Rhubarb and Strawberry shortcake

What flavours and foods do you associate with spring? Having a vege garden is great because you can see what is growing from season to season, and use it is inspiration for dishes that you cook. With spring I think of greens (lettuce, spinach, silverbeet), peas and broadbeans (busy growing in the garden as I write!), coriander and mint. I also think of strawberries! We had some growing, but after we ate the first half a dozen the birds got at them. Next spring I will have to grow more plants and cover them with netting!

The rhubarb is also going nuts in the garden, probably because I fertilised it and moved it. You either love or hate rhubarb, and I am a rhubarb fan, especially when mixed with other fruits in a dessert or cake.

Recently I have seen several recipes incorparating both, which is a great idea as they are both ripening at the moment, and they are such contrasts in taste - sweet and tart. The other night I decided to try making my own version of such a dessert, using a tried and tested shortcake recipe, which is great with any fruit.



Rhubarb and strawberry shortcake

1 c stewed and sweetened rhubarb

1 punnet of strawberries

125g butter

1/2c sugar

1 egg

1 c self-raising flour

1 c flour

Cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat briefly. Fold in flours. Halve the dough. Chill half wrapped in gladwrap in the freezer. Press the other half into a baking dish.

Spread the rhubarb over the bottom layer of shortcake. Slice the strawberries over top and sprinkle with a little sugar. Grate the half from the freezer over the fruit to form the top of the shortcake. Bake at 180 C for about 45 mins. Serve sprinkled with icing sugar and/or with icecream or whipped cream.