Simple Berry Recipes to Sweeten Your Summer
By Rachel Jones for Edible Allegheny
Photographs by Michael Fornataro
Styling by Samantha Casale
Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are juicy and delicious on their own, and even better together. Three Pittsburgh area chefs bounced the berries into an entrée, cocktail, and dessert to create the ultimate summer menu. The results couldn’t be sweeter.
Lavender-Berry Limeade
Recipe by Bartender Tanya Bennitt, Bistro 19
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients
1 ounce lavender simple syrup, prepared the night before; directions included below
4 raspberries
10 blueberries
2 large blackberries
1 large strawberry
Juice of one lime
1 ounce vodka
(Editor’s Note: Bennitt recommends American Harvest Vodka because it’s organic.)
½ ounce elderflower liqueur, such as St. Germain
Soda water
Mint leaves to garnish
To prepare the lavender simple syrup, bruise ¼ cup dried lavender in a plastic bag with a rolling pin. Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add lavender and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Cool slightly, then blend until smooth.
Refrigerate overnight; strain into a bottle. The mixture will keep for 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
Muddle raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberry, lime juice, and 1 ounce of lavender simple syrup.
Combine fruit mixture, vodka, and elderflower liqueur in a drink shaker with ice. Shake to combine.
Strain, and serve in a Collins glass over ice, topped with a splash of soda. Garnish with mint leaves.
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Fresh Berry Trifle
By Susan Lynn, partner and owner of Sand Hill Berries
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients
1 large box of vanilla pudding (not instant)
1-½ cups ready-made cheesecake filling
½ cup whipped topping
1 tablespoon cherry liqueur (or any fruit flavor)
1-½ cups whipped frosting, store-bought or homemade
1 cup blueberries
2 cups strawberries, hulled
1-½ cups raspberries
5 tablespoons Greendance Port Wine
(or any sweet liquid, like sherry, fruit liqueur, or orange juice!)
1 angel food cake, store-bought or homemade, cubed into bite-sized pieces
directions
Cook the vanilla pudding according to the package directions. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Cool to room temperature.
Once at room temperature, fold in cheesecake and whipped topping. Stir in cherry liqueur. Set aside.
In a small bowl, gently fold 2-½ tablespoons of Greendance Port Wine into the raspberries.
In a separate bowl, fold ½ tablespoon of Greendance Port Wine to the blueberries.
Slice ½ cup of strawberries in half. Fold in 2 tablespoons of Greendance Port Wine.
In a large, glass trifle dish, layer handfuls of the ingredients in this order: angel food cake, raspberries, angel food cake, half of the vanilla pudding, blueberries, angel food cake, the remaining raspberries, the remaining vanilla pudding, the remaining blueberries, and the remaining angel food cake pieces. Top with the halved strawberries.
Spread three-fourths of the frosting on top of the strawberries. Pipe the rest around the rim of the container.
Fill the top of the trifle with the remaining whole strawberries.
Refrigerate immediately. Chill for 4 hours before serving.
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Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Berry-Thyme Reduction
Recipe by Chef Amy Tyner, Café Phipps
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound boneless pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon minced shallot
¼ teaspoon olive oil
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Season pork tenderloin with sea salt and ground pepper. Place on a medium-high grill, and turn to grill all sides. Cook until internal temperature is 150ºF, about 20-30 minutes.
Remove, and let rest for 10 minutes. When ready to serve, slice into ¼-inch thick slices.Cook shallots in olive oil over medium heat until shallots start to sweat. Add in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apple cider vinegar, and thyme.
Continue cooking, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes. Once the reduction starts to thicken, add a pinch of sea salt.Strain to remove pulp. Pour reduction over pork tenderloin and serve.
More Fruit Recipes from Edible:
Fruit Sangria Ice Pops
Lemon Olive Oil Shortcakes with Macerated Berries
Easy Apple Tart
Fresh Fruit Crisp
