Blackberry Gratin Recipes

BROCCOLI GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Put some ice and cold water in a bowl. Bring a pot of salted water up to a boil. Add the broccoli, cook it for 2 minutes, and then transfer it to the ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
• Put the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon, set aside, and reserve the fat in saucepan.
• Turn the heat to medium-low heat, add the bacon and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour, and cook, whisking, until it starts to smell nutty and is a bit darker, 5 to 7 minutes; this is a roux. Slowly whisk the milk in to create a sauce with gravy-like consistency. Stir in the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Turn the heat to low and stir the Cheddar. Once the cheese has melted, take the saucepan off the heat.
• Combine the panko and olive oil in a medium bowl. Coat a large baking dish or individual ramekins with non-stick cooking spray. Toss the broccoli with the cheese sauce and bacon. Put the mixture in the baking dish or ramekins, top it with the panko mixture and bake until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.

FRESH RASPBERRY GRATINS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler for at least 15 minutes, with the rack about 5 inches away from the heat.
• To make the sabayon, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water until thick and creamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk almost constantly, scraping the egg mixture from the bottom of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the Marsala wine and continue whisking over the simmering water for about 5 more minutes, until the mixture is thick and smooth, like a soft whipped cream. It should register about 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Whisk in the vanilla, remove from the heat, and set aside.
• Place one snug layer of raspberries in 6 (6 to 7-inch) shallow gratin dishes. (Each of my dishes holds about one half-pint of raspberries.) Spoon enough sabayon over the raspberries to cover them. Sprinkle each one lightly with granulated sugar. Arrange the dishes on 2 sheet pans and place themone pan at a timeunder the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tops of the gratins are lightly browned. Watch them carefully; they burn really quickly! Serve warm.

FRESH BERRY GRATIN

Steps:

• Pick over the raspberries. Hull the strawberries and slice them in half. Mix the berries with two tablespoons of the liqueur. Refrigerate.
• Place the egg yolks in a bowl that will fit over a pan of simmering water. Beat the egg yolks until they have thickened. Beat in one-quarter cup of the sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat the mixture vigorously over low heat.
• Add half the remaining amaretto and continue beating. As the egg mixture thickens and lightens, gradually add the remaining amaretto. Continue beating the mixture until it is very thick and light, taking care to regulate the heat so the yolks do not coagulate.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir the mixture again and refrigerate it until just before serving time.
• Preheat a broiler. Spread the berries in a shallow gratin dish at least nine inches in diameter. Spread the egg-yolk mixture over the berries, covering them completely. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
• Place the gratin under the broiler and cook for a minute or two, just until the top becomes brown and glazed. Place the gratin dish on a serving dish and serve at once, gently scooping portions of berries and gratin onto each plate.

BLACKBERRY GIN

Steps:

• Tip the blackberries and sugar into a 1.5-litre sterilised jar. Pour over the gin, seal the jar and swirl around to dissolve the sugar. Store in a cool, dark place and turn the jar once a day for the first week.
• After two-three weeks, strain the gin through a sieve. Pour the gin into bottles, and label. The gin will keep its colour for a few months and will be drinkable for up to a year. Use the infused blackberries in a cocktail like a bramble, or in a trifle.