Monday, August 22, 2011

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble with Irish Whiskey Butter



I would love to say that I am not one to wish away a season but the truth is... I am.  I totally am.  I cannot wait for Summer to get here and then towards the end after a month of sticky 100+ degree days and three showers a daw and sweaty cranky children, and being held hostage in your house because you could get heat stroke if you go out into the world I am ready for Fall.  Being from Vermont Fall has always been my favorite season anyway.  The leaves in the mountains during foliage season are just breath taking. Go ahead and google it if you've never been.  You will be amazed, you will be jealous, you will think... no way does the whole state look like that... but it pretty much does.  I have so many great memories of Vermont that I often get homesick just thinking about it.  I am crossing my fingers that we will get to go home during foliage for the first time since we moved out to Cornfield-Central.

I mean who wouldn't want to be around this?


Photo via Google images

or this?

Darn it, now I want to go fishing too!

One of my Summer to Fall memories as a child was eating rhubarb at my Grandmother's house.  My cousins and I would go out to the side of the yard and choose our giant stalks of rhubarb, go into the house and peel them and pour out little dishes of sugar and salt to dip them in.  I tried to plant some rhubarb this year so I could continue the tradition with my own children.  However I was more inspired by nostalgia to plant it in the same area of the yard than by reason and the weeds in the back of the lot drowned the poor buggers in shade and I was greeted not by the blushing stalks but by whithered sad little brown strings.  I am hoping some of them make it back next year but it is a small hope.  Luckily you can buy rhubarb in any store or farmer's market right now and make this dish.  On a positive note I saw about 4 teeny tiny strawberries on the plants we planted on the side of the house so my son is very excited about that.  I don't think we will get enough to make jam as the goal is eventually but even if one survives long enough to be picked and eaten by the Monkey he will be thrilled.

these were frozen and made them a bit more sour than I expected


Strawberry-Rhubarb Irish Crumble with Irish Whiskey Butter
Ingredients
Irish Whiskey Butter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
Crumble:
5 cups quartered strawberries
3 cups sliced rhubarb, about 1/3-inch thick (fresh or frozen and thawed)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
Pinch salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
Method
To make the Irish whiskey butter, place the butter in a mixing bowl and whip until fluffy. With the mixer running, gradually add the confectioners' sugar. Slowly add the Irish whiskey until combined. The mixture may look separated and curdled at first but if you continue whipping, it will come together. Topping may be used at room temperature or chilled.
Preheat oven to 375o F. Lightly grease a 7-by-11-inch baking dish and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Pour the strawberry mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a medium, mixing bowl, add the flour, oats, light brown sugar, and salt, stirring to combine. Add the diced butter to the flour mixture, and using your fingers, work the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the crumb mixture evenly on top of the strawberry mixture.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
Serve warm with a spoonful of the Irish Whiskey Butter.



1 comment:

  1. those Vermont fall pics are amazing....and rhubarb strawberry anything is a good grandma memory for me....this recipe sounds great as usual!those Vermont fall pics are amazing....and rhubarb strawberry anything is a good grandma memory for me....this recipe sounds great as usual!

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