1859 Oregon Magazine shared two article on huckleberries this past week!
The first one, entitled Huckleberry Confidential, shared some interesting information about huckleberries in Oregon:
While often compared to a blueberry, this fruit has a complexity all its own. For the petite, dwarf huckleberries with a redblack hue and the large, bright blue Cascade huckleberry, the signature flavor is a complex balance of sweet and tart. The mountain huckleberry grows in high altitudes rife with acidic soil and is large and dark, with tones varying from deep red to purple black. Favoring the lower elevations and climate of the southern coast of Oregon, red huckleberries grow in delicate clusters and have a sour-tart flavor with a hint of sweetness. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, twelve different species of huckleberries grow throughout Oregon, each with a distinct appearance, flavor and preferred altitude to put down roots.
The second article, Relishing the Huckleberry, featured the following recipe:
Huckleberry Shallot Relish
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup fresh huckleberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (optional)
- 1 large shallot (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (minced) lemon zest and juice to taste
Instructions
- Place huckleberries in a medium bowl.
- Heat sugar, vinegar and coriander seeds in a small sauce pan and stir until sugar has dissolved.
- Add minced shallots and simmer two minutes.
- Pour over huckleberries, stir and set aside to cool.
- After the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add fresh thyme and citrus zest.
- Spoon over warm grilled salmon.
Now, doesn’t that look like a delicous relish for salmon!
