Recipe ideas from Michelle Darmody: Blackberries
Elderflower blossoms are an indication that spring is drawing to a close and that summer is upon us, whereas blackberries denote the end of the summer months.
Blackberry bushes, also know as brambles or briars, grow well in Irish hedgerows, along country walks and beside roadways.
The berries begin hard and green and as the season progresses and the sun warms up, they turn to red and eventually to a succulent, soft purple.
As Seamus Heaney has said of a blackberry, “summer’s blood is in it”.
When picking you just need to find a good spot, away from main roads and look for plump, shiny, tender berries that are neither mushy or mouldy.
It is never advisable to pick fruit after heavy rain as anything you make with them will get mouldy quite quickly, even jam.
And of course when out picking do not forget to look out for the creepy crawlies.
The juicy purple berries are high in vitamins, minerals, and fibre and best of all they are free, it is rare to find something that is absolutely free of charge.
Making a batch of jam with your freshly-picked berries helps to preserve that “end of summer” taste all year long.
The addition of another fruit can be preferable, for two reasons, a jam made solely of blackberries is quite strong in flavour and also the addition of other fruit will stretch your batch of berries.
Apple, peach or pear all work very well with blackberries.
Blackberry and lavender buns are a favourite, the addition of buttermilk adds a lovely subtle kick.
I have also included a recipe for dark chocolate pancakes with blackberry compote.
Making a compote is a great way to use up the not-so-sweet berries as the added sugar will off-set the tartness.
Making this on a lazy weekend morning is a great start to the day.
The batter will keep for a few days in the fridge and if you are stuck for time you can prepare ahead.
Blackberries also work well tossed through a salad, with some toasted hazelnuts, or they can be made into a chutney which can also be enjoyed with savoury food.
Pork chops with blackberry sauce
potatoes for four
8 pork chops
a knob of butter
1 shallot, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
a bunch of thyme, removed from the stalk and finely chopped
4 tsp of honey
150 mls of stock
150g of blackberries
Put your potatoes on to boil in slightly salted water and drain when cooked.
Rub the chops with oil and season them. Heat a griddle pan to hot and place the chops on the pan. Fry for two to three minutes, or until browned, then turn the chops over and fry for a further two to three minutes. Lower the heat and continue cooking for four minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
In the meantime melt the butter until it is about to turn golden and sauté the shallots and garlic until the shallot has softened. Add the thyme, honey, stock and berries and allow to simmer gently for ten minutes. Season to taste.
Serve the chops with the sauce and melt a knob of butter over the potatoes.
Blackberry infused red cabbage with duck legs and rice
4 duck legs
4 sprigs of rosemary
6 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
rice for four
a knob of butter
1 red onion, sliced
600g of red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 small apple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
5 tbs of balsamic vinegar
3 tbs of soft brown sugar
120g of blackberries
Heat oven to 190 degrees. Put the duck legs in one layer in a roasting tin on a bed of the rosemary and garlic. Season and sprinkle with the cinnamon powder. Roast for 45 minutes until cooked to your liking.
Put the rice onto boil in lightly salted water and drain when cooked.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook slowly for ten minutes until it is translucent. Add the cabbage, apple vinegar and sugar along with 100ml water, then season.
Bring to the boil, stir, then cover with a lid. Cook for 30 minutes over a medium-low heat.
Add the blackberries and continue cooking, uncovered, for a further five minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the blackberries have broken down slightly.
Serve the duck leg on a bed of rice with the cabbage and blackberry spooned over it.
Dark chocolate pancakes with blackberry compote
200g blackberries, washed
½ a litre of water
110g light brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
180ml milk
250g cream cheese
130g plain flour, sieved
10g of dark coco powder
1 tsp baking powder, sieved
a pinch of salt
100g of dark chocolate, shavings
Place the blackberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the blackcurrants have burst.
Whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy.
In another bowl whisk the egg yolk, milk, cream cheese, flour, coco powder, baking powder and salt together to form a batter. Fold in the egg white and the chocolate.
Heat a non-stick frying pan to very hot with a little sunflower oil. Put half a ladle of batter into the pan. When the bubbles start to burst and the edges start to turn golden, pan flip the pancake over.
Serve with the berry compote.
Blackberry and lavender buns
100g of soft butter
100g of caster sugar
300g self raising flour
1 tsp of baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150mls of buttermilk
4 tsp of dried lavender flowers, finely chopped
400g of ripe blackberries
Cream the butter and sugar together then sieve in the flour and baking powder. Stir in eggs and buttermilk to form a batter.
It does not need to be over mixed just combined making sure to get right around the bowl when mixing.
Stir in half of the blackberries and the chopped lavender.
Scoop the mixture into a bun tin lined with paper cases.
Sprinkle the rest of the blackberries over the buns and bake at 160 for 12 minutes until golden on top and cooked through in the centre.
