Blueberry season is here

The summer blueberry season has officially begun. Instead of plastic clamshell boxes of berries that have travelled great distances to reach our grocers’ shelves, you will now find green cardboard cartons of local berries available at farmers’ markets and roadside stands.

Or, if you’d like to pick your own batch of blue beauties, visit Bennett Orchards in Frankford. Because the berries are only picked at their peak ripeness, different bushes in different parts of the farm are ready at different times (think of the arcade game Whack-a-Mole). To avoid disappointment always check their website for the current status of the crop which will be gone by the end of July.

Once you have collected your blueberry harvest, you’ll need to act quickly to enjoy the berries at their best. To accomplish this, eat the berries out of hand, serve them in shortcakes or cold cereal to experience the sharp-sweet burst of flavor as the taut blue skins open to reveal the juicy flesh within.

Be sure to store the berries at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. Avoid humidity to prevent mold from forming. And, if you’re unable to eat them before they start to wilt, there are a few options to put them to good use. One technique is to freeze them for a future smoothie or blueberry pie.

Simply arrange the rinsed and air-dried berries in a single layer on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Place the pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then transfer the frozen berries into a zip-top bag. They will keep in your freezer for a few months.

Another option is to feature the somewhat less-than-fresh berries in a cooked dish. The first of these is the compote seen in the photo, drizzled over ricotta pancakes. Toss the berries in a skillet with a pat of melted butter, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a spritz of fresh lemon juice.

After just a few minutes, the berries will begin to pop open and their natural pectin will help the juices thicken. When I make this, I don’t usually add any extra sugar (especially if I’m using Bennett’s berries). If the berries aren’t the sweetest, a spoonful of brown sugar adds texture to the rich syrup.

Instead of a sweet approach, there are also savory versions of cooked blueberries, as in the chutney recipe below. Here, blueberries are simmered with a combination of ingredients from shallots to jalapeños that meld into a mouthful of subtle heat that pairs nicely with grilled lamb, pork tenderloin or beef filet.

The final recipe in this cooked blueberry collection is a zesty Balsamic blueberry sauce for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The chicken pieces are browned in a skillet, moved to a baking pan and the sauce is stirred together in the same skillet. The mixture of blueberries, sharp vinegar and sweet honey is poured over the chicken and baked.

Of course, since you’ve used the less-than-perfect berries for these cooked dishes, you’ll have saved the best of the blues for your shortcake dessert, or as I prefer, skip the cake and just add whipped cream to a bowl filled with summer’s fleeting fruit - blueberries.

Blueberry Compote
2 C fresh blueberries, divided
2 T orange juice
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T brown sugar (optional)

In a small saucepan, combine 1 C blueberries with the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium high, stirring often, until the berries begin to burst and the mixture starts to thicken, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining blueberries and cook another 5 minutes. Serve warm over pancakes, waffles or ice cream. Transfer leftover compote to a glass container (the color will stain plastic), seal tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Chutney
2 1/2 C fresh blueberries
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 minced shallot
3 T brown sugar
2 T grated fresh ginger
1 t minced jalapeno
1/4 t salt
1/4 t dry mustard
pinch nutmeg
pinch cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a glass bowl and allow to cool. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve with grilled meat or over steamed rice.

Balsamic Blueberry Chicken Breasts
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt & pepper
4 sliced green onions
2 C blueberries
1/3 C Balsamic vinegar
1/3 C honey
2 t chopped savory leaves

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat the inside of a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Heat 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter in a large skillet over medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When butter mixture starts to bubble, add chicken breasts in a single layer. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; turn pieces to brown the other side, another 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to prepared baking pan in a single layer; set aside. Add remaining 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter to the same skillet. Once butter has melted add green onions and cook until softened. Add remaining ingredients and cook until blueberries have burst, about 8 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken breasts and bake until internal temperature reaches 165 F, about 15 minutes.