Let me tell you the history of Lauren and rosemary.
Herbs are not used in traditional Midwestern cuisine. Most dishes consist of copious amounts of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken and a solid pinch of salt. I didn’t have any concept of fresh herbs until my mom started growing her own chives and putting them on roasted sliced potatoes.
I honestly don’t know what compelled me to invest in rosemary, but when I started my own herb garden in college, I started with rosemary. My first project: using it as a garnish in a potato-leek soup.
I hated it.
Not only was I not prepared for the piney flavor, but my taste buds were simply not ready for a blast of fresh herbs. My palette was so unrefined that I couldn’t handle a simple herb as a garnish.
Maybe my love for gin and tonics helped me overcome my dislike for consuming pine-flavored items, but sometime in the past year, my opinions completely flipped around. I use it in pasta and vegan cheese sauces. I garnish everything with it. And lately, I just can’t stop putting it in my oatmeal.
But hey, if you’re not ready to take the rosemary plunge with this cobbler, it’s easy enough to omit it. The plum and pineapple combination is unbelievable!!
What you'll need:
- 2 small plums, cubed
- 1/4 cup diced pineapple (I used frozen)
- 1 small sprig rosemary (or 1/2 a standard-sized one)
- 2 tbsp orange juice or water
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch or flour
- 1/4 cup quick cook steel-cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
How to make it:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a single-serving ramekin or cast iron skillet with non-stick spray.
- Combine the plum and pineapple in a bowl.
- Holding a sprig of rosemary at its top, slide your fingers down it, to the bottom, to strip off the needles. Then, gather them together and chop the needles a few times to create pieces that are shorter than half a centimeter. Toss with the plum and pineapple.
- Mix the cornstarch into the orange juice until dissolved. Pour over the fruit and toss a couple times. Dump the mixture in an even layer in ramekin or skillet.
- In a bowl, combine dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, and salt. Once mixed, add in wet ingredients: milk, vanilla, and maple syrup. Stir until combined. (Feel free to double the ingredients for the cobbler for a heartier breakfast.)
- Drop in clumps (or as one layer, depending on the size of the ramekin you are using) on top of the fruit mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes.
