Recipes

Creamy Citrus Pasta With Shrimp and Blackberries

• 6 oz linguine, uncooked
• ½ C chicken broth
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ t red pepper flakes
• 1 C heavy cream
• ½ C orange juice
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (variation: use cooked chicken instead)
• 2 C blackberries
• 2 C baby spinach
• 1 C parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the linguine according to package directions. While the water is heating up, heat the chicken broth, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a simmer. Stir in the cream and juices. Heat to a simmer again and lower heat, continuing a slow simmer while the water for the pasta is heating.

After you add the uncooked pasta to the boiling water, put the shrimp and red bell pepper into the cream sauce and continue to simmer while the pasta cooks. The shrimp should be opaque and pink when they’re cooked through. Drain the cooked pasta. Turn off the heat under the cream sauce and stir in the cheese, blackberries, and spinach. Add the pasta and toss gently to coat.

Serve with crusty bread.

Blackberry Chipotle Sauce

• 2 C blackberries, fresh or frozen
• ¼ C sugar
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T – ¼ C canned chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped (the more, the hotter)
• 1 t cumin
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• ½ t Kosher salt

 

Heat the blackberries and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring constantly. When they’re warm, mash them with a potato masher. Lower heat and continue cooking for a few minutes. Pour the mixture into a wire mesh strainer over a bowl or measuring cup. Discard solids, reserve liquids.

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until onions are translucent. Add the blackberry juice, chipotles, cumin, vinegar, and salt. Simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly.

Oven-Baked Pork Chops with Blackberry Chipotle Sauce

• ¼ C olive oil
• 2 pork chops, 1-1 ¼” thick
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ C Blackberry Chipotle Sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in heavy, oven-safe pan with a lid. Salt and pepper the chops, then brown for five minutes on one side. Flip the chops, cover the pan, and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Add 2 T Blackberry Chipotle Sauce on top of each chop. Cover again and bake until the internal temp reaches 165, about 10-20 minutes more.

Blackberry Chipotle Chicken Tacos

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• 1 C Blackberry Chipotle Sauce
• Tortillas
• Ranch salad dressing (optional)
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Cheddar cheese

Chop raw chicken into small chunks. Heat oil in ten-inch sauté pan, brown chicken and cook all the way through. Pour the Blackberry Chipotle Sauce over the chicken and cook for another few minutes, until liquid is reduced and chicken is sticky. Assemble the tacos with the remaining ingredients.

Quick & Easy Blackberry Cobbler

• ½ C + 2 t sugar, divided
• 2 T cornstarch
• ¼ t + 1/8 t cinnamon, divided
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of one orange, divided
• Juice of one orange
• 2 lb blackberries, fresh or frozen
• One roll buttermilk biscuit dough

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine ½ C sugar, cornstarch, ¼ t cinnamon, and salt. Put the blackberries, 2/3 of the orange zest, and all of the orange juice into the bowl. Stir gently to coat the blackberries. Put the blackberry mixture into a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the mixture is thick and bubbly.

While the blackberries are cooking, combine 2 t sugar, 1/8 t cinnamon, and the remaining 1/3 of the zest of one orange. Set aside.

Remove from the oven and raise the temperature to 400 degrees. Divide the dough into biscuits, ball up in your hand, flatten a bit again, and place on top of the blackberries. Sprinkle sugar mixture on the biscuits. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Make-Ahead Berry French Toast Casserole

• 1 loaf of French bread
• 8 eggs
• 1 C buttermilk
• ½ t cinnamon
• 1 T sugar
• ¼ t salt
• 1 3-oz package of cream cheese
• 1 16-oz bag of mixed berries, divided
• ½ C corn syrup

Cut the French bread into 1-inch chunks and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs through salt. Pour over the French bread and toss to coat thoroughly. Spray a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Add half of the bread. Dot with half of the cream cheese and a quarter-cup of berries. Add the remaining bread and dot with the remaining cream cheese and a quarter-cup of berries. Refrigerate overnight.

