Berry cobbler makes use of summer fruit

Berry season is upon us in our neck of the woods which can be dominated by Montana’s famously foraged huckleberry. A true tart mountain treat that adventurous recreationist types seek when enjoying the splendors of Montana’s landscape. However, you may be an avid gardener and love the taste of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries that grow abundantly in your well-crafted backyard paradise. Perhaps you are a wandering visitor enjoying the abundant haul of various berries that can be found at local farms here in the Flathead Valley. No matter who you are, if you love the taste of berries, here is a recipe that you can use all year round.

YIELD: 10 generous servings

INGREDIENTS 

Cobbler Filling 

2 qt summer berries, frozen 

8 oz granulated sugar 

2 oz instant tapioca 

10 oz water 

2 oz butter 

1 T lemon zest 

Streusel Topping 

8 oz flour 

½ t cinnamon, ground 

½ t salt 

3 oz brown sugar 

2 oz granulated sugar 

6 oz butter, grated, cold

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

2. Combine berries, sugar, tapioca, water, butter and lemon zest, tossing the berries generously until evenly coated in other ingredients. 

3. Transfer to a lightly buttered baking dish and set aside for at least 30 minutes. 4. Combine dry streusel ingredients. Cut in the butter until mixture is coarse and crumbly. 

5. Cover berry mixture with as much streusel as you’d like. (Extra streusel will keep for several weeks in the fridge and can be frozen for even longer storage. When frozen, there is no need to thaw before next use.)

6. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the berry mixture bubbles and the crust is browned. 

Joshua Rutherford is an instructional specialist at Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute of Montana. For more information, visit fvcc.edu/culinary.