Enjoy a sweet and hearty breakfast of rye pancakes with blueberry sauce in Middle Earth amongst the Kingdom of Men in Rohan.
Breakfast in Middle Earth
Journey to Middle Earth for a grand breakfast feast that starts in the peaceful Shire. Put a kettle on the fire and start your day with a variety dishes from the various cultures and races in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Enjoy the humble, earthy foods of the hobbits, the lush woodland inspired foods of the elves, and the hearty, rustic fare of dwarves and orcs. Visit the kingdoms of men to sample recipes from the fertile farmlands of Gondor and the rolling grasslands of Rohan. This lavish breakfast feast has more than enough to fill both first and second breakfast!
Rohan
Nestled between the rivers Isen and Anduin lies Rohan, the great northern kingdom of the horse lords. The vast grasslands and plains of Rohan are ideal for farming and the growing of grain crops such as rye. Dark rye flour gives these fluffy buttermilk pancakes a subtle earthy flavour. Topped with a warm blueberry sauce and a dollop of tangy honeyed skyr, these rye pancakes are perfect if you’re looking for a sweet breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Dark rye flour: The addition of rye flour gives these pancakes a subtle nutty flavour. However, you can use more all-purpose flour in stead of the rye if you prefer.
Buttermilk: Using buttermilk in the batter imparts a slight tangy flavour, helps with leavening, and keeps the texture of the pancakes soft and moist. It is the acid in buttermilk that does all these things so, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can use a substitute. Add 2 tsp lemon juice to an equal amount of milk and let sit for a couple of minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.
Blueberries: While I used frozen blueberries in this recipe, you can use fresh instead. Frozen blueberries release a lot of liquid so you may need to add a bit more water if using fresh berries to help them break down.
Skyr: This Icelandic delicacy is a cultured dairy product similar to yogurt. The addition of rennet makes it more of a curd cheese rather than a standard yogurt. It is made from skim milk and as such is low in fat and very high in protein. You can substitute with greek yogurt if you prefer.
How to Make Buttermilk Rye Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
Make the pancake batter
In a mixing bowl, combine the rye flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and whisk together. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter and whisk together. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients. Whisk the batter just until combined – a few lumps are ok. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes if possible.
Make the blueberry sauce
In a saucepan, combine the blueberries and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until there are no lumps. When the blueberries have released their juices and are beginning to boil, stir in the lemon juice. Add the sugar mixture and stir together. Cook for another minute until the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
Fry the pancakes
Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Add a small pat of butter to melt. Drop the pancake batter by ¼ cup scoops into the skillet. Let cook over low heat until bubbles form on the top and the bottom is golden about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. When cooked, remove the pancakes to a plate and tent with foil until finished. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve the Buttermilk Rye Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
In a small bowl, stir the skyr and honey together. Serve the pancakes with the honeyed skyr and warm blueberry sauce. Enjoy!
