Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

I always look forward to the first farmers markets of the season because there's a very small window when rhubarb is available. And in my book, it's not spring/early summer here in Illinois until a warm, melting, sweet, juicy strawberry-rhubarb crisp hits the table. 

Strawberries and rhubarb pair perfectly; rhubarb is extremely tart, and the natural sweetness from the strawberries creates a necessary balance of flavor. Rhubarb also pairs well with floral notes, so instead of using sugar, I sweetened the fruit with a touch of local raw honey. To take the flavors of this deletable dessert even further, I added cardamom and orange blossom water. Though not entirely necessary, I do recommend trying to incorporate these ingredients, as they will elevate this dish in an instant.

*Note: Cardamom is readily available in the spice section, and orange blossom water is typically found in the Middle Eastern aisle at the grocery store - or online.

INGREDIENTS - serves about 4

1 cup fresh rhubarb, chopped
1 cup strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 tablespoon corn starch
Juice of half a lemon

STREUSEL TOPPING - this recipe makes more streusel than you'll need for this recipe. I like making a bigger batch and keeping it on-hand in the fridge to toss on top of muffins or other baked goods at the ready. Use about 1/2 to put on top of the crisp for this recipe.

3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup gluten-free quick oats
1/2 cup salted butter, just *slightly* softened to the touch (about 8-10 seconds in the microwave)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash and chop the rhubarb and strawberries. Add them to a bowl, followed by the honey, salt, cardamom, vanilla, orange blossom water, corn starch and lemon juice. Gently stir until all of the ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into a small baking dish and set aside.

Make the streusel by adding all of the ingredients into a bowl and working it together using your fingertips. The streusel is ready when all of the dry ingredients have been absorbed into the butter but large, crumbly chunks still remain. You do not want a paste! 

Take about half of the streusel and place it atop the fruit. Bake on a file-lined baking sheet in the oven about 30 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and the streusel is golden brown.

When done, allow to rest at room temperature about 5-10 minutes prior to serving - this will allow the juices to re-distribute into the crisp.

I love eating this warm out of the oven or cold from the fridge. Serve as is or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!