Since the National Blueberry Month is coming to an end, we decided to bring you another article on keeping blueberries fresh and a bonus frozen blueberries recipe!
So we caught up with Dr. Sonali Ruder, Emergency Room physician, chef, and founder of the website The Foodie Physician (www.thefoodiephysician.com) and spokesperson for the US Highbush Blueberry Council.
According to her, we should always store fresh blueberries in the refrigerator.
Keep them dry and unwashed in a rigid container such as their original packaging or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Water hastens deterioration so don’t wash them when you get home from the store. Instead, you should rinse them just before eating. If you store blueberries properly, they should last up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze fresh blueberries and then you can use them for up to six months. The key is to use fresh, unblemished blueberries that are completely dry when you put them in the freezer. Rinse the blueberries and dry them completely with paper towels. Then transfer them to containers or resealable plastic bags and place them in the freezer. The berries will freeze individually and you can remove just the portion you need for recipes.
Frozen Blueberry Ice Cream
By: thespruce.com
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- In a saucepan, heat blueberries with 1/4 cup of sugar, stirring, until the blueberries pop and the mixture cooks down a bit, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely then refrigerate to chill.
- In a large saucepan, combine remaining sugar, lemon juice, cream, and milk.
- Put over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until hot and it just begins to simmer. Do not let the mixture boil.
- In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks; whisk about half of the hot mixture into the egg yolks.
- Pour egg yolk mixture back into the hot mixture in the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. A wooden spoon will look coated and when you run your finger over the coating, it doesn’t run into the track your finger made.
- Strain the mixture into a bowl; chill thoroughly in refrigerator or an ice bath.Fold in the cold blueberry mixture.
- Freeze.
