Berry tasty: Blueberry desserts to make this summer

HOUSTON – Happy blueberry season!

Chef Carl Walker, general manager at Brennan’s of Houston, recently stopped by Houston Life to share some of his family’s favorite recipes starring blueberries.

Walker has a special connection to blueberries.

Blueberry season is when he met his wife, Jennifer, and now her family farm’s blueberries are the perfect match for Brennan’s recipes.

RELATED LINK: A Berry Sweet Houston Love Story

The blueberries are sourced from Moorhead’s Blueberry Farm in Conroe.

Watch the video for a lesson in making his Mom’s Blueberry Fried Pies at home.

Chef Carl Walker’s Mom’s Blueberry Fried Pies

Ingredients:

Pie Dough

2 Cups – A/P Flour

½ tsp – Salt

½ Cup – Crisco Shortening

½ Cup – Ice Cold Water

1 Tbsp – White Vinegar

Frying Oil – enough for your fryer or about 1/2 inch deep in your skillet.

1. Mix Flour and Salt together in bowl, cut Crisco into the flour until coarse and more resembles cornmeal.  Add Water and Vinegar to the flour mixture and mix until it comes together.  Wrap and Chill until ready to roll out for pies.

Blueberry Pie Filling

2 Cups – Fresh Blueberries

½ Cup – Sugar, white granulated

2 Tbsp – Cornstarch

½ tsp - Salt

1 tsp – Lemon Zest

2 tsp – Lemon Juice, fresh

½ Cup – water

1. Add all the ingredients into saucepan and stir to mix in the cornstarch, then bring up to a simmer and the blueberries start to get thick, let cook for couple minutes, remove and cool to at least room temperature before using in the fried pies.  I like to pour mine onto a shallow pan and refrigerate.

Icing:

1 Cup – Powdered Sugar

2 tsp – Milk or Water

1. After Pies have cooked mix together Powdered Sugar and Milk/Water, Add the liquid little at a time until you get the right consistency that you can drizzle over the pies.

Assembly and Cooking

1. Take the Pie Dough and divide into 2 ½ oz balls, should get around 7 for this recipe.
2. I use a pastry rolling mat and roll each ball into a 5” circle about 1/8 thick, I used a 5” cereal bowl for my circle pattern.  Using the pattern and pastry wheel cutter cut out your 7 pastry dough rounds.
3. Laying the rounds out, add about 2 Tbsp cooled blueberry pie filling onto middle of each round of dough, using little water take your fingers or brush and wet around the edges of the dough.  Fold over and press to seal in the filling, using a fork and flour to keep it from sticking crimp around edges on both sides.
4. Using an electric fryer or pot on stove with thermometer heat frying oil to 325 degrees.  “BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS PART” Lower a pie or two down in the hot oil depending on how much space you have it will take about 4 minutes per batch cooking time.  When pies have browned slightly carefully remove onto paper towels or cooling rack and cool before drizzling with your icing.

Chef Notes:

When not blueberry season, do any of your favorite fruits like apple, peaches, blackberries and more.

I’ve Cooked them using my Air Fryer setting on my stove, Skillet or Big Enamel Pot or Deep Fryer. Be Careful when using Hot Oil!

And, don’t forget to try Robin’s Lemon Meringue Pie on the menu at Brennan’s of Houston.

Brennan’s is also hosting several events in July, from Friday wine events to their Fourth of July Jazz Brunch. Also, they are bringing back their Two Dine for $99 once again. Two people can enjoy a three-course meal for $99!

RELATED LINK: The Moorhead family’s blueberry legacy in Conroe.