Kelly Givens demonstrates how to freeze blackberries so that you can enjoy them long after the actual day of harvest. She also gives some great blackberry serving tips and shares some easy and healthy blackberry recipes.
Storage- To store blackberries, put them in a shallow container and place them in a cool spot or in the refrigerator as soon as you can after picking. Fresh blackberries are very perishable and should be eaten or frozen with two or three days of picking.
- Blackberries freeze well, and frozen berries can be used for making ice creams, sherbets, pies or dessert sauces. To freeze them, just arrange them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour or two, then pour the frozen berries into a large plastic bag or container. Frozen, they'll keep for as long as 10 month.
Enjoying Blackberries and Blackberry Recipes
- Blackberries are great by themselves or with a little bit of sugar. You could also layer them with yogurt and granola for a pretty and healthy dessert (figure A).
- Another quick and healthy dish is a mixed berry salad (figure B). It's a combination of blackberries, strawberries and cantaloupe tossed with yogurt, lime juice and mint. You can make this salad with blackberries and a whole variety of other fruits – from grapes to peaches to cherries.
Below are three great recipes. You can find more berry recipes at www.FoodNetwork.com.Mixed Berry Salad Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens.
Recipe © 2004 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved. 2 Tbsp. low-fat artificially sweetened fruit yogurt (try key lime or lemon)
juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, torn
1 c. cubed cantaloupe
4 medium strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1/4 c. raspberries or blackberries
1/4 c. blueberries Whisk the yogurt, lime juice and mint together in a medium bowl. Add the fruit and toss to combine. Serve. Frozen Fruit Smoothie Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens.
Recipe © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved. Fresh From the Orchard note: You can substitute blackberries for raspberries in most any recipe, and this one is no exception.
1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced
2 c. frozen strawberries, raspberries or cherries
1 c. milk
1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 to 3 Tbsp. honey or to taste Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve. Cook's note: For nondairy smoothies, substitute 1 c. rice milk for the milk and yogurt, or use soy yogurt or milk instead of dairy.
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