Drunken Blueberry Crisp

Blueberry season is nearly here, and I couldn't be more excited! My mother will tell you when I was a child the only reason I wanted blueberries was because they were purple (my favorite color). That is only partially true. I love them, in any way, shape or form. 

One of my favorite preparations has always been blueberry crisp, because I like the taste of the buttery, crispy topping with the soft, ripe warm blueberries underneath. I was inspired to change my recipe a bit by a jam we tasted from Dorothy Stainbrook, of HeathGlen Organic Farms. She has a blueberry jam with merlot and lavender, so I thought I could do the same to my crisp. It is heavenly! A scoop or two of homemade vanilla bean ice cream, and it was a perfect ending to our Fourth of July smoker!

I used some of our homemade blueberry mead in this recipe, but you could really use any red wine that is toward the sweet side. 

Drunken Blueberry Crisp

2 pints fresh blueberries, rinsed and any stems removed (about 4 cups)

1 1/2 to 2 cups sweet red wine (enough to cover the berries)

1 cup sugar 

1/4 cup corn starch 

1/2 cup butter 

1 1/2 cup rolled oats 

1 cup flour 

1 cup brown sugar 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Place blueberries in a large bowl and cover with merlot. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator, then add sugar and corn starch and mix together well. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a deep, square pan with non-stick spray, and pour in blueberry mixture. Mix together remaining ingredients, and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool 15 minutes and serve warm with ice cream.