Strawberries and rhubarb always reminds me of June – when they are in season in Ontario and at their freshest. Every produce booth at the farmers market has them on display and for those who are lucky enough to have backyard gardens, their crops are ready to harvest.
My parents have a big lush rhubarb plant growing in their back garden. It always grows dark red rhubarb – perfect for early summer desserts. As soon as I got to my parents’ home this weekend and saw this big lush plant in the garden, I knew that I wanted to make something with it.
Then when we got inside, my mom pulled out a quart of these perfectly sweet Ontario strawberries she’d picked up from the market. They were just begging to be put together to make a dessert.
Tart rhubarb paired with sweet strawberries, topped with a delicious crisp oat crumble, is hard to beat for an early summer dessert. On a cool evening like we had this weekend, it was best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
What you’ll need:
Crumble:
- 1 cup Flour (Gluten-Free Option: Substitute with Rice Flour)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Quick Oats
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Butter, melted
Filling:
- 3 cups diced Rhubarb
- 1-1/2 cup sliced Strawberries
Sauce:
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- Zest and Juice of a Lemon
Don’t you just love the colour and vibrancy of fruit in season? These strawberries were great on their own, so I just knew they would be the perfect sweet touch to compliment the tartness of the rhubarb.
In a small saucepan, mix water, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Pour sauce over fruit.
Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Place a rimmed baking sheet lined with tinfoil on an oven rack directly under the crumble to catch any drips.
I had to highlight the awesome vintage tablecloth that I used from my mother’s collection, passed down to her from my great aunt. It’s perfect for Ontario strawberry season, don’t you think?
