This recipe appealed to me more than others because it wasn’t fussy and used simple, basic ingredients that most of us have in our pantries, save the fresh strawberries and rhubarb.  If you can’t stop at a road stand in Napa county to buy just-picked berries like I can- well, I’m sorry you don’t live in Northern California - but I am sure farmers’ market berries in any part of the country will be phenomenal stand-ins this time of year.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
(Serves 6, adapted from the Barefoot Contessa):

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb , 1-inch diced (4-5 stalks)
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved, if large
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oats
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the rhubarb, strawberries, ¾ cup granulated sugar and the lemon zest together in a large bowl with ¼ teaspoon salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and add the vanilla to the mixture.  Fold this mixture into the fruit gently using a rubber spatula. Pour the mixture into an 8 × 11-inch baking dish and place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

For the topping, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles (butter is the size of peas). Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

*Note: can be made a few hours ahead and reheated right before serving