Blackberries make "variety of goodies"

Of all of the berries that you can find, Blackberries will always hold a special place in my heart. My grandparents lived in half of a double shotgun house. From time to time, I would take a turn at cutting the small patch of grass that they had in the back yard. This was done with their non-motorized lawn mower. You are probably wondering why this has to do with blackberries.

In the corner of their small garden stood a blackberry bush. When it was time, the grandchildren would gather up the blackberries for Grandma. With them, she would make a variety of goodies. With those memories in mind, I want to share with you two recipes featuring this fruit. The first is a wonderful dessert, Blackberry-Pecan Pie. The second is welcomed at any breakfast table, Blackberry Jam. So gather up your blackberries, and Let’s head to the kitchen!

Blackberry-Pecan Pie

Here’s a twist on a great Southern classic dessert. The blackberries and pecans give a great contrast of textures to the pie.

Basic Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 large egg

2 tablespoons cold water

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. In the work bowl of a food processor, add flour mixture and butter; process until flour resembles coarse crumbs, about 45 seconds. Add egg and 2 tablespoons water; process until dough forms a ball. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to overnight. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before rolling.

Blackberry-Pecan Pie Filling

1 large egg

1 teaspoon water

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350℉.

On a lightly floured surface, roll Basic Pie Crust to 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, and gently press into the bottom and up the sides. Trim or crimp edges as desired. Refrigerate 20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 teaspoon water. With a pastry brush, brush edges with egg wash.

In a medium bowl, whisk together corn syrup, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla. Gently whisk in eggs until just combined. Fold in blackberries and pecans; pour into prepared crust. Bake 40 minutes. Tent crust with foil, and bake until firm in center, about 20 minutes more. Let cool 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Blackberry Jam

Coming from the city, I have never made any jam or jelly other than bacon jam. If you don’t have a Farmer’s market near you, here’s an easy recipe to make your own homemade jam.

1 pound fresh blackberries

1 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar and salt. Using a potato masher, gently mash until blackberries begin to release their liquid. Stir until sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar. Let cool completely. Spoon into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

If you are not fortunate enough to have a blackberry bush on your property, you can find them at your local grocer. Better yet, take a trip to your local Farmer’s market. You know my love for the local market. A good number of my ideas for columns come from just walking around every Saturday. How can you not be inspired by fresh local produce?