Besides cooking as a personal chef once a week, I had a caterering job this week. Dinner for a Partnership meeting for a local surgery center. I had to laugh at the menu choice, however. I usually offer an entree, two sides (starch and a veggie), sometimes a salad and then dessert. The administrator however, told me no veggies, just a salad, saying-"you know boys, no veggies". Hmmmm....so much for doctors wanting to eat healthy (setting an example and all). I made Balsamic Marinated Pork Tenderloin with sweet sauce, mashed potatoes, mixed green salad with dried cherries, apples and toasted walnuts and for dessert, Plum Betty. An old fashioned dessert, but oh, so tasty! This recipe was adapted from "EatingWell". It uses bread crumbs and the nice thing is, you can use whatever bread you want. The first time I made it I used crumbs from potato bread. When I made it for the doctors, I used ciabatta bread. Both were a success!
Plum Betty
The combo of cooked fruit layered with breadcrumbs or cubes, which defines the humble betty, doesn’t sound like much. But something special happens when it’s all baked together and the bread gets soft and gooey with the juices of the fruit. In this plum betty, chopped walnuts add a crunchy touch mixed in with the bread. Pecans or almonds are also tasty options.
6 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Filling
6 cups sliced ripe but firm plums (1/2-inch slices), peeled if desired, or 6 cups pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen (I used a mix of plums and did not peel them)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
Topping
2 cups whole-grain fresh breadcrumbs (I've used potato bread and ciabatta bread)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch shallow glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
To prepare filling: Toss plums (or cherries) with 1/3 cup brown sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl. (If using frozen fruit, let stand for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thaw the fruit before transferring to the baking dish.)
To prepare topping:
Toss breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until blended.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the topping in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the fruit. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the topping over the fruit, then top with the remaining fruit. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the remaining topping with walnuts and butter until combined. After 30 minutes, remove the betty from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb-walnut mixture on top. Return to the oven and bake until the fruit is bubbly and the crumbs are browned, 30 to 40 minutes more. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
Hope you'll give this a try using whatever fruit you like. Now is the best time to take advantage of all the summer fruits. It is definitely worth it!
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