Herbs, spices, and berries can be used in a variety of dishes, from appetizers to sweets. Blackberries pair amazingly well with mint and basil and also go well together with rosemary, oregano, thyme, and sage.

Here are some delicious pairing ideas and recipes that make the most of berry and herb pairings!

Blackberry and Mint Julep

If you’re looking for a refreshing drink, then this blackberry and mint julep will tantalize your taste buds with a burst of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup blackberries
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Small ice cubes
• 1 blackberry for garnish

Instructions:

1. Half-fill a rocks glass with ice cubes.
2. Combine 1/4 cup blackberries, mint leaves, sugar, bourbon, and 1/3 cup ice cubes in a shaker and mix thoroughly.
3. Using a coarse strainer, strain the liquid into the glass, pressing on the particles.
4. Garnish with a blackberry and a sprig of mint.

Blackberry Basil Crumble

You might be wary of the basil in this dish, but it actually brightens up the blackberry crumble, making it more than simply a mouthful of sweetness.

Adding almonds will lend a gentle mellowness, and it might just be the best late-summer dessert ever if served with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

• 2 pints blackberries
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a baking dish lightly. Combine the blackberries, basil leaves, and honey in a mixing bowl.
2. Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. Pulse a few times to combine the flour, salt, and brown sugar. Pulse in the butter pieces until the mixture forms crumbles, some large and some little. If the butter isn’t crumbling correctly, add extra.
3. Pour the blackberry mixture into a casserole dish and top with crumbles.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Blackberry Oregano Pie

Want to change up things for Thanksgiving? Try out this wonderful blackberry oregano pie that gives a burst of flavors in your mouth.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, cut up
• 3/4 cup ice water
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• Filling:
• 7 cups blackberries
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Coarse salt, pinch
• Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. To make the crust, combine flour and salt in a food processor. Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger parts. Add the icy water until dough begins to come together. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight after dividing dough into thirds, patting into discs and wrapping each in plastic.
2. Allow dough to rest at room temperature until it becomes malleable. 1 disc should be rolled out to an 11-inch round, about 1/4 inches thick, on a lightly floured surface.
3. Fill a 9-inch pie plate halfway with the mixture. Trim the overhang to just beyond the rim of the pie dish and tuck it under to produce a tidy edge all the way around. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until hard.
4. Meanwhile, spread out the remaining 2 dough discs to just under 1/4 inch thick and freeze for 30 minutes on 2 baking sheets. Cut out as many rounds as possible from sheets of dough with a 1-inch fluted cookie cutter (rerolling and cutting out scraps once). Place the cutouts back in the freezer.
5. Filling: In a mixing dish, combine blackberries, oregano, granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch. Fill the piecrust with the filling. Brush the edge of the piecrust with beaten egg and layer overlapping dough circles on top. Continue overlapping rounds until the entire top is covered. Store it in the freezer for an hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the lowest third and a baking sheet on the lower rack. Brush the entire top of the pie with egg wash and sanding sugar. 30 minutes in the oven
7. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 1 hour or until the juices are bubbling near the centre (if browning too rapidly, tent top or edge with foil). Allow at least 6 hours or overnight to cool completely.
8. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Blackberry Rosemary Herbal Fizz Soda

This refreshing summer drink starts with a simple syrup scented with rosemary. The combination of fresh rosemary and blackberries gives this basic, homemade soda a pleasant, rich flavor. You can also take it a step further by adding a shot of vodka to make it the best adult summer cocktail.

Ingredients:

• Handful of fresh or frozen fresh blackberries
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups water

Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, blackberries, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook for 10 minutes, whisking periodically.

Remove from heat and allow to cool before straining through a mesh strainer and discarding the sediments. Refrigerate until totally cool.

The syrup will keep for approximately a month in the refrigerator.

To make the Blackberry-Rosemary Herbal Fizz Soda, you will need:

• 2 ounces club soda
• 1 ounce vodka

In a tumbler full of ice, combine two ounces of the cooled infused syrup and an ounce of vodka, then top with club soda.

If preferred, garnish with a fresh blackberry strung onto a rosemary ‘skewer.’

Fresh Blackberry Crumble with Thyme

Thyme gives this blackberry crumble a unique taste and beautiful fragrance.

Ingredients:

Topping:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of chopped thyme
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter cut, cubed

Filling:

• 2 cups blackberries
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp raspberry jam
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp red wine
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing dish, combine the flour, cubed butter, and brown sugar. Rub the butter with your fingertips until it becomes lumpy and gritty.
3. Add the butter, jam, wine, brown sugar, and thyme to a six-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat, constantly stirring, until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Add the berries to the sauce and gently fold them in. Spread the butter/flour mixture evenly over the fruit. It’s possible that you won’t require all of it. Seeing the berries poking through the cracks is an amazing feeling.
5. Place the skillet in the oven and sprinkle some fresh thyme on top of the crumble. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown and bubbling.
6. Allow it cool for a few minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.

Conclusion

With all these recipes, you will definitely enjoy the sweetness of the blackberries paired with the lovely aroma and taste of the herbs and spices.