Blueberry Season
Hey y’all! I wanted to share this seasonal salad recipe with you. I was asked to be a part of an event and come up with some seasonal recipes to share with the guests at the event. And if you know me, you’ll know I love a good seasonal recipe! I themed everything around blueberries since they are in season here in East TN. And the recipes are super easy to make so I wanted to share them with you all.
First up is a take on the cantaloupe, prosciutto salad. I love this salad because it is so versatile and easy to dress up or down. I am dressing it up by adding in blueberries. I plated my salad but you could also use a melonball scoop and skewer everything. The ingredients are simple: cantaloupe, prosciutto, mozzarella, blueberries, salt, pepper, basil or mint (or both!), and balsamic glaze. If you are a balsamic vinegar fan and haven’t tried balsamic glaze yet, I highly recommend getting a bottle and keeping it on hand. I use it on everything. I’ve even used in on ice cream before! But, let’s put the salad together. I’ll walk you through what I did and then you can get really creative when you are making yours at home.
Blueberry Caprese Salad
Ingredients:
1 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
1 cup blueberries
18-ounce container pearl size mozzarella balls
8 – 10 slices Prosciutto di Parma, torn into large pieces
1⁄4 cup fresh basil
torn mint leaves
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Balsamic glaze
Instructions:
Cut cantaloupe into ½ inch slices and arrange on a large platter or cut into bite sized pieces for skewers (or use a melonball scoop to shape them into balls)
Add the blueberries, mozzarella balls, and the torn prosciutto to the platter or skewers. Use some of the oil from the mozzarella and pour over the platter.
Sprinkle with basil and/or mint, salt, and pepper and balsamic glaze
Recipe adapted from: https://blueberry.org/recipes/blueberry-cantaloupe-caprese-salad/
Friends. I will not ever eat cantaloupe without salt and pepper again. There is something about that combo with a little of the oil from the mozz that is just to die for. If you are using skewers, I would alternate the cantaloupe, mozz, and a couple of the berries then add some of the prosciutto and a basil or mint leaf. Once all your skewers are completed, lay them on a plate and pour the oil over them, salt and pepper them, then glaze them. Really, there’s no right or wrong way to do this.
Next on the menu is a blueberry cocktail. Or mocktail if you’d prefer (I know I do!). This is such a refreshing drink and a good way to highlight those blueberries! Make a blueberry simple syrup and/or blueberry syrup at home and keep it in the fridge this summer for all the fun blueberry drinks and recipes!
Blueberry Lemon Drop
Ingredients:
Blueberry syrup or liqueur
Vodka (omit if you want a mocktail)
Lemons
Simple syrup
Ice
Instructions:
Start by rimming a chilled cocktail glass with sugar by dipping the glass into water and then into the sugar. In a mason jar, combine 2 oz Vodka, 1 oz blueberry syrup or liqueur, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup, and a handful of ice cubes. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds to thoroughly mix and chill the ingredients. Strain the cocktail into the sugar-rimmed glass and serve garnished with a skewer of blueberries and a lemon slice on the edge of the glass.
To make a mocktail version, simply omit the alcohol and proceed as normal. You could make a blueberry simple syrup by mixing equal parts water and sugar into a sauce pan, throw in a handful of blueberries, let it come to a soft boil, then remove from heat. You can strain it or just leave the blueberries in the mixture (which is what I would do). You could also switch out the cocktail glass for a highboy glass and then add tonic water or sparkling water to the Blueberry Lemon Drop and garnish as instructed. Again there is no right or wrong way to make this cocktail, but I guarantee you that you will make it again and again.
Recipe adapted from: https://www.themixer.com/en-us/learn/blueberry-cocktails/
That’s it friends! How easy and creative are these recipes that use seasonal ingredients? Let me know if you make either of them, or better yet-send me a picture!
‘til next time
-k
xoxo
