Cherry Tomato Pesto

I love garlic! I hope you do as well. If you don't, go find something else to cook.

This is a simple, simple dish. It's not a real pesto, but it's not a pistou either. It's easy peasy and enjoyable, making good use of a bounty of cherry tomatoes, whatever the color. In a word, it's scrummy!

Cherry Tomato Pesto

Into a food processor, plunk in several peeled garlic cloves and a bit of onion. Whiz it about until it is finely chopped. Add a quantity of cherry tomatoes and blitz full-tilt. Add a quantity of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Whiz and drizzle in some good olive oil. Perhaps a pinch of red pepper flake as well? When you're satisfied with mixture, toss with freshly cooked pasta and devour.

Note: All of the best ingredients here, folks. You can't skimp on something fresh like this, where everything counts. Make sure this is well-seasoned, for something magical happens when the raw sauce hits the hot pasta.

Bitch's Best Fruit Crisp

I fucking rock in the kitchen. End of story.

Okay, so it's not the real end of the story. The story is that I love a fruit crisp, a really good fruit crisp. It conjures up memories of elementary school, with lunch ladies who actually cooked real food for us to eat, real food that was really good. One of my favorite things they would make for dessert was apple crisp, so warm, sweet, crunchy, and delicious. And don't forget the peanut butter bars and the Congo bars! Ravishing! But those are separate items for another day.

Back to fruit crisp. For me, it doesn't have to be apple. A crisp is delicious with any substantial fruit, anything with which you might make a cobbler. While I enjoy a cobbler from time to time, a crisp gets me excited. And this crisp will get you excited, too, I'm sure.

Bitch's Best Fruit Crisp

For the fruit bit:
4 pounds fruit of choice
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour

For the crisp bit:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350º and butter a large casserole dish. Mix fruit with sugars and flour. Set aside whilst you get on with making the crisp bit. Mix the crisp ingredients well, until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is pea-sized. Tip the fruit into the casserole, then cover liberally with the crisp mix. Bake for an hour, or until everything is bubbly and delicious and crisp and golden.

Note: This particular crisp was made from cherries which I had in the freezer from my excursion to the cherry orchard in June. I added the zest of an orange which I had about the kitchen. I also added a good pinch of cardamom to the crisp bit. Simply divine!

I should think this would work well with other stone fruits and your appley-pear sorts of fruit. I've done it with blueberries and blackberries, but I'm not sure it would turn out with strawberries. They don't like to be cooked. Ditto for the raspberries. But you never know until you try!