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Recipe Detail Page
New-Style Rhubarb Crisp
Early Summer 2021
Don’t ruin spring’s calling-card ingredient with a baked crisp! Hear me out: After chopping and baking rhubarb stalks, you’re usually left with a pale purée. This stovetop method requires a bit more babysitting, but it comes together in less than half an hour (including prep and cook time). Poaching long pieces of rhubarb allows them to keep their shape and deliciously sour edge. Here, perfectly sweet-tart poached rhubarb is sprinkled with a toasted rustic crisp topping and dolloped with whipped cream.
Makes 6 servings
8 large or 12 medium rhubarb stalks, about 1 1/2 lbs (680 g)
4 cups (1 L) water
5 long strips lemon peel (about 1 small lemon)
3 cups (750 mL) sugar
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) quick oats
1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cardamom
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter
Whipped cream for garnish
1. Cut rhubarb into 4-inch (10-cm) long pieces. Pour water into a large pot. Add lemon peel. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in sugar until dissolved.
2. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add rhubarb pieces. Adjust heat as needed so the liquid is barely simmering. Poach in liquid until tender but not falling apart, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove rhubarb to plates. See TIP.
3. Stir oats with brown sugar, flour, walnuts and cardamom. In a large skillet or frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat until foamy. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until butter begins to separate and deep golden specks appear 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately stir in oat mixture until evenly coated. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until toasted and ingredients begin to stick together, about 5 minutes. Topping will be crumbly.
4. Serve warm poached rhubarb sprinkled with crisp topping and dolloped with whipped cream.
Makes 6 servings
TIP Leftover rhubarb poaching liquid will keep well, covered and refrigerated in an airtight container, for at least 1 week. It’s delicious used in place of simple syrup in cocktails or drizzled over yogurt, porridge or desserts.
