Have you ever loved something so much that you give yourself false memories of it, implanting these beautiful but completely made-up moments into the narrative of your life? No? Just me?
I am convinced that, in my childhood Santa Monica home, we grew rhubarb in the backyard. I feel as if I grew up with those sturdy stalks, making hiding places or hats out of their giant leaves and eating rhubarb pie, rhubarb tart, rhubarb compote. My mom eye-rollingly asserts that this was not the case.
No matter! I’m making up for lost time now, as an adult, with round after round of rhubarb crisp. Mark Bittman’s recipe is, in the words of a reader, “crazy easy,” which partially explains that five-star rating. Another explanation is that his recipe really lets rhubarb shine; while strawberries and rhubarb are a classic pairing, the berries sit this one out so that rhubarb’s sharp tartness can really sing.
As is often the case with these classic New York Times Cooking recipes, you’ll want to scroll through the reader comments for brilliant substitution and addition ideas. Some of my favorites: Mix a tablespoon or so of fresh herbs into the crumbly oat topping (lemon thyme!); add grated ginger to the sugared rhubarb; replace the citrus juice with Grand Marnier.
Featured Recipe
Rhubarb Crisp
Today’s specials:
Slow-cooker garlic butter chicken: “The seasoning of this rich garlic and herb braise is inspired by escargot butter, which famously makes everything delicious,” Sarah DiGregorio writes in the headnotes for her recipe. As such, please serve this with a carafe of wine and some accordion music.
Dill pesto pasta with tuna: We love a recipe that uses up an entire bunch of herbs. Ham El-Waylly’s fresh weeknight pasta calls for two cups of feathery dill fronds; save the stems for stock or for stuffing into the cavity of a roast chicken.
Squid ink pasta: Remember how, in a previous newsletter, I shared my Sam Sifton-esque no-recipe spicy tomato seafood pasta situation? Kay Chun has kindly created an easy, perfectly calibrated recipe for exactly the dish I was trying to make. Thank you, Kay!
Baked tofu: And now, a meal-prep moment. A batch of these savory, crispy-edged tofu cubes will yield easy protein to toss into salads, curries, stir-fries, grain bowls, scrambles — whatever you like. Kristina Felix uses tamari, as well as onion and garlic powders, to season the tofu; I might try some curry powder or garam masala.
The post ‘Crazy Easy’ Rhubarb Crisp appeared first on New York Times.
