Recipe: Blueberry Sauce

Makes 1-½ cups

2 cups chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

¼ medium yellow onion

¼ sweet apple, such as Fuji

3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1-½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

1. In a small saucepan, bring chicken stock or broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, apple and thyme. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, turning over onion and apple, until stock is reduced by half.

2. With a slotted spoon, remove onion, apple and thyme from stock and discard. Add blueberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced to ¾ cup.

3. Remove pan from heat. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and stir. Add butter and whisk sauce until butter is completely melted, about 1 minute. Serve hot, spooned over the Butter-Rubbed Salmon.

From "Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest" by Kurt Beecher Dammeier with Laura Holmes Haddad