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Boysenberry or Double Blackberry Pie

This recipe is from an old issue of Sunset Magazine but I can no longer tell you which issue it was. If berries are firm-ripe, use minimum tapioca; if soft-ripe, use the maximum. From rec.food.cooking by Robin (rsanb...@SoftHome.net) on July 19, 1999.

6 cups boysenberries or blackberries
1 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons blackberry-flavor liqueur (cordial or brandy), optional
Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie

Rinse berries and drain dry on absorbent towels. In a large bowl stir together sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add berries, lemon juice, and liqueur; mix gently. Let stand at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour to soften tapioca, stirring gently now and then, before pouring into pie crust.

Bake over foil in a 400 degree F oven on the lowest rack until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 55 to 60 minutes.

Fresh Blackberry Muffins

This recipe is from the Great Chef's of New Orleans television series. The recipe is from chef Roland Huet of Christian's.

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blackberries or frozen blackberries, thawed and drained
4 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 18 1/2 cup muffin cups.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl until light. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with milk. Fold in berries.

Divide batter among prepared cups. Sprinkle 4 teaspoons sugar on top of the muffins. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Note: This can be made with any berry you have available, especially blueberries.

Chicken Blackberry Vinegar

2 chickens, halved
4 - 6 ounces blackberry vinegar
12 ounces demi-glace
4 - 6 ounces butter

Saute chicken and remove from pan. Drain fat and deglaze pan with blackberry vinegar. Add the chicken and demi-glace. Bring to a boil. Finish with the butter. Remove chicken to serving plates and cover with sauce.

Blackberry Vinegar

1 part blackberries
2 parts white vinegar

Soak the blackberries in the vinegar for 3 hours, then pass the mixture through a food mill. Discard the seeds.

Demi-glace

5 pounds beef bones
5 pounds chicken bones
1 half-bunch celery
1 carrot
1 - 2 onions
1 bay leaf
2 - 4 cloves garlic
1 pinch thyme
1 cup tomato puree

Brown beef bones and boil. Keep covered with water for 8 to 10 hours.

Strain, reserving liquid. Put beef bones in pot with chicken bones, vegetables and seasonings. Cover with water and cook 4 to 5 hours.

Strain. Reserve liquid. Combine the second liquid with the first. Add tomato puree. Strain.

Reduce until liquid will coat a spoon. Skim throughout reduction.

Note: Reduction works best in a tall pot on low heat. Refrigerate between steps to bring fat to top and strain.

Leftover demi-glace may be frozen in ice cube trays for future use.