This weekend I found myself in North Bend, Washington. It's not far from Seattle but it feels like it is. It sits in the shadow of a tall craggy mountain, which I think (but I'm not positive) is part of the foothills of the Cascades. Pretty. I was there on business of sorts, having made the decision to be a good corporate citizen and attend the company picnic. Tres blah, sayeth Chefty.
In the end, though, it turned out to be the right decision. On the way out there we saw signs for a local blueberry farm inviting all would-be U-pickers to head on over and fulfill their blueberry dreams for just $1.30 a pound.
OK, the signs didn't say that. But that's what the signs said to Chefty.
So. We put in our time at the picnic and...three beers, several half-eaten meals, and one ice-cream sandwich later, we found ourselves with bucket & coffee can in hand, making our way down the rows of blueberry bushes and plucking clusters of dark, plump berries at every turn.
U-Pick is the best!
And just how many blueberries did we pick?
The final haul came out to eight pounds. (Beams.)
I froze about 3/4 of the berries, figuring my indecisiveness around what to make would last long enough to jeopardize their shelf life.
My first effort with the remaining 1/4 resulted in a nice batch of Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins. They came out very big and fluffy, chock full of blueberries and just the right touch of sweetness. I was toying with the idea of a blueberry panna cotta, but that seems a bit froofy. I'd love to try my hand at blueberry jam. Pancakes and pies will also be on rotation for the rest of the year. But what I'd really like to do is come up with a good savory use. I may investigate a blueberry vinegar to use in salad dressings...maybe a sauce or chutney that could accompany fish, or perhaps pork. Inspired suggestions are welcome, don't hesitate to post them now.
4 comments:
Here's a recipe I've not tried, but sounds interesting. It's from one of my fave cooking zine, Eating Well, and is recommended with beef, chicken, pork and shrimp. Hope it's ok to post.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup bourbon
2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bourbon, increase heat to high and bring to a boil; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in blueberries, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses and allspice; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
Thank you A. Noni! I'm intrigued by what seems to be a sweet/spicy/sour showcase for blueberries. At first glance, it sounds like there's a lot of acid in here, btwn the blueberries, vin, and ketchup, but I'm going to give it a whirl. Given my choices, I think pork or chicken might work best. I'll be sure to post the outcome. :)
I'm looking forward to hearing about the results. Although I think it sounds intriguing, I am not much of a sauce maker.
Touching upon a previous post, I imagine that fresh blueberries (esp. those that are just the slightest bit tart) would be pretty good in a chicken salad.
I'm not sure what herbs though. a hint of tarragon? thyme? Provencal herbs can be so hard to choose....
anon--excellent idea! i've had grapes in chicken salad and think blueberries would be a nice substitute. i would try chervil or tarragon, thyme is kind of woodsy, i think these would be more delicate.
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