Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry-Glazed Bacon

Photo: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

From: Executive chef Joshua Murray, Sonoma Renaissance Resort and Spa, CA. Yield: 6 servings.

1 cup blueberry puree (recipe follows)
¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 lb. sliced bacon
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
½ cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Blueberry Puree:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup water

Heat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine blueberry puree and maple syrup. Remove ½ cup of mixture and set aside.

For blueberry-glazed bacon: Separate the bacon slices and place them on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush both sides of the bacon slices with the reserved ½ cup of the blueberry-maple mixture. Bake until bacon is crisp and glaze is set, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Cover bacon with foil to keep warm.

For blueberry pancakes: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, stir buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Add to the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Do not over-mix; a few lumps will remain.

Rub a large nonstick skillet with oil just to coat and heat over medium heat. Ladle batter onto skillet, using ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Dot each with several blueberries. Cook until bubbles break on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with remaining blueberry-maple syrup mixture and blueberry-glazed bacon.

For blueberry puree: In a small saucepan, simmer blueberries and water until blueberries begin to pop and release juice, about 5 minutes. Drain blueberries, reserving juice. Place cooked blueberries in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding small amounts of juice as needed. Yields 1 cup.