Oh god a classic like strawberry rhubarb. I saw at the farmer’s market some rhubarb and knew I needed to get some. It also made me think, “why didn’t I grow some rhubarb this year?!” I don’t have an answer to that question but at least I have other ways to get some of this classic plant.
The following week of getting some rhubarb my nephews were over and we decided to take them strawberry picking at a local farm. Of course once we showed them a fresh strawberry out of the ground we ended up with more going into their mouths than into the box to take home.
Once home it was time to make something good. I had my eldest nephew help me with some strawberry prep, cutting the tops off for the compost and chunking the rest to go into a delicious cobbler. Always great to get them into the kitchen young and learning the best practices. Again though, it was hard to get him to not eat all the fresh berries. I chopped up the rhubarb since it was a little tougher for his dull paring knife he gets to use. Then it was time to mix things up which I ended up doing myself since he got distracted and left me in the kitchen alone.
I ended up making a few dishes with the rhubarb. Of course had to make a classic oat crumble topping for my nephews to learn the favorites of the family. I also wanted to do something a little more family oriented and include a special ingredient, flower petals. But not just any flower petals, peony petals from a bush I inherited from my great grandmother. Last year I got my hands on some roots from the peony bushes in my great grandmothers house before it was torn down. They looked old and barely surviving but I cleaned them up, put them in a pot, and waited for spring. As the weather began to warm, I saw some sprouts and soon the plant took off and I had some beautiful pink peonies.
Peonies flowers 100% edible. The flowers, the stem and leaves, and even the roots can all be consumed in small quantities. I don’t want to damage the plant as I grow it out to eventually split and give some to my sisters but as the flowers got older, the pollinators got their fill and the petals were about to fall so I collected some to mix with a classic strawberry rhubarb cobbler. Strawberries go great with floral flavors and the petals brought a light sweet floral flavor that blended with the tart rhubarb well. The topping was a simple sweet biscuit made with some Janie’s Mill Turkey Red flour to get a little more nutrition that standard flour and off to the gill it went.
I love to bake on the grill, especially in the summer. When a hot summer day comes the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven. Grilling is the next best option. Just a little time on a hot grill, and of course in a cast iron pan to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn before the top browns and I had a delicious cobbler that was so full of family love and energy. It was the perfect way to start this warmer time of the year in this state. Makes it feel more and more like home. Check out the recipe below and absolutely customize it with seasonal fruit in your area. Make it your own. This is just a little guide to start but the best part of this recipe is how easy you can make it something unique. Have fun with it and bake on this summer!
Grilled Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
About 3 handfuls Strawberries, chopped
1 handful Rhubarb, chopped
Big Scoop Granulated Sugar (about 2-3 tbsp)
Half Scoop Cornstarch (about 1 to 1 ½ tsp)
135g All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
Pinch Salt
60g Unsalted Butter
1 ea Egg
60g Milk
In a large bowl, toss prepared fruit with sugar and cornstarch. Spread into a large 10 inch cast iron pan. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
Dice butter into dry ingredients and massage until butter is barely noticeable.
Whisk the egg into the milk before adding to the dry ingredients.
Use a fork to roughly mix together.
Dot biscuit mixture over the fruit in pan.
Place onto a grill on medium high heat and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until fruit is bubbling and biscuit is browning.
Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving. Best to serve with ice cream.
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