Peach Blueberry Crumble
Now that things have opened back up here in the States, people are traveling again. People are visiting relatives on coasts they haven’t been to in over a year. They’re getting on planes and going to the Bahamas, Hawaii or Mexico. Places that are all about escape, which after the last year, is something we all desperately need. But while a lot of people are traveling by air, plenty (yours truly included) are still traveling by car.
The road trip is still a popular choice and the National Parks seem to be more popular than ever this year. The only difference is that where the national parks limited capacity in 2020, this year most parks are wide open. Sure, you still need a reservation to get through the gates, but once inside, the beauty and the crowds are abundant! What does this have to do with cooking? Well, when it comes to national parks, there are two options for spending a few days: you could stay at the park resort or lodge. Or you could camp.
While reserving a camp site takes plenty of time and preparation (who hasn’t logged onto their computer at the crack of dawn only to discover you couldn’t hit refresh fast enough to reserve a campsite), it’s the meals that are most important. Hamburgers and hot dogs are the obvious, easy choice. But they can get old by day three. What if you could have steak or fish? What if you could have cocktails and desserts? What if you could turn the camp out into a fine dining experience? Think I’m dreaming? Well, thanks to my friend, Laura Bashar of Family Spice, you can. A couple years ago Bashar took all her years camping with her family and turned it into an amazing cookbook, ripe for that road trip to the mountains. Or the forest. Or even the beach.
I love this cookbook! And if you’re planning on camping for a long weekend or even a week, sandwiches and hamburgers just won’t cut it. Don’t let the open flames of the fire pit scare you. As long as you have some great protein and produce, you can easily make some meals that will have you thinking you’re eating at a fine dining establishment. She not only has kabobs in the book, Bashar has recipes for grilled salads, smoky cocktails and several desserts that go beyond the typical s’mores. (Don’t worry, those are in there, too.) While I always take this book whenever we go camping (or my preference, glamping), I’ve made several of the recipes right in my own backyard. As long as you have charcoal, some matches and the right tools, Bashar shows us you can make pretty much anything.
Since peaches and blueberries are currently in season, now is the perfect time to make this delicious crumble. I actually combined two recipes (Peach and Blueberry Cobbler and the Very Berry Crisp with Pistachios) from Bashar’s book to create this delectable dessert. While you could absolutely make it in the oven in your kitchen (and Bashar makes sure to include how to do that in most of the recipes in this book), the smoke from the grill adds a smokiness that just can’t be replicated inside. Don’t get me wrong, I love s’mores over a campfire, but a fruity crumble cooked up in a cast iron skillet? Now that’s summer in the mountains.
Ingredients
- For the Filling
- 3 pounds fresh peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced
- 6 ounces blueberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- For the Topping
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- pinch of salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- In a grill chimney light up 24 charcoal briquettes.
- Combine the peaches, blueberries, white sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch in a large bowl until coated. Pour into a 12-inch cast iron skillet, making sure to scrape in all the liquid as well.
- In the same bowl, mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Use your fingers to mix in the butter until coarse crumbs and clumps form. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the peach mixture in the skillet. Cover the skillet with tinfoil.
- Dump the prepared coals into the fire pit. Place the grill grate over the coals. Place the skillet on the grate over the coals (it should be about 350 degrees F) and bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Remove the tin foil and let cool for 10 minutes. Spoon into bowls or cups and serve.
