I know juniper might seem like an odd flavor pairing with blueberries, but think of a refreshing gin fizz cocktail (juniper being the chief botanical in gin), muddled with some fresh blueberries, and then it starts to make sense. The slightly pine-y nature of juniper brings out the jamminess of the blueberries in a way that feels like they were always meant to be together. Plus, juniper berries look like blueberries’ littler cousin. So, whether they’re in your cocktail glass or in your dessert, I hope you’ll try this combination this summer!
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon whole, dried juniper berries
- 1/2 teaspoon red or pink peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 pounds (about 7 cups) fresh blueberries
- 1 cup blackberry preserves, preferably Bonne Maman
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon good gin, preferably Roku
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- A few grinds fresh black pepper
- 140 grams (5 ounces; 1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons stone-ground cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- For the filling: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Grind the juniper and peppercorns until fine in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
- Add the butter to a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the blueberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to release their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat off. Stir in the ground juniper and peppercorns, the preserves, sugar, cornstarch, gin, salt, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
- For the biscuit topping: Whisk together the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and baking soda in large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until just combined.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Top the filling with the biscuits, leaving about 1/2 inch between each. Sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 393 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 76 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 45 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 23 mg |
| Sodium | 398 mg |