Elderflower
We made a bloomin' marvellous batch of elderflower cordial the other day. I thought, if we can have this - you should too!
So I rang my mate Mark Melly at Box Farm (who rears the amazing Aberdeen angus beef we stock). There's lots of wild elder on his farm and the cattle don't care for it much. I roped in a couple of the buyers, and over the next few days we boxed up blossoms.
And here's Rachel's recipe...
If you'd like more recipes for seasonal fruit and veg then please have a look at our recipe index.
Elderflower Cordial
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Makes about 500ml - to fill 2-3 jam jars
- 15 large elderflower blossom heads
- 2 unwaxed lemons, zest pared in strips, sliced
- 500g caster sugar
Shake the elderflower heads to remove any errant bugs and the like, and place in a very large, heatproof bowl with the lemon slices.
In a large saucepan set over a low heat, dissolve the sugar in 500ml cold water. Stir until the liquid is completely clear. Increase the heat and bring the syrup to the boil, then stir in the pared lemon zest and pour the mixture over the elderflower blossoms and lemon slices. Cover with clingfilm and set aside in a cool place to steep for about 24 hours.
Strain into a jug, through a muslin-lined sieve. Pour into little jars (should fill 3-4 jam jars) and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Or, pour into ice cube trays and freeze the cubes until ready to use. They're perfect for picnics- just pop them into a jug with water and let them melt as you travel to your picnic spot.
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