I had so many blackberries at home when growing up in Seattle,
I'd play hide-and-seek among the bushes, and get scratched every time. Once the
blackberries were ready to pick, they were so plump and sweet I would forget my
scars. With fruit that good, you don't need to fuss, so my mother would merely
combine seasoned sour cream with the berries under a brown sugar topping and pop
it under the broiler. You can follow her lead, but only when the blackberries
are perfect. Otherwise, substitute wild Maine blueberries and crème fraîche.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blackberries, washed and well drained
1/2 cup brown sugar
Preparation:
Move broiler rack to lowest possible position, at least 6
inches from the top element, and turn on oven broiler.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, lime zest, sugar, and cinnamon. Gently
fold in the blackberries, and transfer to small gratin dish. Sprinkle brown
sugar on top. Broil until the brown sugar melts and darkens, 1 to 3 minutes,
rotating the dish halfway through so it browns evenly but doe not burn. Serve
hot.
