Elderberry and Rosehip Cordial

On Sunday we headed off on a foraging walk with our friend Kitty to check out what was out and about. Our haul was impressive, the warm Summer nights had certainly brought out the best of the season’s wares; plums, apples, hazelnuts, blackberries (though none made it home) and rosehips.

⬆photo Kitty Wheeler Shaw Photography

The first thing on our list “to create” with our pickings was a lovely cordial with the deep purple elderberries and the soft dark orange rosehips. Both are rich in vitamin C and as we turn toward the close of the year it seems sensible to stock up on all the curealls ahead of time.

Now is the perfect time to get picking these hedgerow edibles, they will be knocking around for the next few weeks so don’t pass them by!

Tip: gently squeeze the 'hips when you come across them, if the skin gives way slightly they are good to pick

INGREDIENTS

• Elderberries
• Rosehips (either Dog Rose or Japanese)
• Caster sugar
• Water

METHOD

• Pick as many berries and hips as you can sensibly use (remember the foragers code, only pick what you need and leave some for others) pop them in your trug and wander home via a good pub.
• Remove the ripe berries by running a fork down the stems, remove any green or old berries that have slightly shrivelled, if you’ve picked well this won’t take long. Wash them and pop them in a heavy bottomed saucepan
• Take the green ends off the hips and add them to the pan
• Add just enough water to cover the fruit and mash until the skins are all broken
• Heat in the pan until the water is simmering, stir until the fruit has softened
• Strain the fruit through a muslin cloth and colander, allow it to sit for at least a couple of hours before squeezing out the remaining juice
• Return to the pan and add the sugar (65–100g per litre depending on your sweet tooth)
• Heat once more for five minutes but do not allow it to boil
• Pour into a sterilised bottle (either via a water bath if you want to keep the cordial for months or by putting a freshly washed and rinsed bottle in a warm oven for 20 minutes prior)
• Keep refrigerated and use within the week once opened.