Well lovelies, things at Mess of Greens HQ has been a bit of a hot mess since we last visited… we moved into a new house, adjusted a toddler to the new house rules (living with us in his grandparents home for a year meant a rude awakening when there weren’t 4 adults around to persuade), found out we were expecting a little bundle of joy in early autumn, and lost my mama to an awful, rare lung disease
The thing is, I’ve got so much to tell you about my mama and how she shaped me and taught me, especially when it comes to warm welcomes and loving other people.
But I can’t bring myself to write about her just yet.
But I did feel a little more like myself and actually wanted to be playing around in my new gorgeous kitchen these past few weeks, finally, because, summer produce. Blueberries, watermelon, peaches… and then the corn! and the tomatoes! Good Lordy why do we even bother to eat food that we don’t know where it comes from? (Not because I’m against big agriculture or think that everyone should–or even can– homestead and garden, but because DAMN! Food that is picked and then eaten immediately and still has a little earth on it just tastes so much better. The Italians know what I’m talking about.
It’s been fun to take my little fella out into the world to the farmers’ markets, into our own garden, and out to neighbor’s houses to see where the food we eat comes from… today we made our second blueberry picking trip out to my aunt’s farm, and it was SO hot but just so wonderful. (a 7 months pregnant lady in 90 degree heat is a sight, let me tell you). Getting your fingers all purpley and letting the juice dribble down your chin while still filling up a bucketful to take home…isn’t that what summer’s supposed to be about?
And then, from some of the blueberries came a cobbler. Sure, I’ve made cobblers, crumbles, and crisps before (the EASIEST summer desserts) but not like this one… a slightly sweet, wonderfully crunchy textured cornmeal crust really was something special.
Give it a go with whatever berries you can get your hands on (Though corn & blueberries really are a match made in heaven. Google it. I promise.) First, it’s easy. Second, it’s divine. and Third, do we need a third?
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 5 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries. Imperfect berries are just fine!
- ⅔ cup sugar
- Grated zest from 1 lemon
- Fresh juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- FOR THE CRUST:
- 1 Cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Cup cornmeal mix
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
- Optional: ¼ cup fresh corn kernels
- FOR THE FILLING:
- Toss the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt into a mixing bowl and let sit for up to 2 hours. The longer the fruit sits the more juice will be released. Reserve it all and pour it into 1 large shall aking dish (2 quarts) or 2 smaller ones.
- FOR THE CRUST:
- Preheat oven to 360°.
- Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Using your hands, add the butter and work into the dry ingredients until all of the dry ingredients have mixed together and are wet (nothing should be dry at the bottom of the bowl). You'll have little peas or balls of dough.
- The mixture should stick together when you smush it.
- If using, add corn and toss to evenly distribute.
- Taking some of the dough your hands, flatten the little balls and drop it over the top of the berry filling.
- Continue to do this until all the dough has been used or all/the majority of the filling has been covered.
- You will likely have extra dough... I prefer that to less so use as much or as little as you like.
- Bake crisp until topping is golden brown and the berries are bubbly and thickening, about 40-55 minutes.
- Let cook slightly (the berries will thicken more as it cools), and serve with vanilla ice cream.
