Plum Crumble

Santa Rosa plums are great in this dessert, although any juicy plum will work nicely. Because it's good served either warm or at room temperature, this is a choice make-ahead dessert. After scraping the seeds from the vanilla bean, use it to flavor sugar: Bury the bean in a container of granulated sugar, and store for up to 6 months.

Yield

9 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

14 plums, each cut into 6 wedges

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons dry red wine

1 (4-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Cooking spray

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup regular oats

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first three ingredients. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds to plum mixture. Discard bean. Toss mixture gently to combine. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over plum mixture. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until plum mixture is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.