This summer, my boys went all the way to the other side of the country, to Newfoundland, on a vacation with my mom and dad. They’ve never been that far away without us before. It was really weird not having them around, but they had such an amazing experience. They got to meet a whole side of our family they’d never known before. My mom grew up in Gander and still has family living there, as well as in Saint John’s. They met their great-grandmother for the first time, and their aunts and uncles and cousins.

The boys were thrilled to experience real Newfoundland cuisine – they even ate seal! One of their favourite foods from their trip to Newfoundland was blueberry grunt. They talked about it on our many FaceTime calls, and when they got home, they asked if I knew how to make it. Sadly, I did not! Luckily for me, it’s super easy to make. My mom described the process to me – that you heat the berries on the stovetop and add dollops of dough and then put the lid on to steam right in the pot. She pointed me to a recipe online that was very close to the one her family used. It was Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt, by I Say Nomato. I made a few tweaks, but essentially it’s the same recipe, just on the stovetop instead of the oven.

One summer afternoon, we set out to pick blueberries at our favourite local berry farm, Emma Lea Farms on Westham Island. The kids were excellent helpers, and we left with several buckets full of blueberries. I used a lot of them to make blueberry jam, but I save some of them for that evening so we could try our own Blueberry Grunt.

It turned out so well! I was surprised how fast and easy it was to make. If you’re looking for a really quick, simple dessert, you have to try Grunt! The boys loved it. They actually said it might have been even a little better than the one they had in Newfoundland. I thought it was a nice way to remind them of their special trip with their grandparents. They can’t wait to go back, and insist that next time we come, too. Sounds like a great plan!

Ingredients

• Sauce: 
• 4 cups blueberries 
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• 1/2 cup water 
• Doughboys: 
• 2 cups all purpose flour 
• 4 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar 
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup milk 

Instructions

1. Add all of the sauce ingredients in a large skillet or pot over medium heat, stirring often until the mixture comes to a boil. 
2. Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer. 
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. 
4. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives. 
5. Add milk and stir until a sticky dough forms. 
6. Drop large spoonfuls of the dough on top of the simmering blueberry sauce. 
7. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes, until the doughboys have cooked all the way through and the sauce has thickened.
8. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.