Smaller, glossier, and richer in flavor than their cultivated brethren, wild blueberries have a short season and a very devoted following. Franca Tantillo of Greenmarket’s Berried Treasures Farm expects to brave the Catskill Mountains brambles (and occasional bear) to harvest another two or three weeks’ worth. Sample them in the nutty Dutch-inspired buckwheat pancakes that Vandaag chef Phillip Kirschen-Clark serves at brunch.
Phillip Kirschen-Clark’s Buckwheat Pannekoek
7 eggs
1/4 vanilla bean
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup buckwheat flour, available at Greenmarket’s Cayuga Pure Organics stand
1/4 cup pastry flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour, also available at Cayuga)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 pint wild blueberries
Butter for pan
Pomegranate molasses
For batter (can be made a day in advance): Crack eggs and scrape vanilla bean into blender. Add sugar, flours, baking powder, and salt, and blend until smooth. For each pancake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place about a teaspoon of butter into an 8-inch oven-safe nonstick pan over medium heat. (1) When pan is hot, add 6 ounces of batter and sprinkle with about 1½ tablespoons of berries. Place pan in oven and bake for about ten minutes, or until pancake, when shaken, is firm rather than wobbly. (2) Remove from pan and (3) garnish with pomegranate molasses and berries. Makes four pancakes.