Depending on where you live, blueberry season may be here already or getting close. Whether you pick your own blueberries or buy them at the farmers’ market or grocery store, baking with fresh blueberries is the best! I first made this recipe for Local Blueberry Crisp when I did a review of The Freds at Barneys New York Cookbook by Mark Strausman about 3 years ago. Freds at Barneys New York was a luxury dining destination in the Big Apple where you would often find actors, sports figures, fashion designers, and other celebrities enjoying a meal. Mark Strausman was the chef. Unfortunately, when I googled the restaurant recently, I found that it was “permanently closed.” It may have taken a hit during the pandemic, which was a hard time for so many restaurants.
I thought I’d share this recipe again, since it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy fresh blueberries! Local Blueberry Crisp has a rich, buttery flavor and it’s brimming with lots of blueberries. You can actually make the recipe with any kind of fruit, so it’s pretty versatile too. The cookbook says to use a 12″ baking dish for this crisp, and the restaurant baked and served it in individual ramekins, but I didn’t have either of those, so I used a 9 x 9″ pan. If you use this size pan, you won’t need to use all of the crisp topping—if you put it on too heavy, it won’t be as “crisp.” I’m speaking from experience—I put too much topping on, and although it wasn’t as crisp, it still tasted good! You can always save the extra crisp topping for something else!
Local Blueberry Crisp
LOCAL BLUEBERRY CRISP from The Freds at Barneys New York Cookbook
Makes 6-9 servings in a 12″ baking dish or individual ramekins
1 Tablespoon butter
FILLING:
6 cups blueberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons dry red wine
Pinch kosher salt
TOPPING:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats or Swiss muesli
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small bits
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Use 1 Tablespoon of butter to grease the inside of a 12″ baking dish, or use individual ramekins.
MAKE THE FILLING: Combine all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss together well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
MAKE THE TOPPING: In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and ginger. Rub the butter into the mixture until incorporated evenly and the mixture resembles little pebbles.
Spread the topping evenly over the filling. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the filling is beginning to send up thick bubbles. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes longer.
Serve hot or cold with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Recipe used with permission | nancy-c.com
If you want a little taste of New York, you’ll have to check out this cookbook! If you’re a New Yorker, had you heard of Freds at Barneys or dined there yourself?
Sharing at Weekend Potluck, Thursday Favorite Things, Full Plate Thursday, Wonderful Wednesday, Inspire Me Monday, Hearth & Soul.
NancyC 