Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Each year when the seasonal farmer markers open their doors again, it brings a smile to my face.   It’s one of the simple joys that that I look forward to.  I love purchasing the delicious produced that is grown locally.  A little challenge that I play with myself is trying to bake/cook the produce that is currently in season.  Currently, that would be rhubarb, which is in season until the end of June.   I’ve seen local strawberries making their first appearances at the markets.  It’s still a little early for them, but this season is quickly approaching, mid June to mid July.   I purchased some delicious strawberry rhubarb, from Lemington, ON, and decided to make a crisp.  I realized that I haven’t bake anything with rhubarb before – I quickly needed to put a end to that.

Ingredients

For the Topping

1/4 cup unsalted almonds
1/4 cup hazelnuts
7/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch cardamom
Pinch kosher salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

2 pounds rhubarb
1/2 pint ripe strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour

Directions:

For the Topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare 9? pie dish with non-stick spray.
Toast almonds and hazelnuts until fragrant and nutty, about 5 minutes.  Cool.
Place cooled nuts, flour, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in food processor.  Chop until nuts are ground and mixture is combined completely.  Pour dry mixture into medium mixing bowl.
Pour melted butter over dry mixture and combine until crumbly.

For the Filling

Cut rhubarb into 1/4? slices.  Place in medium mixing bowl.  Hull and quarter the strawberries.  Add to rhubarb.
Add sugar and flour to fruit, stir to evenly coat and combine.  Allow to macerate at room temperature until slightly moistened.

Assembly and Baking

Pour fruit into prepared dish, pressing down to create an even base.  Sprinkle crumb topping in an even layer on top of the fruit.
Bake until golden and bubbling, about 45 minutes.
Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.