These pickled blueberries are sweet and tangy, with some lovely warm spices. Perfect for use on crostini with goat cheese as an appetizer. If you're adventurous, try this in a grilled cheese with aged cheddar.
15-inch longcinnamon stick, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6wholecloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6wholeallspice berries, or 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4cupred or white wine vinegar
1 1/2lbfresh blueberries, 4 cups/1 qt.
1/2cupwhite granulated sugar
1/2cuplight brown sugar
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Instructions
In a large non-reactive/non-aluminum heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch Oven size, as the mixture will bubble up considerably later on!), add vinegar and the spiced. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and then continue to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let it sit for about 30 minutes, with the spices still in the vinegar.
Wash and pick over blueberries. Remove whole spices from the vinegar and discard. Stir blueberries and the white and brown sugars in to the vinegar. Return pot to stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Avoid stirring to aggressively to avoid crushing the blueberries. Once it comes to a boil, allow to boil undisturbed for about 5 minutes until thickened (you can swirl the pan a bit if you like to mix, but avoid stirring). Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Using a slotted spoon (to allow the juice to drain off), spoon blueberries in to a jar. You should have brought a bit of liquid with each spoonful, but if not, you can add a bit of the left-over juice to the jar. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Will keep refrigerated for a couple of weeks or you can preserve using standing canning practices.