Bring on the blues.
August is blueberry month and everywhere you turn you'll find them in the supermarket, farmers' market or the freezer.
Blueberries are just so darn good -- and good for you.
The latest medical research confirms these delicate balls of flavour are bursting with goodness and reaching in to help every crevice of your body and soul.
Rich in antioxidant properties including anthocyanin, anti-inflammatories and other natural compounds, the wild blueberry is considered a superfruit, helping protect against diseases and age-related health risks.
Susan Davis, nutrition advisor for the Wild Blueberry Association of North America (an international trade association of growers and processors of wild blueberries which includes various Canadian provinces) says "research is underway exploring the potential positive effects of wild blueberry consumption on vision, cardiovascular health, protecting the brain from age-related deficits like Alzheimer's and dementia and cancer prevention."
The recent 2009 National Berry Symposium, which brought together leading scientists studying the health properties of wild blueberries, showed that recent discoveries support the research.
But you don't need a room full of sage scientists to convince you of all this -- there's a certain mystique to this wild fruit, with its delicious yet intensive burst of tangy-sweet flavour.
Bake with them, create with them, go wild with them and try them on savoury dishes as well as sweet.
Or serve them simply with a cold bowl of delicious ice cream.
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MELON BOATS IN BLUEBERRY SEA
4 cups (1 L/300 g) frozen wild blueberries
4 cups (1 L) tart cherry juice
4 tsp. (20 ml) vanilla sugar (blend sugar with 1/2 tsp./ 1/2 ml pure vanilla)
1/4 cup (50 ml) corn starch
1/2 honeydew melon, seeds removed, peeled
4 meringue cookies
Combine blueberries, juice and vanilla sugar in a large pan and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) of cold water; stir into hot juice mixture and return to a boil. When thickened, remove from heat and chill.
Core, peel and cut melon into 8 thin wedges.
To serve, divide chilled blueberry compote among 4 bowls, top each portion with 2 melon wedges and float 1 meringue cookie on blueberry mixture.
Serves 4.
BROWNIE DOMINOES WITH WILD BLUEBERRY CINNAMON SAUCE
Brownies
4 oz. (150 g) unsweetened baking chocolate
3/4 cup (175 ml)) butter
1 3/4 1 cup (425 ml) white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
Microwave chocolate and butter for 2 minutes or melt in double boiler. Stir until chocolate is melted. Carefully stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour until thoroughly blended. Pour into greased 8-x-8-in. (2-L) baking pan and bake 45 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool about 2 hours.
Wild blueberry cinnamon sauce:
2 cups (500 ml) wild blueberries (frozen)
1/2 cup (125 ml)) water
1/4 cup (50 ml) sugar
1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 (10 ml) cornstarch
1/4 tsp. ( 1/2 ml) cinnamon
Cocoa powder (for garnish)
In a small sauce pan combine 1 cup (250 ml) wild blueberries, 1/4 cup (50 ml) water, sugar and lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.
Mix cornstarch into 1/4 cup (50 ml) water until dissolved and add to wild blueberry mixture; stir until it thickens, then add remaining 1 cup of wild blueberries. Cook 3 minutes on low heat, add cinnamon.
Turn out brownies from the baking tin. Cut it into 12 cubes and dust with cocoa powder. Serve with wild blueberry sauce.
Serves 12
