From the very Sicilian granita to the jam, the liqueur and a surprising risotto: all the dishes to delight the palate with the unusual taste of mulberries
Soft and juicy, with a sweetness tempered by a light and pleasant acidity that makes them perfect both enjoyed fresh and like ingredients for many delicious dishes. The mulberries, fruits with great nutritional qualities and beneficial for health, can be used in the kitchen for dishes and preserves that do not leave indifferent even the most demanding palates that will be even flattered by the taste of a fruit not so common. Here are some classic recipes with mulberries (always well washed, delicately dried and deprived of the stalk), to be used preferably in theirs black variant.
Mulberry granita, Sicilian tradition
Ok, we know, the idea of starting the day by eating something cold upsets the habits of many parts of Italy. But since summer is now running out, it's better to take advantage of the last few weeks to try at breakfast (or as a snack during the day) a specialty that delights every year many tourists who decide to visit Sicily: the mulberry granita. Preparing it at home, once you buy quality fresh mulberries, is not difficult. It is sufficient, to begin with, to cook over low heat in a saucepan without boiling them with water and sugar until the latter is completely melted. Then let the resulting syrup cool and add it to a puree made by blending the mulberries with a mixer and combining them with lemon juice. Mix well and place everything in the freezer for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30-40 minutes. The goal is to derive a compound of a compact consistency but soft enough to be enjoyed with a covering of whipped cream, some whole mulberry topping and pairing a warm brioche.
Mulberry jam
If, once the warm season is over, you want to bring the flavor of the mulberry trees even in winter, an easy solution to prepare is jam of these fruits. To prepare it put in a pan the mulberries cut in half, the sugar (possibly cane, if you prefer), the lemon juice and grated apple. Cook stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved and then let the mixture rest for a whole night. The next day, let it simmer again for about half an hour and then place the jam in jars that you have previously sterilized and that you will have to boil in water for about 10 minutes. This sweet-tasting jam it can be used to enrich the classic yogurt cake, for ricotta tarts and fresh cheesecake.
Mulberries by the glass
The flavor of the mulberries can also be given a more pungent accent by using them for packaging a liqueur. It is enough to put the fruit in infusion in the alcohol inside a well-closed container for 10 days. Then add it all to a syrup made by cooking the sugar with water and stir well. At this point you have two possible choices: either filter everything to get a "smooth" and homogeneous liquid or let the mulberries float inside the bottle where you will mix everything. Keep the liqueur in the refrigerator so that it reaches the table very cold.
Sweet surprise in the risotto
Mulberries are perhaps not the ideal fruit for raids even in savory dishes, but if you want to dare you can try using them in a dried version (soaked in water for about half an hour) to give color and an unexpected taste to the classic risotto: a gourmet recipe in which this creamy first is whipped adding to the grated Parmigiano Reggiano the aroma of almond or hazelnut butter.
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