Wine Poached Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients

CRUST:
2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp orange zest
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into ¹⁄₂-inch cubes

FILLING:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 lb rhubarb, trimmed and sliced
1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup red wine (I used Latah Creek Carmenere), divided
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. In a food processor, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar with the flour, the oats, poppy seeds, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Add the butter and pulse until a loose dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, forming small and large clumps of dough with your hands. Bake the crumble topping until cooked through but not browned, about 15 minutes.
Note: You don't have to bake the topping beforehand, but it helps to keep it from getting soggy.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar with half of the rhubarb. Add the strawberries, cinnamon, pepper, vanilla seeds, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until well combined and let sit.

In a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of the red wine with the cornstarch to make a slurry.

In a 2-qt. saucepan, bring the remaining rhubarb, 6 tablespoons red wine, and the granulated sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is tender, about 4 minutes.

Whisk in the slurry, and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Transfer the sauce to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce over the rhubarb and strawberries, and toss until evenly coated.

Scrape the fruit into an 8-inch square baking dish, and sprinkle the crumble topping evenly on top. Bake until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and then serve hot. Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an extra treat!

Ellena's Notes

I will admit, this recipe requires more prep work than most of my other recipes, but let me tell you that every minute of it is worth it! This crisp is SOOO unbelievably good! I will also admit that this is recipe that Natalie found and made without me, as I was hesitant about rhubarb, as I've never used it. Well, she showed me that I need to start working with it, because the flavor is amazing! So, I decided to get it out to you asap, so that you can grab up your own rhubarb (farmers markets are a great place!) and make this immediately. I promise, you will be in heaven! The crust has poppy seeds added to it, so it takes like a poppy seed muffin atop yummy fruit! You won't be disappointed! Oh, and Analisa helped Natalie make this recipe, so you may see her in a few pictures. She had a broken finger at the time, so don't be thrown off by the finger brace. :)

This paired wonderfully with our Sangria, but also try our Chenin Blanc for something not quite as sweet and refreshing on the palate. I also drank the rest of the Carmenere that Natalie used in the recipe and it was fantastic too!

This recipe is adapted from Saveur.com