Brambles named 2020 Herb of the Year

    The 2020 Herb of the Year is brambles, the most popular of which are raspberries and blackberries.
    These berries are abundant in grocery stores and seem to signify summer for many people.
    The appeal of these berries is simple — they are sweet, nutritious and perfect for eating out of hand or in a wide variety of cooked and baked goods.
    Products made from these berries can be featured in everything from entrees to desserts. They have long been featured in jellies, jams and pies since they are easy to freeze and preserve.
    Raspberries and blackberries can be easily substituted for one another.
    According to Greek mythology, red raspberries were discovered and loved by the Olympian gods on Mount Ida in northern Turkey. They were said to be white until Ida, the nursemaid to the infant Zeus, pricked her finger while picking them, staining them red.
    Raspberry canes should be planted in spring after the last frost. The plants should be spaced three to five feet apart.
    When the berries are ready for picking, cover the bushes with netting to keep the birds from taking all the fruit.
    Berries shouldn’t be washed before refrigerating or freezing. They will keep for a few days in the fridge or as long as a year when frozen.
    To freeze, place the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. When the berries are frozen, place them in freezer bags or containers.
    Following are raspberry recipes from epicurious.com.

epicurious.com

Raspberry and Pistachio Friands

14 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
3/4 cup pistachio nuts
1-2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup plus 2-1/4 tablespoons ground almonds
2/3 cup flour
5 large egg whites
1 small container raspberries

    Melt butter in a small pan, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Grease eight cups in a muffin tin with butter.
    Grind 2/3 cup pistachio nuts in a food processor with the confectioners’ sugar until very finely chopped. Place in a bowl with the ground almonds and flour and mix. Roughly chop the remaining pistachio nuts and set aside.
    Froth egg whites lightly with a fork, then pour into the nuts and flour mixture with the melted butter and mix well.
    Pour mixture into the muffin cups, add a few raspberries in each one, then scatter chopped pistachios on top. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
    Serve warm or at room temperature. Dust with a little confectioners’ sugar if desired.
    Makes eight servings.
    For pecan pie friands, swap 1 cup pecans  pistachios and 2.6 ounces chewy toffee chopped into small pieces for raspberries. Sprinkle the toffee over the batter before baking.

Raspberry Sundaes With Chocolate Sauce and Roasted Almonds

For chocolate sauce:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup water
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
For sundae:
1 pint fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 pints vanilla ice cream
Chopped roasted unsalted almonds, for garnish

    To make sauce, place the chocolate and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat and vigorously stir until completely melted and smooth. Let mixture come to a low simmer until small bubbles appear around the outside, add sugar and honey and keep at a low simmer about three minutes, until thickened.
    Remove from heat and stir in butter and salt. Chocolate sauce will smooth out as it cools to room temperature. Store in an airtight container.
    In a bowl, gently toss together raspberries, sugar, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to two hours  before serving.
    Scoop ice cream into individual bowls. Top with chocolate sauce, almonds and macerated raspberries.
    Makes six to eight servings.
    The chocolate sauce can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for as long as seven days.

Lemon Curd With Berries

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
6 large eggs
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 cups mixed berries

    Bring lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar to a bare simmer in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.
    Whisk eggs, salt and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl about one minute, until light and thick. Whisking constantly, gradually pour about one-quarter of hot lemon mixture into egg mixture, then, whisking constantly, incorporate egg mixture into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat about two minutes, whisking constantly, until lemon curd is opaque and thick enough to hold the marks of the whisk.
    Scrape lemon curd into a blender. With motor on medium speed, add butter, one piece at a time, waiting until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next, until butter is emulsified and curd is light and thick.
    Transfer curd to a large nonreactive bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against surface so a skin doesn’t form. Chill at least two hours, until cold.
    Toss berries and remaining sugar in another large bowl. Let sit 25 to 30 minutes, until some juices have accumulated. Spoon curd into bowls and top with berries and their juices.
    Makes eight servings.

Lemon curd can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Scones

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar or 1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup organic plain whole-milk kefir
1/2 pint raspberries

    Cut butter into pea-size pieces and chill five minutes. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and sugar.
    Add chilled butter to the dry ingredients and loosely incorporate with a wooden spoon. Add chocolate chips, followed by the kefir, mixing gently until loosely incorporated. Add raspberries and gently crush them as they are incorporates into the dough. Chill mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
    Scoop two heaping tablespoons of dough and form into a small disk or triangle with your hands. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 425-degree oven for 12 minutes. Let rest an additional 10 minutes before eating.

Raspberry Ricotta Cake

1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups ricotta
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup frozen raspberries or blackberries

    Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
    Whisk eggs, ricotta and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth, then fold into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in butter, followed by 3/4 cup raspberries, taking care not to crush berries. Scrape batter into a nine-inch cake pan that’s lined with parchment paper and coated with cooking spray. Scatter remaining raspberries over top.
    Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool at least 20 minutes before unmolding.
    Cake can be made two days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Frozen Raspberry Ginger Margarita

3 cups frozen raspberries
1 cup tequila blanco
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
4 1/4-inch-thick lime wheels, optional
Kosher salt, optional

    Blend raspberries, tequila, lime juice, agave, ginger and two cups ice in a blender until smooth.
    Rub rims of old-fashioned or rocks glasses with lime, then dip rims in salt. Divide cocktail among glasses and serve with lime wheels, if desired.
    Makes four servings

Froze Ice Pops

1-1/2 cups strawberries, hulled
2 ounces fresh raspberries
1-2/3 cups dry rosé
1/2 cup ruby red grapefruit juice, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup whole or sliced fresh strawberries and raspberries

    Purée strawberries, raspberries, rosé, grapefruit juice and sugar on high speed in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup. Discard seeds and foam.
    Divide strawberry mixture among 10 2-1/2-ounce ice-pop molds, leaving about one inch of space at the top. Freeze about one hour, until slushy. Stir with an ice-pop stick, then add fresh berries, stirring to incorporate with stick.
    Cover molds, insert sticks and freeze at least four hours,  until ice pops are solid.
    Makes 10 servings.
    Ice pops can be made three months ahead. Freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container and keep frozen.

Raspberry Jam With Bitters

18 ounces fresh raspberries
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons Angostura bitters

    Place a small plate in the freezer. Bring raspberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and lemon juice to a simmer in a large saucepan, stirring gently to dissolve sugar. Once sugar is dissolved, increase heat and boil 15 to 20 minutes, skimming foam from surface often, until mixture is reduced by a little more than a third and bottom of pot is visible when stirring.
    Dab a tablespoonful of jam onto frozen plate and freeze one minute. Drag a finger through jam to see if it wrinkles. If it does, remove saucepan from heat and stir in bitters. If jam doesn’t wrinkle, keep cooking, testing again every minute until it is does. Transfer jam to jar, cover, and let cool. Chill until ready to use.
    Makes one pint.
    Jam can be kept refrigerated for two months.

Meringue Sundae With Peppery Berry Sauce

1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 cup frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Chambord liqueur
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch kosher salt
6 to 8 small meringue cookies
3 large scoops vanilla ice cream
Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt
Basil leaves

    Cook strawberries, raspberries, brown sugar, liqueur, pepper and kosher salt in a small pot over medium heat about eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until is thickened. Let cool to room temperature.
    Arrange cookies and ice cream scoops on a plate. Spoon berry sauce over, then top with oil, sea salt and basil.
    Sauce can be made one day ahead and store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before serving.