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Blueberry grunt

Grunt aux bleuets: stewed wild blueberries under steamed dumplings

Blueberry grunt is a Nova Scotia summer pudding, cooked on the stove top in August when the barrens around Oxford and Parrsboro turn blue with wild berries. Soft dumplings steam on top of the bubbling fruit under a closed lid; the name comes from the grunting noise the berries make as they simmer. It is ready in under an hour and wants vanilla ice cream or cold cream. A common mistake is a pan that is too small, so the dumplings crowd and stay doughy underneath. Chef's tip: the fruit must be bubbling before the dough goes in, or the dumplings soak instead of steaming.
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the berries

For the dumplings

  • 8 oz plain flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ⅜ oz cold butterdiced
  • ¾ cup milk

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (3)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Put 1 ¾ lb wild blueberries, 4 oz caster sugar, ½ cup water and 1 tbsp lemon juice in a wide 26 cm pan with a lid. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the berries burst and the juice thickens a little.

    10 min
  2. Step 2: Meanwhile mix 8 oz plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tbsp caster sugar and ¼ tsp salt, rub in 1 ⅜ oz cold butter and stir in ¾ cup milk to make a soft, sticky dough.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Drop spoonfuls of dough over the bubbling fruit, cover tightly and simmer over a low heat for 15–18 minutes without lifting the lid. The dumplings are done when puffed, dry on top and a skewer comes out clean.

    18 min
  4. Step 4: Spoon into bowls, dumplings first, with plenty of the hot fruit.

    2 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
310 kcal
Protein
4 g
Carbs
58 g
Fat
7 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does blueberry grunt take?
About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of caster sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.
What can I use instead of lemon juice?
Lime juice, same amount.

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