simple strawberry rhubarb cobbler

here's a little bonbon for your friday afternoon-- a super easy and absolutely swoon-worthy rhubarb and strawberry cobbler. 

i've never cooked with rhubarb. i've known all along it's the stuff that looks like red celery that you can make into a pie, but until last week i'd never even tasted it. i was looking forward to its availability this spring, though, precisely because i had no idea what to do with it, and i like to learn new tricks in the kitchen. 

i chopped it up and took a bite and said out loud (to myself as i was home alone), "whoa, REALLY?" it was so tart! i couldn't imagine it becoming a delicious dessert, but after following the muscat rhubarb cobbler recipe from edible seattle, that's exactly what it did.  

rhubarb muscat cobbler 
edible seattle
serves 4

for the filling:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Muscat wine (i used sweet vermouth, but i think about any dessert wine would work)
1 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 cups diced rhubarb
3 cups quartered strawberries, from about a quart of berries (i used strawberries i'd frozen after a u-pick adventure last summer.)

for the topping:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes

heat oven to 400 degrees.
filling: melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. add sugar, muscat, and lemon juice and cook, stirring, to dissolve sugar. bring to a simmer and add fruit, stirring to coat. cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit softens and gives up some of its liquid, about 8 minutes. increase heat and cook for another 5 minutes, until mixture is thickened and reduced. divide mixture amongst individual ramekins (or souffle molds, or other ovenproof bowls) and make topping.

topping: add all ingredients to food processor and pulse 30-40 times until it has the texture of coarse gravel. (may need to add a little more butter if it seems too loose and dry.) spoon generously over the filling. 

bake 15-20 minutes until filling is bubbling and top is golden brown.

rhubarb from stoney plains organic farm