Plum Crumble

I have been wanting to try this for months and months now.  I finally got to it, and I am so mad I didn't try it out long ago.  This is my new summer favorite.  It came from Orangette, my absolute favorite blog.  It's like you know her after reading one post.  Someday, when I make it to Seattle, I want to go to her restaurant, Delancey, and taste everything.  Well, she is so kind to have posted this recipe because it was on the menu there for a little while.  I love it. I know that crumbles may seem like a warm comfort food for winter, but this my friend is perfect now while plums are in season.

The picture shown is only half of the recipe in a very shallow pie plate; I had too many treats in the house in the first place. Also I didn't put any crystallized ginger in it because I didn't have any.

Orangette / Delancey's Plum Crumble


serves about 6

Ingredients

Filling
12-14 Italian Prune Plums (I cheated and used the huge ones you can get at Costco, 10 or so should do the trick.)
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbs Flour
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

Topping
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Beaten Egg
7 Tbs Butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Remove pit from plums and slice in half into a bowl and set aside.
Whisk together the dry ingredients for the filling.
Carefully fold the dry mixture into the plums just until coated.
Pour plum mixture into a deep 9" pie dish. Face the skin sides up.  I also have baked it in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Whisk together the dry ingredients for the topping.
Add the beaten egg with your hands until you get small moist crumbles.
Sprinkle evenly over the plums.
Spoon the melted butter over the topping... it will be pretty drenched.
Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Cool a few minutes and eat warm or cold.  You can warm up a cooled crumble by putting it in a 300 degree oven for about 20 min or so.
Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or by itself.

Spinach and Havarti Chicken

This recipe came out in the Sunset March 2010 magazine.  The recipe was for Stuffed Chicken with Rosemary Polenta.  Clearly this is not what my pictures look like.  First, I am not a huge fan of polenta (I'll eat it but probably won't ever buy it), second I don't like mushrooms much, and third, I usually cook with chicken tenders because it's easier to control the portions as well as other things.  I am pretty sure the recipe cooked as originally described is delicious, the picture they have makes me want to eat it.  I just tweeked it a bit.  I used frozen spinach, paired it with wild rice, left the mushrooms out, and didn't stuff the chicken.  After making it a few times, I think I found the best way to do it.  Your neighbors may stop by unexpectedly when they catch a smell of this coming from your house.


Spinach and Havarti Chicken

serves 4

Ingredients
  
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 chopped Yellow Onion
1 tsp Minced Garlic
4 oz Mushrooms (yuck, not for me)
5 oz Spinach (I use chopped frozen, but fresh would work)
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
1 1/ 2-  2 lb Chicken (I would use about 8 tenders or 4 chicken breasts)
4 slices Havarti Cheese (originally calls for Italian Fontina Cheese, but I always have Havarti on hand, yay Costco)
Salt and Pepper 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Heat 1 Tbs of oil in large pan.
Add chopped onion, garlic, and mushrooms (if you want them).  Cook until softened and onions start to brown a bit.
Add spinach, lemon juice and a little salt and pepper.  If you use fresh spinach cook until it a little wilted, if you use frozen, just heat till warm-- not long.
Remove from pan to a small bowl and set aside.
Add another Tbs or two of olive oil to the hot pan and allow to heat up over medium high heat.
Add chicken (salt and pepper each side) and cook just until brown.
Transfer to a baking dish, layer the spinach and onions over the chicken, then top with cheese.
Bake in the oven for about 6-8ish minutes until the cheese is melted.