Upside-Down Blueberry Grunt
iF THere was ever a “provincial dessert” for nova scotia, blueberry grunt would definitely be in the running. it has even been celebrated on a Canadian postage stamp! This simple, sweet dish of light, fluffy biscuits and stewed blueberries is a hearty and welcome ending to any meal. The biscuit texture is traditionally crispy on top and very soft on the bottom from the blueberries. This upside-down version creates a lovely fluffy finish throughout and even more blueberries to enjoy! it is perfect for a cool earlyautumn evening, when the blueberries are at their best and the teapot is still buried in the cupboard. Blueberries
Fresh or Frozen Wild Blueberries 4 cups
Lemons 2, zested and juiced, divided
Sugar 1/3 cup Cornstarch 2 Tbs
Ground Nutmeg a pinch
Biscuits
Flour 1 ¼ cups
Sugar 2 Tbs
Baking Powder 1 1/2 tsp
Fine Sea Salt 1/2 tsp
Cold Butter 2 Tbs, cubed
Milk 1/2 cup
Egg 1
White Wine Vinegar 2 tsp
Ice Cream for serving
1 FOR the Blueberries: Place all the blueberries in a large saucepan, drizzle with the lemon juice, and scatter half the zest over top. Cover the pan with its lid, place over medium-low heat, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just to soften the berries.
2 IN a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the berries and stir to combine. Increase the temperature to medium-high and bring the berries to a boil, stirring well. Stir for 1 minute and then remove from the heat. Set aside.
3 FOR the Biscuits: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or 2-quart baking dish with butter.
4 IN a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it has a coarse oatmeal texture. In a liquid measure or small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vinegar. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture. Using a fork, mix gently to form a soft ball.
5 DIVIDE the dough into four rounds, form each portion into a disc shape, and place in the prepared pan. Pour the blueberry sauce over the biscuit dough and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest.
6 BAKE for 20 minutes, until the blueberries are bubbling and the biscuits have risen.
7 ENJOY this warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Excerpted from A Rising Tide by DL Acken and Emily Lycopolus. Copyright © 2021 DL Acken and Emily Lycopolus. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.