Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I love rhubarb. It's too bad that rhubarb doesn't have a longer season because I could eat it for months. There is something about its tartness that just hits the spot and provides such a nice contrast to the sweetness of the brown sugar crisp topping. Last week I made a strawberry rhubarb crisp, and I liked it so much that I had to make another one this week. I based this crisp off of a rhubarb crisp recipe in the New York Times, but I changed a few things to make it work for my family. I've been mulling over the fact that I like rhubarb crisp so much better than apple crisp, I think because even Granny Smith apples aren't quite tart enough for my palate. However, I just remembered that some recipes suggest adding cranberries to the apple crisp, and now I can't wait until fall comes around and I can try it out.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
makes an 8"x8" pan of crisp

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 3/4 lb. rhubarb (about 3 or 4 long stalks)
• 1 lb. strawberries, stems and leaves cut off
  
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Make sure the pecans are not coated in corn oil. Don't use pecans if making the crisp for Naomi since she may react to them.
• 1/3 cup Spectrum Organic shortening. (We use this shortening, which is dairy-free and soy-free, since Naomi still reacts to soy.)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8"x8" pan with canola oil. Rinse the rhubarb and strawberries. Cut the rhubarb into 1/4-inch wide pieces and the strawberries into 1-inch wide pieces. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the white sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine and then pour into the baking pan.

In a medium-size bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, oats, and pecans (if using them). Then add the shortening and cut it in with a couple of knives. Use your fingers to break the shortening up further and to combine it thoroughly with the other ingredients. Then sprinkle the topping over the strawberry and rhubarb mixture.

Place the pan in the oven and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. When the topping has turned golden and is beginning to brown, cover the pan with aluminum foil and then bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the fruit mixture is bubbling and has softened.