tray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crumble for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and toss the crumble. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, toss again, and bake an additional 3 minutes or until crumble is an even golden color. Spread on top of strawberry-rhubarb mixture. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.
I know, I know - another crappy picture - just when I think I've got it "down" the blurrs come back! Oh well, squint your eyes and then it will be in focus. Notice the pretty pink depression glass plate? My mom has a beautiful cabinet filled with them - and the crumble is in a King's Crown Thumbprint goblet - she has a collection of them, too, in fact, she has a collection of almost everything. I once told someone that my mom's house was like a museum - and they replied that they hated museums - said they were boring - but my mother's house is anything BUT boring - it's only like a museum because it's filled with wonderful pieces of art - things she's collected from her travels all over the world and each with a unique story - and like a museum I always learn something new when I come to visit....I'm a lucky girl.