Blueberry Pancakes with Warm Blueberry Sauce

2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon cornstarch

3 ½ cups blueberries

5 tablespoons sugar (divided)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon grated orange zest*

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups buttermilk

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place cookie sheet in oven.

Prepare blueberry sauce: In 1-quart saucepan, combine water, cornstarch, 1 1/2 cups blueberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar, and heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 to 2 minutes or until berries burst. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.

Prepare pancakes: In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, salt, and remaining sugar. Stir in buttermilk, butter, and eggs just until flour mixture is moistened. Stir in remaining berries. Lightly grease griddle or nonstick 12-inch skillet; heat over medium heat until very hot. Drop batter by 1/4 cups onto hot griddle, spreading batter gently to make 4-inch rounds. Cook pancakes 2 to 3 minutes. (Pancakes are ready to turn when batter begins to set, bubbles start to burst, and edges look dry.) Turn pancakes over, using a wide spatula. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until puffy and undersides are a rich golden brown. Transfer pancakes to cookie sheet in oven; keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing griddle if needed. Serve pancakes with blueberry sauce.

*The orange zest is my own addition. I tend to think that all pancake recipes benefit from a tiny bit of citrus zest, either orange or lemon.