Apple and Blackberry Oatmeal Crumble

I begin Le Cordon Bleu school in Portland, Oregon next week. I am so excited to get started, and was telling one of my friends about the program, and she asked me if I was going for the degree in Culinary Arts or in Baking & Pastry Arts. I think that I may have given her the nastiest look ever, and barked back "Culinary Arts, of course!". To me, baking and making pastry goes in the same category as vacuuming and trying to fold a fitted sheet. I hate it, and it's just not going to happen. It's as simple as that. I can throw down a savory quiche crust, if need be, but that's where I draw the line. However, when entertaining, having a nice dessert recipe in my pocket as an easy "go to" is essential. That is why I love this recipe so much. It is so simple, yet so flavorful, and the ingredients

are always available.

 

My recipe calls for fresh blackberries. Often they are extremely expensive or not in season. This is where the opportunities for versatility in this recipe come in. My Mom makes amazing blackberry jam and has it in the freezer year-round. I often substitute that for the blackberries, making sure to slightly reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe, to taste, to account for the sugar in the jam. Using store-bought jam is always an alternative; opt for an organic, unsweetened, seeded jam that provides the flavor of the berry without a lot of added sugar. Also, one can always use frozen blackberries; simply defrost and drain the berries before adding them to the recipe.

 

Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream doused with a little bit of lemon juice, sugar and vanilla extract, and this dessert will impress guests throughout the year. I make my crumble in individual ramekins, so each guest has their own portion, but it is just as easily baked and served from a traditional pie dish.

 

Ingredients

6 large apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon (Zest the lemon first, as you will need the zest later on in the recipe.)
2 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons sugar, divided
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blackberries, roughly chopped (or 6 Tablespoons blackberry jam)
Zest of 1 lemon
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or Pumpkin Pie Spice, if preferred)
8 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup brown sugar

Vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream for serving, if desired.

 

Preparation
Pregeat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss the apples with 3 Tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one lemon, and saute in 2 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large sauepan for approximately 10-12 minutes until the apples are softened. Drain any excess liquid. Gently combine the sauteed apples with the chopped blackberries (or blackberry jam) and lemon zest and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 3 Tablespoons sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and cold butter. Using your hands, combine the ingredients together, making sure to break up and integrate the butter very well, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add in the brown sugar to combine.

Lightly grease individual ramekins or a deep pie dish with butter or non-stick spray. Spoon the apples into the bottom of each ramekin to desired amount, or into the bottom of the entire pie dish. Top with the oatmeal crumble mixture. Place the ramekins or pie dish on a large baking sheet to catch any drippings, as the fruit tends to bubble over. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Yields: approximately 6 servings


Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

At this time of year, when the weather is cold and damp outside, there is nothing better than a hot flavorful soup to warm you from the inside. This Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup absolutely hits the spot. It is not as hearty as a stew, so it is perfect served with a salad or sandwich for lunch or a starter to any dinner, but encompasses so much depth of flavor, that it definitely could never be compared with a tomato soup from memory. I use chicken broth in my recipe, but to keep it truly vegetarian, opt for vegetable broth instead. Furthermore, if you would like to garnish your bowl with a little dollop of sour cream and some fresh basil just before serving, that is a fabulous addition. There is only one "rule" that I highly encourage one to follow when making this recipe; use the best organic tomatoes that can be found. I have made this soup using fantastic organic heirloom tomatoes and I have recreated the recipe with regular tomatoes, simply because I had them on hand. The volume of flavor was night and day, or should I say "lack of flavor" when I didn't use the highest quality of fresh ingredients. Skimp on the quality of the canned tomatoes if need be, and let the freshness and flavor of the roasted tomatoes take over.

 

My recipe calls for a hand immersion blender to bring all the ingredients together; if you do not have one, using a food processor, blending in batches, will work just as well. Also, I call to use a food mill to catch any extra seeds. If one is not on hand, simply pour the soup through a fine wire strainer and use the back of a spoon to mash all the ingredients through, discarding the remaining seeds and skin.

 


Ingredients
3 pounds organic tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup EVOO
Salt & pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups medium chopped sweet white onion (approximately 3, medium)
2 Tablespoons EVOO
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt & pepper
10 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28 ounce) cans unsalted whole tomatoes, with juices (Trader Joe's has a wonderful product)
4-5 cups fresh basil, chopped
4-5 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 quart chicken broth (Have more on hand for desired consistency, as the soup reduces on the stove.)

Sour cream and fresh basil for garnish, if desired.

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Toss the quartered tomatoes with the EVOO, salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 45 minutes.

In a large stockpot saute the onion with the 2 Tablespoons EVOO and the butter for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until they become translucent. The butter gives the onions flavor, while the EVOO prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the stockpot. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Add in the remaining ingredients along with the roasted tomatoes from the oven. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, uncovered, for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add in additional chicken stock to maintain desired consistency as the soup reduces on the stove.

Remove the pot from the stove, and when it cools slightly, use a hand immersion blender to blend and combine all the ingredients to a desired consistency. Then put the soup through a food mill to remove all the tomato seeds and skin.

Garnish with sour cream and fresh chopped basil if desired.

Yields: 8-10 servings