Blueberry Grunt – a Maritime dessert

This easy and basic dessert is called a grunt because the blueberries make a grunt-like sound while boiling under the dumplings. The grunt was an early adaptation of an English steamed pudding. The New England colonists had limited cooking equipment and a dumpling-like pudding using local fruit was cooked on the stove top.  Wild blueberries are the key to a delicious grunt!  If you can find fresh the better but frozen wild blueberries will work just as well.  I was quite excited to see wild frozen blueberries at Whole Foods Market.

Canada is the world’s largest producer of lowbush blueberries – another name for wild blueberries. Most are grown commercially in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. They are native to Eastern North America and grow best on treeless land or on land that has been burned over.  This recipe brings back many memories of my mom making this even in the hot summer months.  There’s something special about a house filled with aromas from the kitchen…

Serves 4 to 6
4 cups fresh wild blueberries
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water

Dumplings:
2 cups flour, sifted
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons butter
milk

In a large saucepan heat berries, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice and water.  Boil gently until well blended and slightly cooked down. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter and add enough milk to make a soft biscuit dough. Drop by spoonfuls into hot berry sauce. Cover tightly with a lid and gently boil for 15 minutes – DO NOT remove the lid while cooking otherwise the dumplings won’t rise and you’ll be stuck with a gloopy mess. The dumplings should be puffed and well cooked through. Transfer cooked dumplings to serving dish. Spoon blueberry sauce over top and serve with whipped cream.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:   This is best consumed the day it is made.  Enjoy!