Last night I attempted to make my very first chowder. We had lobster meat from Land and Sea that was just begging to be paired with white wine, potatoes, corn, and a creamy, thick broth. My only experience with chowder as a kid was heating my father's can of Campbell's condensed clam chowder-- and boy, did it stink!
That being said, the chowder was a disaster. Okay, maybe I'm being overly critical, but it was a far cry from the thick, steamy masterpiece I was envisioning in my head. My fiance was a doll and ate two bowls in an effort to convince me it was a good first try. I was unconvinced.
The star of the night really ended up being the peach-blueberry crisp I threw together while the chowder was simmering. It uses fresh, in-season peaches and blueberries and several items you probably already have in your pantry. Lovely on its own but definitely a 10 when you pair it with vanilla ice cream.
Peach-Blueberry Crisp
Serves 4 (or 2 dessert-hungry people)
2 firm peaches
1 1/2c fresh blueberries
2 tsp candied ginger, grated*
2/3c rolled oats
2/3c white flour
1/4c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4c vegetable oil
1/2c chopped nuts (optional)
(*Candied ginger can be substituted for fresh or dried ginger mixed with a little white sugar)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice peaches down the seam and twist. Remove the pit and any pit pieces. Slice peach into 8 slices, or dice if you want a more homogenized crisp.
Mix the blueberries, peaches, and grated candied ginger in a bowl. Coat the bottom of a shallow baking dish with oil or butter spray and arrange into even layers.
In another bowl, mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add oil and stir to coat. Gently fold in the nuts.
Spread the mixture evenly on top of the fruits and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until the top is dry and golden brown.
Serve warm with ice cream.
Simple, delicious, done!
What's your favorite dessert?
XOXO, Shauna aka the college gastronome
Quick and Dirty with TCG
1) What the heck is candied ginger?!
Candied ginger is slices of ginger that have been dried and rolled in sugar. The texture is almost like marzipan and it is great to use in many different desserts and drinks. You can find candied ginger in the international foods aisle of your megamart, usually with the Asian spices/noodles. A small box will run you $1.50 for about 1 ounce.
Candied ginger is also great to eat on it's own. Careful though, it's spicy! I like to suck on it sometimes; it aids in easing an upset stomach.
Don't worry if you can't find it! Merely mix dried or fresh ginger with a little white sugar.
2) The grocery store was out of peaches, or it's the off season. What should I do?
This recipe is great with any and all types of fruit. You could substitute plums for the peaches, or raspberries for the blueberries. If you're dead-set on recreating this dessert in it's entirety, simply use frozen peaches and blueberries. Frozen fruits are picked at their peak of ripeness, then quick frozen to maintain their texture. If you do substitute fresh for frozen, be sure to thaw them out first. You can do this by either running the frozen goodies under warm water, or arrange on a plate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Questions? Comment below.
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