In my corner of the world, fresh fruit in the dead of winter often comes from Chile. Many supermarkets have Chilean promotions or “summer in January” sales, as if a bounty of fruit might trick me into forgetting I’m wearing so many layers that I’m as bulky as a teddy bear. I’m rightly skeptical about a “ripe and ready” sign on a bin of Chilean peaches. Oh, they looked good and were soft, but not one smelled like a peach or had any smell at all. Pass. But blueberries travel well and keep well, and their journey of several thousand miles is more successful. They’re also more versatile than a peach and their status as a Superfood is always welcome. So into the cart they went.
I love blueberries on their own and, like canteloupe, their flavor is enhanced by mint. Lemon’s a natural pairing with blueberries so put them all together and have a delicious, refreshing dessert. Add a dollop of whipped cream and it feels indulgent but still guilt-free.
But believe me, If I’d had more cream on hand, I’d have whipped enough to make a layered parfait — that would have been indulgent. And while blueberries from Chile do not have the burst-of-summer flavor local berries do in season — Wyman’s frozen wild berries still win the off-season taste test for me — there’s something so joyful about handling fresh berries in the dead of winter. Too often in life we postpone joy. We should not.
Blueberries with Lemon and Mint
1/2 pint fresh berries – 125g/4.4 oz, rinsed and picked over
1 TB water
1 TB fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 TB granulated or superfine (castor) sugar, divided
1/4 tsp mint extract
1/2 cup/4 oz heavy cream
In a small sauce pan, bring the water, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the mint extract to a low boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat, simmer 1 – 2 minutes, remove from heat and let cool briefly. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the berries. Chill, covered, for 15 – 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, whip the cream with the remaining tablespoon of sugar until stiff peaks form.
Serve the berries in attractive glasses, topped with whipped cream.
Serves 2
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m wondering if I could substitute one pint of thawed frozen blackberries and pull this off. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Yes, please, do let me know. IQF berries might be fine but I’m sort of dubious about others. If they’re mushy, just add more whipped cream!
The blackberries worked very well. Although they were on the mushy side, they were a lip-lickin good substitution.
That’s great to know. Thanks! I can’t even express how much I love blackberries. Just plain, maybe a little sugar. Heaven.