Apple and Pear Stew with Oatmeal Dumplings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 4 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
• 3 cloves
• 3 star anise
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup Calvados
• Salt
• Pepper

For the Oatmeal Dumplings:

• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Calvados
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 cup dried apricots, rehydrated in 1/2 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a hot saute pan, add the butter and melt. Add apples, pears, cinnamon, candied ginger, cloves, star anise and orange zest and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and add Calvados. Cook another 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a gratin dish.

For the Oatmeal Dumplings: In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and mix well. Drain the apricots and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the honey, Calvados and butter and puree. Mix the apricot puree into the dry ingredients. Spoon dollops of oatmeal mixture on top of the apple and pear mixture. Place in the oven and bake until the oatmeal mounds are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.