Rhubarb Crisp -- Union Square Café

    How I wish I were able to superimpose a scoop of ice cream onto this photo of the rhubarb crisp I made.  While visiting my father in Amana, Iowa this past week, we ate it with vanilla bean ice cream after dinner one night.  It wasn't until the next morning that I thought about taking a photo, and at that point, there was no ice cream left. The recipe is from the Union Square Café Cookbook, and it has become a favorite of mine.  It's a snap to assemble and the best part, at least as far as I'm concerned, is the toasted walnuts on top.  Make this soon, as you should, ideally, stop cutting rhubarb after the 4th of July.

                            Rhubarb Crisp
                           adapted from the Union Square Café Cookbook
                                   by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano

• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
• 2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup sugar
• vanilla bean ice cream
1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2.  In a bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients.  Work in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Add the toasted walnut pieces.
3.  In a 10-inch pie plate or an ovenproof serving dish, toss the rhubarb with the 3/4 cup sugar and remaining 3 tablespoons flour, to coat evenly.  Scatter the crisp topping evenly over the surface of the rhubarb.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until the rhubarb bubbles at the sides and the topping is crisp and brown.  Serve warm, topped with vanilla bean ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.