A “Down Under” BBQ & Blueberry Limoncello Pavlova

PAVLOVA
Blueberry, Lemon Curd with Limoncello, Greek Yogurt

Gidday Mates! This past weekend we celebrated our friend Chip’s birthday, as well as my new BBQ grill with a “Down Under” Party. The idea started with “shrimp on the barbie” and grew from there with Australian wines, beers, and ports, grilled lamb steaks, grilled corn, grilled bread, salads, cheeses, and more. And of course there had to be the quintessential dessert, Australia’s beloved Pavlova. And being us, we had to put booze in the pavlova. Limoncello to be exact. We do love our themed dinner parties.

In this simple but beautiful blueberry limoncello pavlova, the sweet meringue dissolves on the tongue, the lively lemon curd spiked with limoncello adds a surprisingly zippy note which is balanced by the tart yogurt and the heavenly fresh blueberries that pop in the mouth. Could it have been too elegant for our outback party?

The table setting was supposed to be reminiscent of the outback. With moss, and rocks, and kangaroo paws from the garden! A Foster’s beer carrier made a jaunty vase, filled with shrubs and more kangaroo paws.

Kangaroo Paws naturally occur only in the southwest of Western Australia but they grow just fine in Southern California gardens too. The size, stalk height and color vary between the species – we have red, pink, and yellow plants. The flowers are pollinated by birds. In the outback, the long flower-stalks usually rise above the undergrowth and ‘advertise’ the presence of nectar in the flowers. The stalks also provide a perch for visiting birds.

The tubular flowers are coated with dense furry hairs and open at the apex with a claw-like structure, hence the name “Kangaroo Paw.”

With Men At Work (80’s Australian Rock Band) playing in the background we called each other Mate, Bloke, and Sheila and threw the shrimps and lamb on the barbie while we “had a go” at deciphering some Australian slang:

face fungus = beard
blow-in = an uninvited (unwelcome) guest
fang carpenter = dentist
away with the pixies = day dreaming
crack a tinnie = open a beer
blue duck = disappointment, mistake
carry on like a pork chop = acting silly
fair dinkum = genuine
bob’s yer uncle = everything is fine
aussie salute = to fan the flies away from one’s face
haven’t they fed the dingoes lately? = greeting to an unexpected guest

Blueberry Limoncello Pavlova Recipe

• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 c. baker’s sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 t. lemon juice
• 2 t. cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Make sure the bowl is scrupulously clean and the eggs have no trace of yolk. In a large glass or copper bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time with mixer running until the mixture is thick and glossy. In a small bowl combine vanilla, lemon juice, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely dissolved, then add to the egg white mixture and blend until just combined.

Crumble a piece of parchment paper and dust it with cornstarch, this will help prevent the meringue from sticking to the paper. Draw a 9″ diameter circle onto the paper. Scoop the egg white mixture into the center. Using a spatula, spread the mixture to the edges of the circle, forming the sides higher to make a well in the center. Bake for one hour (do not open door while baking) then turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the meringue cool slowly in the oven for another hour.

• 10 oz. lemon curd
• 6 T. limoncello
• low-fat Greek yogurt
• fresh blueberries

Whisk lemon curd with limoncello. Just before ready to serve, fill the meringue with yogurt then top with limoncello lemon curd. Finish with an abundance of blueberries.

Happy Birthday Chip!

SUMMER FEST
Beginning June 19th with Berries

Summer Fest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite summertime fruits and vegetables. Be sure to check out the Pinterest Board with over 90,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair! And if that Blueberry Limoncello Pavlova got you dreaming about summer berries, you might enjoy taking a peek at other very berry dishes from my friends below…

Feed Me Phoebe: Gluten-Free Blueberry-Almond Pancakes
The Lemon Bowl: Strawberry Mango Chia Smoothie
Dishin & Dishes: Crunchy Topped Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Gingered Blueberry Shortcakes With Light Creamy Topping
Taste With The Eyes: Blueberry Limoncello Pavlova
Sweet Life Bake: Paletas de Fresca y Aguacate
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mixed Berry Tea Cake 
Red or Green?: Strawberry & Blueberry Crisp (Red or Green-style)
Virtually Homemade: Blueberry Mint Margaritas
Haute Apple Pie: Triple Berry Ice Cream
Pinch My Salt: Strawberry Peach Cobbler With Almond Biscuit Topping
Cooking With Elise: Dehydrating Blueberries, Plus Blueberry and White Chocolate Cookies
Devour: Four Healthy Berry Recipes
Domesticate Me: Summer Berry Crisp
Weelicious: Brainy Breakfast
The Sensitive Epicure: Strawberries With White Balsamic Vinegar Caramel, Orange Zest and Black Pepper
Daily*Dishin: Fresh and Easy Blueberry Pie
From My Corner of Saratoga: Mixed Berry Freezer Pops
FN Dish: Wake Up With Berries