When I was a kid, there were four ways to deal with blueberries – in pie, in cake, in muffins and in a bowl with plenty of cream and sugar. And of course, all by the themselves out of hand – sorry, five ways. But some of the great, creative cooks and chefs who have arisen in the intervening never-mind-how-many years began inventing. And collectively, they came up with fabulous ways to enjoy blueberries, ways that range from soup, salads and sauces through elegant main dishes to desserts that make plain old blueberry pie (two crusts, tinned filling, which was heavy on the sugar, additives and preservatives) look like second-tier fast food.
But when you have lots of fresh blueberries – possible here in The Land of Pleasant Living since we live close to at least two places where you can pick buckets of ‘em at Lockbriar’s and Godfrey’s – there are tons of terrific possibilities. The Silver Palate girls, who had a shop and catering business in New York, were the first ones I ever stumbled across who were talking about truly innovative ingredients like blueberry vinegar, Blueberry Lemon Zest Vinaigrette and blueberry chutney, which they slathered on spare ribs. You can also use the chutney to top goat cheese or cream cheese on slim, toasted slices of baguette for hors d’oeuvres, or on top of sweetened mascarpone in a cookie crust for a sweet-tart dessert.
Blueberries (Vaccinium), which also grow wild here in Maryland, are cultivated on either high bush or low bush deciduous shrubs. In addition to producing their fabulous berries, which the birds love, they are lovely, three-season bushes that are great additions to the garden provided you have slightly acid soil. In late spring, they sport clusters of creamy little bell-like blooms that turn into berries around the end of June into July. In fall, their foliage turns beautiful shades of crimson, russet and copper. Blueberries are easy to pick due to the way they grow in firm little clusters at the ends of the branches. They are firm enough to travel well, and keep longer than softer fruits like strawberries and raspberries, so you can stick a big container in the frig for quick snacks. They also freeze easily – pop them fresh into a freezer bag and then into the freezer. That’s it.
Blueberries are one of the super-fruits. Packed with vitamin C – in a single 1-cup serving you get almost 25% of your recommended daily allotment — they are also a great antioxidant.
But let’s face it: their big draw is the table. Buckles and cobblers and compotes, Oh my! And blueberries considerately ripen in time to make flag-themed desserts for the Fourth. Below are links to two of them: Red, White and Blue Sour Cream Tart; and Old Glory Dessert, which in the recipe linked below is made with store-bough cookie dough, but can easily be made with a bottom of homemade shortbread –1 ¾ cup flour, 2 sticks unsalted butter, ½ cup confectioner’s sugar, pinch salt. Throw it all in the food processor for about 15-20 seconds (it will be crumbly) and pat it into the pan (this is a fun thing for clean little helper hands to help with) then follow the Old Glory recipe. Or, if you’re looking for something cool to serve your guests on what looks to be a hot weekend coming up, try the blueberry soup – simple, refreshing and delicious.
This recipe comes from the original Silver Palate Cookbook * by Julie Russo and the late Sheila Lukins, who had a wonderful imagination for new flavors and food combinations. I modify their recipe, barely, to suit my own pantry and tastes.
Blueberry Soup
5 cups blueberries, either fresh or frozen
4 cups water
cinnamon stick or ½ tsp cinnamon
3 whole coves (they suggest 4)
2/3 cup honey
1 lemon, juiced
1 tblsp blueberry vinegar **(or apple cider vinegar)
3 tblsp Crème de Cassis (black currant liquor)
Rinse the berries, pick through and remove any shriveled or green ones then put them into a large pot with the water, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stir in honey and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the berries are quite soft. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Force through a sieve, a strainer or a food mill. Stir in lemon juice, vinegar and Crème de Cassis. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours. Their recipe calls for garnishing with yogurt, fresh berries and grated orange rind, which is elegant, but I never bother with. Blueberry soup is wonderful for breakfast on a steamy morning, or as a pick-me-up at around teatime when you’re flagging and iced tea just isn’t going to do it.
*There’s a 25th anniversary edition of Silver Palate Cookbook out now which, according to the look I had in Amazon, has photos in addition to the whimsical line drawings that are in my battered original.
** You can make your own blueberry vinegar simply by adding 1 cup of crushed blueberries to 2 cups of white vinegar and letting it sit, covered, on a counter somewhere for several days. Pour off the vinegar through a strainer (but don’t mash the berries through or it gets cloudy) and use it in this recipe and others. Lasts ages and makes a nice gift to a cooking friend.
Blueberry chutney is an easy thing to make, too. It’s a delicious addition to a slice of ham and cheese with a green salad, is great with chicken salad, and goes well with baked bluefish. Below is a link to a recipe.
https://busycooks.about.com/od/appetizerrecipe1/r/blueberrychutney.htm
https://www.nutmegnanny.com/2010/06/24/red-white-and-blueberry-sour-cream-tart/
https://www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-More/recipes/Old-Glory-Dessert-recipe-6820.aspx
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wild-Blueberry-Pie-with-Almond-Crumble-Topping-238822
https://southernfood.about.com/od/blueberryrecipes/r/bl60430d.htm
https://southernfood.about.com/od/dessertrecipe1/r/bl80613n.htm
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/blueberry-breakfast-salad/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/blueberry-soup/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/roast-duck-with-blueberry-sauce/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/salmon-and-blueberry-salad-with-red-onion-vinaigrette/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/blueberry-salad-with-smoked-trout/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/blueberry-and-gorgonzola-salad-with-mixed-greens/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/blueberry-onion-sauced-pork-tenderloin/
https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/roast-cornish-game-hens-with-sauteed-blueberries/
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