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Summer is upon us here in Southern Scandinavia and we’ve just enjoyed a lovely warm sunny four-day holiday weekend which began Thursday. This past Thursday was “Kristi himmelsfärdsdag” which translates in English to “Christ Ascension Day” and like many in Sweden we took Friday off as well. What fun we had.
Rapeseed Fields
This is the time of the year when the rapeseed (think Canola Oil) fields are in full bloom. Their yellow blossoms cover vast areas of the Southern Sweden landscape. So, we decided to drive through the fields so we could share this fantastic time of the year with you. Oh, don’t worry the “Rhubarb” is coming later. We have a classic Swedish spring Rhubarb recipe, Rabarberpaj med ton av kokos, coming at you at the end of the post.
Jump to Recipe
We drove the fields over a couple of mornings taking hundreds of images. Not to worry, we’re just posting our favorite few.
Technically, the Meteorological Summer begins here June 1st. But, here in Sweden it is determined to be Summer when we have seven consecutive days when the daily average temperature does not go lower than 10 °C (50°F). This occurred a couple of weeks back and we’re now officially in Summer. Confusing isn’t it, but you must remember our day lengths are much longer up here. As of this posting, the official sunrise is 4:30am (04:30) and our sunset is 9:37pm (21:37). That’s 17 hours and 7 minutes of pure daylight. We’ll peak in day length mid-summer (June 24th) with sunrise at 3:32 am (03:22) and sunset at 10:08 pm (22:08) or over 21 hours when it’s bright enough outside to play golf. Sounds great, but the downside is mid-December when the sun just barely rises for 6 hours.
Enough about the weather, how about another rapeseed field image?
Bicycles and Pheasants
Besides driving through the rapeseed fields, we were scouting out places to bike ride.
FYI: Ok, stop laughing, I know the thought of a crippled up 65-year-old man riding a bike is funny (and it is), but we’re gonna do it. (Sympathy Card Alert) For those of my readers that aren’t aware, I have very limited motion in my left leg, which is due to an injury in my youth. Thus, I haven’t been able to ride a bike for many years. But that’s all about to change (I hope), as a unique pedal device has been developed that will allow me back on the track. I’m stoked!
So we drove through the countryside searching for the best places of a man of my tender age to ride a bike. Now, I’m not ignoring my lovely wife and editor, she’s Swedish and they know how to ride a bike at birth. Besides she’s much younger and nimbler than me. She’s very excited as well, as she picked up her new Crescent (Swedish made) Sunnan 7-vxl complete with a basket in front.
Nope, at 56 pounds, Chloe dog won’t be riding there.
We drove down beautiful country roads, dodging the pheasants as they crossed the roads.
Ever seen a pheasant caution sign?
They’re all over the countryside and so are the pheasants.We have lots of pheasants around here. They’re such beautiful birds.
Now for the Dessert Recipe
Rhubarb is one of our first harvest here in Sweden and thus loved by most. We use it for marmalades, jellies, compotes and chutneys of various types. It’s baked into cakes with ginger, strawberries and even chocolate. Rhubarb tarts come with strawberries and goat cheese, cream cheese or almond paste. Of course, it’s also used in drinks for kids and adults. There’s nothing like a Rhubatini, Rhubarb & Grapefruit Collins as well as Sparkling Rhubarb Spumante.
But the one you’re going to see the most at dinner parties these days is a Rhubarb Crumble. So, “Rabarberpaj med ton av kokos” or Rhubarb Crumble with a Hint of Coconut, is our recipe today! It’s super simple and very pleasing to consume. The “Rabarberpaj med ton av kokos” recipe come straight out of the ICA website, which deserves all the credit for this recipe. Below, we’ve adapted and translated the recipe into English.
Chloe says, “I’m not riding on this thing, who do you think I am, Toto from Wizard of Oz?
The following recipe is approved for human and dog consumption, by Chloe!
Happy Cooking!
Rhubarb Crumble with A Hint of Coconut
Rhubarb and toasted coconut are made to go together and in this quick and easy recipe they do just that. Great served with Vanilla Bean ice cream.
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp (4 0z 0r 113g) Butter, room temperature.
- 2/3 cup (1.5 dl or 2-3/4 oz) All-purpose flour.
- 1/2 cup (.75 dl or 1.5 oz) Shredded Coconut.
- 1/2 cup (.75 dl or 2.5 oz) Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (or equivalent)
- 1/4 cup (.6 dl or 1-3/4 oz) Sugar.
