Elderberry has many culinary uses ( my favorite is elderberry panna cotta) but can also be used to make delicious cocktails too. So it is well worth collecting the berries which come into season around August. Take care when collecting as they can make an indelible stain on your clothes and don’t eat them raw as they apparently contain a sugar producing cyanide which is made inactive once boiled!
Collecting the berries
Simply break the stems and remove the whole branch with berries into your large shopping bag. I find that 20 stems will make a litre of elderberry juice. Once home, use a fork to remove the berries into a bowl. Discard the stems. Wash with cold water.
To make 1 litre of plain elderberry juice:
Ingredients
Fresh elderberries from 20 stems washed.
Method
Add the elderberries to a large pan of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then allow to cool.
Using a muslin bag and pasta colander, carefully drain the juice from the boiled berries into another pan. Allow to cool and keep refrigerated. This is your elderberry gold juice which can be added to cocktails or used to enhance the colour and flavour of many culinary delights.
For the G&T elderberry cocktail you simply measure out in your glass as follows:
1 shot of gin
1 shot of elderberry juice
1 measure of tonic to fill the glass
1 slice of lemon or two
3 Ice cubes
Enjoy!!
Ps To make elderberry cordial you follow the same method as above but when boiling the berries you add the same weight in sugar as well as 1 lemon. Then once cool you store in a sterilised bottle for up to six months. The cordial can be used for cocktails and culinary dishes too.
To see the elderberry panna cotta recipe just check a previous blog below:
No comments:
Post a Comment