WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their weekly Got to Be Good Cooking segment using local ingredients. This month Brian and Lisa share a few delicious blueberry recipes. Fresh blueberries are abundant in North Carolina right now. It’s a great time to stock up and freeze.
Blueberries are North Carolina’s highest-ranked fruit crop, contributing $71 million in cash receipts in 2012. This month’s recipes include a fruit salad with citrus marinade, blueberry milkshake, blueberry barbecue sauce, blueberry salad with raspberry and a blueberry lemon cake.
The first recipe is for a fruit salad that can be made the night before. You can choose the fruit you like or use what is in season.
Fruit Salad with Citrus Marinade
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh N.C. blueberries
- 1 1⁄2 bananas, sliced
- 1 cup N.C. strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed
- 1⁄3 cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon orange zest
- 1⁄4 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions:
Layer the fruit in a bowl. Bring the remaining ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour cooled sauce over fruit and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
The next recipe is for a milkshake that Brian calls “quasi-, semi-healthy” because of the delicious blueberries added.
Ingredients:
- 1 1⁄2 cups N.C. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions:
Blend blueberries first and then add the remaining ingredients. Mix on high until smooth.
The next recipe is “a great way to use blueberries other than for dessert.” This recipe was submitted by Wendy Perry during a viewer recipe contest and Lisa saved it until blueberries were in season. Wendy combined three great North Carolina products in one recipe: Nashville’s George’s BBQ sauce, N.C. blueberries and N.C. honey. This barbecue sauce is good on grilled chicken, fish or pork.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups N.C. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup Georges Special BBQ Sauce
- 1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar
- Fresh thyme, several sprigs
- 1⁄2 cup honey
Instructions:
Put the blueberries, barbecue sauce, vinegar and thyme into heavy-bottomed sauce pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to slow boil, stirring frequently. Cook until the berries have popped and the sauce has cooked down and thickened. Remove woody thyme twigs. Whisk in honey.
Lisa suggests serving the next recipe as a side salad, or top with grilled chicken and serve as a delicious meal.
Blueberry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- 4 cups mixed salad green
- 1⁄4 cup feta cheese
- 1⁄2 cup pecans or walnuts
1 cup fresh N.C. blueberries- 2 tablespoons shallots (sliced thin and soaked in cold water for 15 minutes)
Raspberry Vinaigrette:
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1⁄2 cup vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄2 cup good quality olive oil
Instructions:
Salad: Place salad ingredients on 4 salad plates or 2 dinner plates. Then drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette.
Raspberry Vinaigrette: Put first 5 ingredients into a blender and combine until smooth. Then on low speed, slowly add in the olive oil.
The next recipe is for a delicious dessert that is perfect for spring and summer.
Ingredients:
- 2 1⁄2 cups cake flour (sifted)
- 2 1⁄2 teapoons baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄2 cup butter or margarine
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 3⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 6 ounces N.C. blueberries
Light Lemon Butter Cream Frosting:
- 3 1⁄2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1⁄4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions:
Sift flour with baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cream butter with lemon zest. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add about ¼ of the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in milk. Add remaining flour mixture alternately with the lemon juice, beating after each addition until smooth. Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch layer cake pans. Sprinkle each pan with blueberries, divided evenly. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks. Once the cake is completely cooled, frost with light lemon butter cream frosting.
Cream the butter, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the milk to the butter mixture. Then add ½ cup sugar at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Once all the sugar is added, beat on high for 2 minutes.