Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Strawberry Season Is Here!

It’s finally strawberry season here in Oregon!!!  I am not being biased at all when I say this, but Oregon has, hands down, the best strawberries in the country.  They’re the juiciest and the sweetest I’ve ever tasted.  The only regretful thing about them is that their season only lasts a few weeks.  As a result, when strawberry season comes, you get as many berries as you can get your hands on.

The other day, my parents and I decided to celebrate by going strawberry picking.  I think the activity was a little nostalgic for my dad.  As a kid, he would spend part of his summers making money by strawberry picking for farmers in the Willamette Valley.  He was full of helpful tips on how to find the best strawberries.  We were only in the fields for about an hour, but we picked almost twenty pounds of berries!  Needless to say, be ready for a handful of strawberry rhubarb recipes to come your way!

About the Recipe

This recipe calls for four cups of strawberries, which are the juiciest fruit you can bake with.  Hence, the need for the large quantity of cornstarch in order to prevent the crumble from becoming watery.  It will still be juicy, just not soupy.  The topping is what I really love about this recipe.  It has a nice texture with the chewiness of the oats and the crunch of the pretzels.

I hope you welcome the beginning of strawberry season by berry picking or picking up a pint or a flat of berries at a roadside farmer’s stand.

Blessings on your home and table,                                                                                                                  ~Natalie

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rhubarb, diced
• 2 pints (4 cups) strawberries, diced
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• juice and zest of 1 small lemon
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup roughly chopped pretzels
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.  Pour mixture into an 8×8″ pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, working the dough until it forms dime-sized pieces.
4. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of the berry mixture.
5. Bake 40-50 minutes until the top is golden-brown.
6. Let cool completely.  Juices will thicken as the crumble cools.  Serve with vanilla ice cream!

For more recipes using fresh strawberries, check out my strawberry rhubarb scones!