Blueberry Grunt Recipe

One of life's simplest pleasures is fruit picking. There is something so relaxing yet satisfying about going out with your friends or family and collecting some of nature's goodies. I've just been on holiday in Alsace and I went for a lovely walk in a forest that had an abundance of wild blueberries. We picked so many of these little beauties, I was pondering what to do with them until I remembered Blueberry Grunt (yes, it really is called that!)

My Canadian friend gave me the recipe a couple of years ago but I never got round to trying it till now. Blueberry Grunt is a traditional dessert from Nova Scotia invented by early settlers. Its unusual name comes from the sound that the cooking pot makes when steaming the dumplings. As far as I can tell, this dish is essentially dumplings in a gorgeous blueberry sauce. If you think that dumplings sounds too stodgy for summer, have no fear because they puff up a lot so are quite light. The hint of orange give them quite a fresh summery taste. I have to admit that I had never seen or eaten this dessert till I made it so I hope I have done the Nova Scotians proud!

Ingredients

- 2 cups blueberries

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 cup cold water

- 1 1/2 cups self raising flour

- 2 tsp grated orange peel

- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 3/4 cup milk

Method

Simmer berries, sugar and water until thick and just starting to bubble.
Lower the heat.
Mix flour, orange peel, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
Stir in the milk gradually with the dry ingredients until the mixture comes together.
Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the simmering blueberry mixture.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the dumplings have puffed up.
Serve hot with the remaining sauce.

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