The rhubarb in the garden is coming along beautifully, and we’ve been hankering for a pie or crisp. I finally had time to make our first crisp of the season – just enough for the two of us.

I kept dinner really simple: some steamed asparagus with olive oil and salt, and a halibut fillet sauteed in a little butter, with a glass of verdejo. I was mostly looking to eat something light so as to save room for dessert, but this actually turned out fantastic – the halibut was incredibly tender and flavorful, like crab claw meat, and the verdejo matched perfectly. It was so good.

But then we got to eat rhubarb crisp!

Rhubarb Crisp

adapted from The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer

I’m not one of those people who puts nuts or oats in her crisp – I like the main texture to be the crispy crunch of brown sugar, which then melts away in the mouth. Crisp, whether rhubarb or apple, must be served with either vanilla ice cream or whipped cream – the best part is the melted cream mixed with the hot fruit juices in the bottom of your bowl.

• chopped rhubarb, enough to fill a gratin pan
• half a stick of butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 375°. Mix the flour, sugar and salt thoroughly in a bowl, then cut the butter into it and crumble with your fingers until it forms even, small clumps. Sprinkle over the rhubarb in the pan and bake for half an hour. Take out and let sit until it stops burbling, then serve with ice cream.