Here's another way we're keeping our fresh produce purchases down this winter -- we're using the frozen blackberries that we foraged late last summer. We picked enough bags of blackberries to nearly fill our small freezer (size of a standard dishwasher).
While I love blackberry pie, there's only so much pie a person can eat, right? My daughters have been using them in smoothies and homemade yogurt. I also wanted to make the frozen blackberries useful in a way that didn't depend on other ingredients (or not much). So, I've been making blackberry gelatin.
Making Blackberry Gelatin
Blackberry gelatin requires plain gelatin, the berries, water, and a bit of sugar, plus a blender. To make an 8 X 8-inch pan of blackberry gelatin I soften 1 tablespoon of plain gelatin in 1/2 cup of cold water. While that softens, I dump about a quart of frozen berries in the blender. Because our berries are a bit on the tart side, I add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sugar to the berries.
Next, I heat about 1 cup of water in a small measuring cup and pour about half of this over the frozen berries, then run the blender in pulses. I add a bit more water, as needed, to get the berries and sugar to puree. I usually use all but about 1/8 cup of the water. I taste to see if the flavor is good. It's too sweet, I add more frozen berries and water. If it's too tart, I add a bit more sugar.
The gelatin should be soft by now, so I melt it in the microwave, about 30 seconds. Next, I pour the gelatin over the berry/sugar puree in the blender and pulse to incorporate. Finally, I pour the mixture into an 8 X 8-inch glass baking dish and refrigerate until firm.
I think it takes more time to explain this than it does to actually make the gelatin. The process goes very quickly.
This has been a great way to make the blackberries ready for easy consumption. I find I'm much more likely to add a dish of this gelatin to my own meals and snacks, boosting my produce intake enough to meet my daily goals. I'm sure this would work with other frozen berries, if you happen to have an abundance of strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
The only drawback that I've found is the blackberry seeds. Our wild blackberries have large-ish seeds and this could put off people who prefer or require less texture.
But for me, the seeds are a bonus. The seeds in blackberries are nutrient-dense and high in fiber. They are rich in omega-3's and 6's, plus protein and ellagic acid/ellagitannins (cancer preventatives -- https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/ellagic-acid -- and may inhibit memory and cognitive decline, such as with Alzheimers --http://jbcp.shahed.ac.ir/article_369_3fec06963bfd0de2f6fedba463681a9a.pdf.)
