Strawberry Rhubarb Skillet Crumble (naturally gluten free)

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

Strawberry Rhubarb Skillet Crumble ~ We’re smack dab in the middle of the early spring paradox.  By noon the sun is warming the backs of our necks, we slip on flip flops and get all excited about the 2 for 1 strawberry sale.  But by 5 pm we’re slamming the windows shut and grabbing our thickest cardigan and fuzzy socks.  A cold strawberry isn’t going to cut it.  What we’re really craving is a bubbling cauldron of ruby red fruit oozing out from under a sizzling crumble crust, tamed by a single, swirling stream of melting vanilla ice cream. I’ve been plotting to make this crumble for a while now, just waiting to pounce when the first rosy stalks of rhubarb made their appearance.  Rhubarb is an early spring crop, and it only seems to show up in stores during its season.  Technically it’s a vegetable.  I found mine wedged in next to the chard…keep a sharp eye out.  The day after tomorrow is California Strawberry Day, so this crumble combo is pure serendipity. Fresh strawberries are almost always too sour for me except for maybe one or two weeks a year.  But who cares if the berries are freakishly …

Ingredients

• scant 1 lb strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped
• scant 1 lb rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• ½ cup sugar
• juice of lemon
• 2 tbsp oat flour
• topping
• ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup oat flour
• ½ cup ground hazelnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)

Method

1. Set oven to 350F
2. For the fruit filling, mix the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and oat flour together in a bowl. Put it in a 10 inch cast iron skillet or baking dish of your choice.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together and then, using your fingertips, mix in 4 Tbsp of the soft butter and the vanilla extract. Break up the butter into small pieces and keep mixing until there is no longer any dry flour, and the topping has a nice large crumbly texture.
4. Scatter the topping over the fruit evenly.
5. Dot with the last Tbsp of butter
6. Bake for 45 minutes until golden browned and bubbling like crazy.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island