BERRIES

Berries are the summer’s first spectacular splash of color. At this time of year their fragrance fills the markets and it’s almost impossible to pass them without putting a basket into your cart. Berries are wonderful on their own. In the morning you can sprinkle them over cereal and yogurt, at mid-day you can serve them in bowls with brown sugar and yogurt, and for dessert at dinner you can spill them over pound cake, angel cake, ice cream or frozen yogurt.

But berries are also wonderful when cooked. The following recipes each combine raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, a true abundance of riches. Should you be unable to find them all, the recipes work equally well with a single berry; just be sure that the total quantity of berries is the same as indicated in the recipe.

A practical note: Berries are highly perishable. To keep them at their prime in the refrigerator, spread them unwashed in a single layer on paper towel-lined baking sheets. Do not cover.

To wash berries, place in a strainer and pass them quickly under cold running water. Immediately transfer them to double thick paper towels spread on the counter. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Let air-dry, about 20 minutes. Hull strawberries after washing. Washed berries can be chilled a few hours before serving.

This pie is an extravagance -- and it’s worth it . Nine cups of berries are sandwiched between the crusts. Serve the pie warm with a scoop of strawberry or raspberry ice cream.

VERY BERRY DEEP DISH PIE

5 cups blueberries

2 cups raspberries

2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered (or halved if small)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon flour

2/3 to 1 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of berries

1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca

Dash salt

2 (9-inch) standard pie crust dough or pie crust mix

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut up

Place blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in large bowl. Toss with lemon juice. Combine flour, sugar, tapioca and salt in small dish. Add to berries. Toss well to combine. Let stand 20 minutes.

Roll 2 rounds dough to fit bottom and top crusts of deep 9-inch glass pie plate. Place berries on bottom crust, gently mounding in center. Dot with butter. Place remaining crust on top. Fold in edges, crimp and cut air vents.

Place pie plate on baking sheet and set on center rack of 450-degree oven. Immediately decrease heat to 400 degrees. Bake until deep brown and bubbling, about 1 hour. Protect edge of pie with strips of foil, if becoming too dark.

Remove from oven and let pie cool on rack until juices are thickened, about 2 hours. Serve slightly warm. (If necessary, gently reheat at 300 degrees 15 minutes.) Cut into wedges. Makes 1 (9-inch) deep dish pie, serving 8.

Each serving contains about:

408 calories; 278 mg sodium; 23 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 2.31 grams fiber.

Berries enhance these light oat bran pancakes. Frozen berries do not need to be thawed before sprinkling them on the pancakes--they’ll warm as the pancakes cook. Serve pancakes with warm maple syrup or fruit syrup.

OAT BRAN-BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH MIXED BERRIES

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 cups mixed raspberries, strawberries (hulled, quartered), blueberries

Butter or margarine, for cooking pancakes

Warm maple syrup

Combine oat bran, cake flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in small bowl.

Whisk egg, egg white, buttermilk and 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter until well mixed. Whisk in dry ingredients. (Can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Stir before using.)

Brush griddle with butter and place over medium heat. When hot, spoon batter onto griddle in 3-inch rounds. Sprinkle berries over batter. Cook until bubbly and browned on edges, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown other side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat until all batter is used.

Keep cooked pancakes warm in 200-degree oven while remaining pancakes are cooked. Serve pancakes with warm maple syrup. Makes 3 to 4 servings (about 20 3-inch diameter pancakes).

Each serving contains about:

255 calories; 360 mg sodium; 83 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 1.40 grams fiber.

This thick berry-filled compote resembles the best of pie fillings. Serve it warm with a dollop of ice cream or frozen yogurt on top. The compote can also be thinned with additional orange juice and served as a sauce over puddings, cakes, frozen desserts--or even Oat Bran-Buttermilk Pancakes.

WARM ROSY BERRY COMPOTE

2 pints strawberries, hulled

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of berries

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Grated zest of 1 large orange

1/2 cup orange juice

1 pint blueberries

2 tablespoons orange liqueur

1 pint raspberries

Raspberry, peach or vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, optional

Puree 1 pint strawberries in blender or processor with sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and juice until smooth. Transfer puree to 1-quart non-aluminum saucepan. Stir in 1 cup blueberries. Cook over medium heat until simmering and thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring to avoid burning. (Sauce can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Gently reheat sauce.)

Add remaining 1 pint strawberries (quartered if large, otherwise halved) and blueberries. Heat through, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in liqueur. Gently fold in raspberries. Serve warm in stemmed goblets, topped with dollop of ice cream. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving without ice cream contains about:

143 calories; 4 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 2.40 grams fiber.