warm blueberry bisque Serves 8
I live in a corner of BC, the Lower Mainland, where hundreds, perhaps thousands of hectares of blueberries tone the landscape in July and August, and day after day they beautifully complement morning pancakes and sit round in bowls for healthy snacking. The BC Blueberry Council says that the “blues” may reduce the buildup of so called “bad” cholesterol, and who are we to argue. Want something different? Try this bisque.
2
½ 4 1
½ ½ 1½ 1 2
tsp oil cup finely chopped shallots cups fresh or frozen blueberries cup vegetable or chicken stock tsp freshly ground nutmeg tsp ground allspice cups half-and-half cream (12% M.F.) cup crème fraîche or sour cream tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over
medium-low heat. Add the shallots, and cook until translucent. 2. Add the blueberries, stock, nutmeg and allspice; cook over medium heat until blueberries soften and begin to burst, 5 to 7 minutes. 3. Cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Press through a fine sieve; discard solids. Return the blueberry mixture to the saucepan and whisk in the half-and-half. 4. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed. In a small bowl, mix the crème fraîche and chives. 5. Spoon bisque into 8 soup bowls, and top each with 2 tbsp of the chive crème fraîche.
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