One of the great things about strawberries is how well they pair with other fruits. One of my favorite combinations is strawberry and banana. It’s perfect for smoothies, yogurt and even ice cream. I figured, why not put these two together and make it into an irresistible crumble? What a good idea that was. It is delicious. And the topping … I could eat it by the bowlful.
I washed my strawberries, hulled them and cut them into quarters lengthwise. This keeps them mostly intact as they bubble away in the oven. I decided to use my smallest cast-iron skillet for this rustic dessert. I love the way it heats up and keeps things warm once removed from the oven. My whole family loved this dessert. It’s the perfect ending to a summer meal such as fried chicken. Vanilla ice cream is an absolute must on top of this dessert, especially when warm.
Strawberry-Banana Crumble
Created by NoblePig.com
Serves 8
Ingredients:
4 cups hulled and quartered
strawberries
5 small- to medium-sized bananas,
sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping:
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats (not
quick-cooking)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup light-brown sugar
Vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine strawberries, bananas, 1/4 cup flour, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Toss together gently to avoid bruising the bananas. Pour into a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
Combine all ingredients for topping, and use fingertips to smush together until small clumps form. Completely cover strawberry-banana mixture with crumb topping.
Bake for 40 minutes or until mixture is bubbling on the sides.
Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Cathy Pollak runs a vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She shares her love of food and wine at noblepig.com. She also writes articles for One for the Table, Amy Ephron’s online magazine that specializes in food, politics and love. Find it online at www.oneforthetable.com.