Put the remaining berries and juices in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan with the corn syrup. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer until the mixture is thickened. I did this the night before as well, so it only had to be warmed up in the morning.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes, until browned on the top and firm in the center. Serve with syrup.

Blackberry Mousse Parfaits

Blackberry Mousse:

• ½ C whipping cream
• ½ t vanilla
• ¼ C cream cheese, softened
• ¼ C blackberry jelly
• ½ C salted peanuts
• 1 C blackberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
• ¼ C Grape Nuts cereal
• ½ C whipped cream

Make the Blackberry Mousse at least a few hours before making the parfaits and allow to chill. Chill four parfait glasses at the same time. (If you don’t have parfait glasses, use any glasses you have on hand.) To make the mousse, whip together the first four ingredients until moussey.

In each glass, layer one-quarter of each of the ingredients in this order: peanuts, blackberry mousse, blackberries, Grape Nuts, and whipped cream. Serve or chill until ready to serve.

The Bramble Fizz

This is the specialty of the house at the Tidewater Inn.

• 1 C blackberries
• 1 C 100% grape juice
• 1 shot (1.5 oz) vodka
• Splash of Triple Sec orange-flavored liqueur
• Tonic water
• Crushed ice

Heat the blackberries and grape juice until boiling. Lower heat and simmer for five minutes, crushing the blackberries. Pour through a mesh strainer, pressing the blackberries to get as much juice as possible. Chill the juice.

To make the drink, fill a tumbler halfway with crushed ice. Add two shots of juice (3 oz), one shot of vodka, and a splash of Triple Sec. Top off the glass with tonic water and stir to combine.

Blackberry Vinaigrette

• ½ C red wine vinegar
• ½ C blackberry jam
• ¼ C honey
• ¼ C olive oil
• ½ t salt
• ¼ t pepper

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Cabbage Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette

• ½ head of cabbage, sliced thin or shredded
• 4 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 stalk of celery, sliced thin
• ¼ C walnut pieces
• ½ C blackberry vinaigrette
• Variation: 1 C cooked turkey or chicken, chopped

Toss all ingredients. Makes 4-6 side salads or 2 main dish salads.

 

Cinnamon Pita Chips and Walnut-Blackberry Dip

Pita chips:

• 1 Package pita bread, cut into eighths
• 4 T butter, melted
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 t sugar
• ½ t salt

Dip:

• 1 C walnut pieces
• 1-2 t olive or peanut oil
• 1 t sugar
• 1 C blackberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place pita eighths into a gallon size Ziploc bag. Combine the butter through salt. Add butter mixture to bag, then toss to coat the bread. Lay in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and cool.

To make the dip, place the walnuts, 1 t oil, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until the walnuts make a thick paste, scraping the sides of the processor bowl as needed. Chop the blackberries delicately and fold into the walnut mixture.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Blackberry Relish

Blackberry Relish:

• 1 C blackberries, chopped (frozen blackberries are fine, but thaw them first)
• ½ C green onions, sliced
• 1 small can of mild chili peppers, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 2 T balsamic vinegar

For the sandwiches:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Black pepper
• Provolone cheese
• Lettuce
• Buns

Mix together all the relish ingredients and set aside. This can be done the day before.

Grill the chicken until it’s cooked thoroughly. Add provolone cheese so that it melts on each chicken breast. Assemble the sandwiches and carefully spoon a couple of tablespoons of relish on top of each. If possible, use a slotted spoon.

Peanut Butter and Blackberry Jam Pie

• 1 large box of vanilla pudding mix, cook & serve
• 2 ½ C milk
• ½ C peanut butter
• 1 C dry roasted peanuts
• ½ C blackberry jam
• 1 graham cracker crust

Make the pudding according to package directions, except use only 2 ½ C of milk instead of 3 C of milk. Pour the hot pudding into a glass bowl. Add the peanut butter and stir well. The peanut butter will melt as you’re stirring. Add the peanuts and continue stirring until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Refrigerate.

Spread blackberry jam across the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Spread the pie filling on top of the jam. Serve chilled, with a dollop of whipped cream.