Strawberry Season & Mixed Berry Cobbler

Strawberry season isn’t over in North Carolina, yet.  It is nearing the end quickly, sadly.  Strawberry season lasts for a short period of time and I love to go to the farms and gather or buy already picked fresh berries.  The deal is, once you get them home they don’t last long.  A couple of weekends ago I bought a flat of strawberries, picked that morning from the farm of a friend.  

Once they are carried into the kitchen the first thing I do is grab a handful, rinse them and enjoy them still warm from the sun.  After that it becomes a race to use all the berries in one way or another before they start to go bad.  So many ways to delight in fresh picked strawberries. Cakes, pies, smoothies, jams, cobblers, salads, the list goes on and on.  

Some of my favorites are Strawberry-Pretzel Ice Box Pie,  Strawberry Ugly Cake  (So delicious), Strawberry Galette, and Strawberry and Jalapeno Crostini.

This go round I made a mixed berry cobbler as it seemed my refrigerator was overflowing with fresh blueberries, blackberries and raspberries too.  I used the fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries this time.  The other reason I chose a cobbler is that Southern Living had one on the cover of the May issue and I could not stop drooling over it.  I altered the recipe by exchanging strawberries for blueberries. This recipe uses a small amount of sugar and for me that is another good thing!  

This cobbler is made with one crust, the lattice on top.  Actually, I am a fan of a double crust cobbler like this Peachy Keen Cobbler. The peach cobbler would also work well with mixed berries or as a single berry cobbler.  Serving cobbler warm out of the oven is my favorite way to present it.  With or without a scoop of vanilla ice cream?  Which do you prefer? 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh raspberries (about 21 oz.)

• 2 cups fresh blackberries (about 9 oz.)

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (about 9 oz.)

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small cubes

• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest (from 2 lemons)

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1/2 (14.1-oz.) pkg. refrigerated piecrusts (1 crust)

• 1 large egg

• 1-2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar

• Sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Stir together berries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, butter, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Let stand 15 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Spoon berry mixture into a 2-quart baking dish

Roll piecrust out on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch circle. Using a fluted cutter, cut piecrust into 1-inch-wide strips.

.Arrange strips in a lattice pattern on top of berries.

Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush piecrust strips with egg mixture, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake in preheated oven until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown, about 55 minutes, covering with aluminum foil after 45 to 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Serve warm with whipped cream.