- 1/2 tps (.5 tsk) Baking powder.
- 1/2 tps (.5 tsk) Vanilla extract.
Rhubarb
- 1 pound (450g) Fresh Rhubarb.
- 1/4 cup (.5dl) Sugar.
- 1 tbsp (1 msk) Potato flour, (corn flour can be substituted).
Instructions
Optional Step
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Toss the oats and coconut together and then toast in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 5-10 minutes. Toss after 5 minutes and then watch closely to avoid burning. This adds another layer of flavor and is very nice if you have the time.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375° F (200° C).
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Melt the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave.
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In a mixing bowl mix the flour, oats, coconut, 1/4 cup sugar and baking powder. Next add the vanilla to the butter and give it a stir. Pour butter over mixture and stir. I use my hands, but a large spoon work as well.
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Wash rhubarb and then peel away the stringy outer part of the rhubarb (like removing the strings on celery). Then chop into bite size pieces. Place the pieces evenly in a buttered oven proof dish (pie pan works fine).
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Mix the 1/4 cup of the remaining sugar and the potato flour until well blended. Now sprinkle the mixture over the rhubarbs evenly.
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You can now spread the crumble mixture over the top of the rhubarb.
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Bake the crumble for 25 minutes or until brown. Check it after 20 minutes for doneness.
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Cool crumble slightly prior to serving. Serve with ice cream or vanilla sauce.
Recipe Notes
Strawberry - Rhubarb Option
For a different version and flavor, try replacing half of the rhubarb with fresh strawberries that are cut to a comparable size to the rhubarb.
Eha says
Thank you, thank you, thank you for the beautiful photos of ‘raps’ fields {well, guess which language]. Have just come off a visit to Illinois, US and do hope your fields are not sprayed to the gills with glyphosate [Roundup] as there and the seeds are NM. OK – my ‘pet hates’. I Love Smaland, perchance for a different reason: having been a lifelong Scandinavian glass collector – Kosta-Boda and Orrefors are both kind’of associated with your neck of the woods !! Love the pheasant ‘sign’. – here we naturally get kangaroos and koalas and wombats 🙂 ! Have never quite made friends with rhubarb but shall try again, I promise . . . .
Ron says
Your very welcome, it was truly a joy taking the images, even if my sinuses didn’t like the idea.
Luckily, Sweden and the EU have some very strict laws when it comes to herbicides and GMO. We even have many GMO-free areas and even one state (Jämtlands län) that’s GMO-free.
We’re big fans of Småland and spent a couple of weeks there this past summer. The Kingdom of Glass is a lovely area. Did you know Kosta Boda even has a hotel you can stay at. My personal favorite glass artist house is Målerås (http://www.maleras.se/en/), it a bit non-traditional.
I think I’ll stick with the pheasants, those kangaroos can be mean little suckers.
Rhubarb, I believe, one of those foods that either you like or don’t care for it at all. For me, I prefer it with berries blended in.
Thanks, for the lovely comment.
Eha says
Ron – thank you SO much for the link! So interesting – now: I am a what one might call ‘purist’ – in glass this largely means clear on clear : some of the items on the list have huge appeal, others are ‘too pretty’! Shall take a more exact look after a busy weekend!!! Quite like some of those quirky wineglasses . . . I believe you may have a few extra friends wanting to be reading your posts . . . . wish more of us had liked rhubarb . . .
Ron says
Eha, So glad you enjoyed the link. I agree on you comment regarding clear on clear. My pieces are from the wildlife section and are mostly duck class carvings.
As to Rhubarb, my Swedish mother-in-law says that you most peel those stings off the stalk of the Rhubarb. I tested cooking with strings removed and left on. The rhubarb with the strings left on was not only stringy, it was more bitter/tart.
Bill says
These pictures are absolutely stunning, Ron! Thanks for sharing them. And we love rhubarb here. It’s that time of the season but I haven’t seen much of it this year so far.
Ron says
Bill, Thanks for the comment. The interesting thing is that we took those rapeseed field images less than a week ago and now those same fields are void of blossoms. The growing season here moves fast.
Glad to find a fellow rhubarb fan.
Chava Mazal says
Those rapeseed field photos are magnificent! Sounds amazing that you caught them during what seems to be such a short blooming period. That bike ride sounds quite fun, too.
Ron says
Timing is everything. As we live in an area that is surrounds by these fields, we watched every day and prayed for a sunny day to shot the images. In the end, we were very lucky to have the opportunity to capture the fields at their peak.