Celebrate Canada’s blueberry with this easy summer dessert
With B.C.’s local blueberry season in full swing and the #gobluebc campaign on, now is this time to indulge in one of Canada’s national food treasures.
Blueberries are one of Canada’s oldest native fruits and are found from coast to coast. They are also called “star berries” by Canada’s First Nations because the blossom at the end of each berry forms a perfect five-pointed star.
Blueberries are low in calories, high in fibre and rich in antioxidants. A celebrated “superfood”, blueberries have many health benefits including lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cancer.
When buying blueberries look for firm smooth-skinned berries with no leaves or stems and no signs of mould. Berries should be blue-black or deep purple-blue with a silvery sheen. The silvery sheen is a naturally occurring compound that helps protect the blueberry and should only be washed off directly before eating.
Blueberries have a sweet, slightly tart flavour. A Canadian treasure, there are thousands of recipes for blueberries from pancakes to pies to sauces and jam. This easy to make dessert, is perfect for a hot summer evening.
Chilled Blueberry Splash Soup
with a wave of creme fraiche and a kiss of honey sunshine.
Serves 4
4 cups fresh local blueberries
1 lemon zest and juice
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup dry white or rosé wine
1 cup water
Garnish:
Fresh blueberries
Sprigs of fresh mint
Local honey
Creme fraiche or mascarpone cheese
Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and juice, thyme, wine and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then simmer uncovered for five to seven minutes until blueberries are soft. Remove from the stove and allow to cool.
Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Use a spatula to push the mixture through the sieve. Discard the solids.
Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
To serve, ladle blueberry soup into chilled bowls and garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche, a swirl of honey, a handful of fresh blueberries and a sprig of fresh mint.
For more information on B.C. blueberries go to gobluebc.ca
-Claire Sear is a Vancouver based food, wine & lifestyle writer
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