Berry Bliss

I made a fruit coulis today to go with dessert for company this coming Sunday. We had Jeff's colleagues over for dinner last Sunday and I made a lemon chiffon cake served with homemade almond and honey ice cream (courtesy of one of the professors). Although we had seven people, we only ate half the cake, so I froze the remaining half. This way, I can serve it again this week and Jeff and I don't end up eating more dessert than is good for us! The cake might be a tad dry after thawing, so I made the coulis to moisten it up and vary the taste a bit. I've made this coulis many times with raspberries, blackberries, and other fruit, but this was the first time with blueberries.

Just a funny note in the "what a small world" vein; the company coming Sunday is a couple we met in our ballroom dance class. We had chatted on many subjects and enjoyed talking, so we invited them to dinner. It turns out they own the berry farm where I picked these very blueberries (see earlier post)! I asked to make sure they weren't sick of blueberries already, but they've barely had time to eat any of their own, so this dessert should go over well, I hope.

Sarah's Very Berry Coulis

10-12 oz fresh or frozen berries
2-4 Tbsp raw sugar
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1-2 tsp cornstarch
splash of liqueur (optional)

In a small saucepan, heat berries, sugar, and zest, stirring frequently, until berries pop and give their juice (about 3-5 minutes). Mix cornstarch with lemon juice and stir in over simmering heat. Continue to stir, adjusting thickness to desired consistency with additional water or cornstarch slurry. Remove from heat and add a splash of liqueur (I use Gran Gala, but brandy or anything on hand is fine; balsamic vinegar is also very nice, if you prefer non-alcoholic). Stir well, then pour into a glass jar and cool slightly before refrigerating. Or serve warm over pancakes, waffles, etc.