Sunday, July 19, 2009

Ingredient Based Cooking

The other day my friend Juan was elucidating on the two main methods of cooking: ingredient based verses recipe, he being a fan of the former. I find myself partial to using a combo of the two, demonstrated by today's latest concoction. So what does one actually do with slightly under ripe-ish sour apples, overripe plums, and perfectly mature peaches? Make a crisp, of course!


Here's my basic recipe:
  • Fill a pie pan with fruit like strawberries, blueberries, any kind of berries really, peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, apples - whatever strikes your fancy. Feel free to make wild combinations. You really can't mess this up. Although I don't know if I would recommend melons or citrus.
  • Make a crumble topping by combining 1 stick of softened butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, and 1 cup of flour. I usually use my hands to mix it really well and make it crumbly, but a fork or one of those pastry blenders that gets the butter and flour to stick together work well too. Sometimes I add oatmeal, cinnamon, or nuts. Pour crumble on top of fruit.
  • Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or 1 hour if you've got apples in there.
It's so yummy, especially fresh out of the oven. Just ask Ute. Look at her, she can barely wait for it to cool.

2 comments:

  1. Hello Heidi!
    Just "met" you on Cold Antler Farm. I'm in Sacramento and am enjoying your site very much. My disgruntled farmhand is going to make a worm box/outdoor bench for me soon (that he refuses to sit on).
    --Pam

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  2. Nice to "meet" you. I like the wormbox/bench idea. If you are ever in SF, stop by the farm for a visit!

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