Blueberry Lemon-Lime Gratin
- 2 cup fresh blueberry
- 1/2 cup Blueberry Sauce (recipe below)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream, lightly whipped
- 1 cup Lemon-Lime Curd (recipe follows)
- sugar for caramelizing
Toss the blueberries with a little of the syrup in a medium bowl and let macerate for 15 minutes. Divide the berries among individual gratin dishes along with some of the syrup, or spoon into one larger gratin dish. Fold the whipped cream into the lemon-lime curd, and then pour over the berries. Scatter a tablespoon or so of sugar over the top?of each gratin and caramelize with a kitchen torch, until golden and the berries are warmed through.
Blueberry Sauce
- 1 cup lightly crushed blueberry
- 1/2 cup water
- sugar
- lemon juice
To make blueberry sauce: Simmer 1 cup lightly crushed fruit with about 1⁄2 cup of water until soft. Then push through a fine sieve to remove any seeds. Return the sauce to medium heat, whisk in a few tablespoons of granulated sugar, and simmer until it is slightly syrupy. Stir in lemon juice or other flavorings to taste, along with 1⁄2 cup more whole or sliced berries (optional). Cook 1 minute more. To keep a cooked fruit sauce bright and reminiscent of the fruit it is, don’t overcook it, and use little sweetener. Makes about one cup.
Lemon-Lime Curd
- 2 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
To make lemon curd:? Whisk the eggs and sugar in a medium heatproof bowl, then whisk in the zest and juice. Place the bowl over a gently simmering pot of water and continuously stir with a wooden spoon until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter; cook, stirring frequently, until the curd coats the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes more.
?Pour the curd into a separate bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface while cooling to prevent a skin from forming. The curd will keep for up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator, and a year in the freezer. You can also pot in sterilized jars. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for proper sealing.
Note: For lemon-lime curd, use an equal blend of lemon and lime juice and add 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar. For orange and/or tangerine curd, start with less sugar, adding more to taste, plus a little fresh lemon juice to help set the curd and balance flavor.
Recipe and photo from PlumGorgeous: Recipes and Memories from the Orchard by Romney Steele/Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011.
