Sorry for the delay my friends, but hopefully you'll consider this gem worth the wait. I painstakingly searched for fresh rhubarb to make this recipe only to find that the rhubarb alone would have cost me $15. Sorry folks, frozen it is. But don't worry, the frozen worked wonderfully.
I'm not sure I've ever had rhubarb without strawberries before but I assure you that rhubarb and ginger are a lovely combination. Especially when combined with oats and a generous amount of butter and sugar.
Pink-hued with a pleasantly tart rhubarb filling with a hint of ginger and a buttery crumble topping, this is the perfect dessert to welcome spring. The Irish whiskey butter is totally optional, but it puts this dessert way over the top. Like way, way over the top. It's incredible on other desserts as well... I even found myself slathering it on a chocolate brownie. So so good.
Rhubarb Ginger Crumble, Adapted from The Country Cooking of Ireland
and this recipe from Emeril* 4-5 cups chopped rhubarb stalks (chopped into approximately 1" pieces) or two 10 oz. bags of frozen rhubarb
* 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
* 1 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/2 cup oats
* 1/3 cup brown rice flour
* 1/3 cup potato starch
* 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
* pinch salt
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 6 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into 6 pieces
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the rhubarb and the ginger in a medium bowl and mix well. Transfer to a glass or ceramic pie plate or small baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar and cornstarch evenly over the top.
Combine the oats, brown rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, salt and brown sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over the rhubarb mixture.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the rhubarb filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. Serve with a dollop Irish whiskey butter (recipe follows).
Irish Whiskey Butter
* 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
Place the butter in a medium mixing bowl and whip until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. With the mixer running, gradually add the powdered sugar. Slowly add the Irish whiskey until combined. Continue whipping until well blended. May be used at room temperature or chilled.
I got a great comment from a reader that I'll be copying on all of the whiskey-related posts. Thanks anonymous!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Is whiskey gluten-free? Answer: It depends on whom you ask. Most experts in celiac disease have concluded that distilled alcoholic beverages made from gluten grains — including whiskey, commonly made from barley — are gluten-free to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's proposed standard of 20 parts per million, because distillation removes the harmful gluten proteins. In fact, the National Institutes of Health's Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign advises that cocktails made with distilled alcohol are safe for celiacs to drink. However, not everyone agrees. The Celiac Sprue Association does not recommend any form of Scotch or whiskey; instead, it advises those following the gluten-free diet to stick with potato vodkas, rum and tequila, all of which are made from non-gluten grain sources. Some people with celiac or gluten intolerance can handle drinking Scotch or whiskey without any problems. However, others (me included) experience severe gluten symptoms if we consume something distilled from gluten grains. It's possible that distillation doesn't remove 100% of the gluten (studies have been mixed on this point), or that a small amount of gluten is added back in as part of processing after distillation. In some cases, whiskey manufacturers add caramel coloring (which may contain gluten) or even a small amount of the undistilled grain mash after the distilling process. So should you consume whiskey as part of your gluten-free diet? I'd advise going slowly, especially if you're particularly sensitive. You may find that you tolerate it just fine, but you also may find you react. If you do react, try potato vodka or unflavored rum instead.