Blueberry Compote

As easy as pie. Much easier, in fact, than pie.
difficulty:
yield:

About 2 cups

time:

About 10 minutes

Frozen wild blueberries work well for this compote, too. Mix a teaspoon of cornstarch into the sugar before cooking—and start with frozen, not thawed berries.\r\n

introduction

Warmed slightly, this compote makes an excellent embellishment for pancakes, waffles, French toast, or ice cream. Chilled or room temperature, it plays well with plain yogurt.

equipment mise en place

For this recipe, you will need a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan and a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula.

    • pints fresh blueberries
    • 3.3
      ounces (scant ½ cup) sugar
    • Pinch of fine sea salt
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • ½
      small cinnamon stick
  1. Turn 1 pint of blueberries into a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan with the sugar, salt, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick and set over medium-low heat. Stir frequently as the blueberries begin to sizzle softly and melt. They will quickly begin to release their juices and cease sticking. Bring them to a simmer and cook until soft and saucy, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining blueberries and heat until the whole berries are warm in the center and yielding but have not yet burst, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. Warm slightly just before serving. Serve with Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancakes, or, for that matter, with any pancake, waffle, or French toast recipe.