strawbarb crumble

My man loves all things strawberry rhubarb, and though it's not my favorite when I found rhubarb on sale at the store I thought I would give a crisp a try. I wanted to make it with as little flour as I could, so I adjusted the recipe I found for a regular crisp.

4 to 5 stalks of fresh rhubarb
1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup turbinado sugar
half an orange worth of grated orange zest
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cups Kind Oats and Honey Clusters granola
1/2 stick butter
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces and cut the strawberries into pieces the same size as the rhubarb. In a large, ovenproof bowl, toss the fruit with 3/4 cup of the turbinado sugar, the orange zest, and the cornstarch dissolved in the orange juice.

For the topping, melt the butter and 1/4 cup of sugar in the microwave. Once melted and combined, stir the granola into the butter and coat well. Spread the topping over the fruit, covering it completely. Bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Let cool for 10 minutes and serve warm with ice cream.

Adapted from Food Network

things to do - ricotta edition

For real neopolitan ice cream - for the day that may one day come when I have an ice cream maker:

Tomato, Basil and Ricotta Gelati - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tomato-Basil-and-Ricotta-Gelati-239808

From epicurious.com

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Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi 

From Chowhound: Since gnocchi are generally made with potato anyway, potato starch is a more natural way to go for the dry ingredients.

2 10oz pkgs frozen leaf spinach
1 cup ricotta
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup potato starch
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
dash nutmeg
Thaw & drain/squeeze spinach, and mix with remaining ingredients to make a dough. Form into gnocchi and boil until they float. (I find I have to let the dough rest, and then boil them a little extra, or else the potato starch doesn't fully cook).

Pour melted butter on top and sprinkle parmesan and bake in gratin dish, or serve with cheese sauce.
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Ricotta Puddings with Glazed Rhubarb Gourmet

Delicate and creamy, these tender individual desserts taste equally good served warm or at room temperature. A spoonful of your favorite jam can be used in place of the glazed rhubarb.

Yield: Makes 6 dessert servings
Active Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hr

For puddings:
1 cup whole-milk ricotta (8 3/4 oz)
1 whole large egg plus 1 large yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons mild honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

For glazed rhubarb:
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 lb fresh rhubarb stalks (about 2), cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Special equipment: a muffin pan (preferably nonstick) with 6 (1/2-cup) muffin cups
Make pudding batter:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil muffin cups.

Blend together all pudding ingredients in a blender until smooth, then divide batter among muffin cups.
Prepare rhubarb:
Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a 9- to 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Add rhubarb and toss to coat, then spread in one layer.

Bake puddings and rhubarb:
Bake puddings and rhubarb, side by side, carefully turning rhubarb over once halfway through cooking, until puddings are just set and edges are pale golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove puddings and rhubarb from oven at the same time. Set rhubarb aside and cool puddings in muffin pan on a rack 5 minutes (puddings will sink slightly).

Run a thin knife around edge of each pudding, then invert a platter over pan and invert puddings onto platter. Transfer puddings, right side up, to plates and serve topped with rhubarb and its juices.

From epicurious.com