Sambucus nigra - Common Elder
If you only make one home remedy for yourself this Autumn, it should be either Elderberry cordial or syrup. Elderberry is packed full of vitamin C, powerful antioxidants and well known for it`s anti-viral, immune boosting properties. I always have a cordial or syrup at hand over the winter months and it is very effective at nipping colds & flu in the bud at the very first signs of a sore throat, cough or sniffle.
This recipe is just for YOU and not one to share with your dogs. Elderberries must be cooked before consuming and discard the leaves, stems, and any unripe green berries before cooking.
You will need:
500g ripe berries (discard those that are unripe, especially green ones.) A handful of Blackberries are a nice addition and are ripe at the same time.
500g water
Rind of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon of the juice
350g of dark sugar ( if you would rather omit the sugar, add honey to taste at the end of cooking or just before you consume the juice, as a sweetener)
Optional - cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, a piece of stem ginger and if you only want one spice then choose Star Anise for its natural anti-viral properties or pop in a mulled spice bag.
How to make:
The easiest way to pick elderberry is to leave the berries on the stem until you get home, then run a fork down the stems until the berries fall off into a colander. Rinse gently with water and then remove any unripe green berries & bits of stem. Alternatively, pop them in a bag and place them in the freezer, the berries usually beak away from the stalks very easily when frozen.
Place the berries, water, lemon rind, and chosen spices into a medium/large saucepan and bring to a boil, simmer gently for 20 - 30 minutes, squashing the berries with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Allow to cool slightly, then drain through a fine colander placed over a bowl or ideally through a muslin cloth/ cotton t-towel so you can thoroughly squeeze all the juice out of the berries.
Rinse out the saucepan and return the juice into the pan, add the sugar, and warm through until it melts into the juice, or add a little local honey to sweeten.
Store: Store in a sterilised bottle, place in a fridge, and use within one month or better still pop into ice cube trays or small freeze-able pots so you can have some handy throughout the depths of winter.
You can take a tablespoon a day neat off the spoon, drizzle onto deserts, place an elderberry cube into a mug of hot water, or add to your favourite tipple to enjoy on a cold, wintery evening.
You can also use the cordial as a base to make gelatine gummies or mix with balsamic to make a delicious glaze for meat, fish, or vegetables.
Caroline Hearn - Hedgerow Hounds
