Areavoices: Sue Doeden makes blueberry basil bubble

With some organic blueberries and a sweet, juicy organic nectarine, I made two bowls of simple summer bubble. Flavored with minced basil leaves and balsamic vinegar and sweetened with a touch of honey, the summer fruit bubbles and drips dark, sweet juice as it bakes under a blanket of butter, oatmeal, flour and brown sugar.

This has been my summer of basil. When one of my farmer friends at the market suggested I try planting my peppers, tomatoes and herbs in pots this year, I heeded his advice. I'm so glad I did. I've got two pots of healthy, green basil in my small garden. Lemon basil and cinnamon basil are planted in the ground and are doing very well.

Use any kind of basil you have on hand for this simple dessert that also works as breakfast. I used a mix of cinnamon and lemon basil. I think lemon thyme or orange thyme would offer lovely flavor in the absence of basil.

I wanted just two servings, baked in a couple of old restaurant bowls I found in an antique shop. This recipe can easily be doubled to fill a casserole dish.

Use the best balsamic vinegar you have. I stirred in some blueberry-infused balsamic I got at Vinaigrette in Minneapolis. I buy only local honey. Honey is the sweetest of the natural sweeteners and adds its own unique flavor.

Enjoy the weekend. Bubble up some sweet summer berries and stone fruit. Blueberry Basil Bubble is a blissful way to begin the day and a heavenly way to end it.

Blueberry Basil Bubble

* 2 heaping cups (12 ounces) fresh blueberries, rinsed

* 1 large nectarine or peach, chopped

* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I used blueberry balsamic)

* 1 tablespoon honey

* a handful of basil leaves, minced

* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

* 1/8 teaspoon salt

* 2 tablespoons brown sugar

* 2 tablespoons oats, quick or old-fashioned

* 1/4 cup chilled butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a glass bowl, toss fruit with vinegar, honey and basil. Transfer to 2 greased (I used butter) oven-safe bowls or individual casserole dishes.

For topping, mix flour, salt, brown sugar and oats together. Cut chilled butter into small pieces. Use your clean fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle over fruit mixture in bowls.

Place bowls on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. The juice thickens as it cools. Makes 2 servings. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips from the cook

It helps to warm the honey just a bit in the microwave oven to make it easy to stir in and coat the fruit.