Elderberry Cordial

We love a little warm beverage in the evening during the winter, and these bottles will be stashed away till then.

After sharing my recipe with some friends and hearing about all the health benefits of Elderberries, a fine stand of plump black elderberries yielded sufficient for my little stash of winter elderberry syrup.  

Lee Hooker wrote the following which I am including in its entirety.

ELDERBERRY CORDIAL

 

When elderberries are at their lusciously dark, glossy best they are irresistible, the only tricky bit is deciding what to make with this foraged bounty, will it be jams, jellies, syrups, cordials or wine?

 

Mary Poppins advice that ‘a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down’ was very much in mind as we picked the first batch of this year’s harvest specifically for medicinal rather than culinary use. Sambucol* Black cordial has a long and impressive history of boosting immunity against ‘flu and respiratory disease thanks to its antioxidant and antiviral properties. [*Sambucus translates as ‘gift of the gods’]. Whilst on the linguistics theme, Cordial derives from Medieval Latin, Cordialis meaning ‘heartfelt’.

Since the arrival of novel Covid-19 disease, described by Dr Chris Whitty as a mild seasonal ‘flu, interest has increased in using herbal remedies in preference to pharmaceutical or mechanical interventions. This significant shift has been endorsed by the NHS Foundation Trust at East Kent who trialled this remedy as a treatment for Covid-19 because of its immune-boosting reputation.

 

Our immune systems benefit from extra amounts of the flavonoid Quercetin taken with Zinc. Together they act as an anti-thrombotic needed to regulate adaptive immune cell functions. Plant polyphenols with this flavonoid have the ability to inhibit viral replication at various stages in respiratory diseases such as influenza. Published research articles record its role in inhibiting cellular entry of SARS -CoV-2 and reducing upper respiratory symptoms but there is a caution to heed, elderberries are toxic if consumed raw, they contain sambunigrin but cooking eliminates these cyanogenic glycosides.

 

Israeli virologist, Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, of Hadassah-Hebrew University, found that elderberry disarms the enzyme viruses use to penetrate healthy cells in the lining of the nose and throat. Taken before infection, it prevents infection. Taken after infection, it prevents spread of the virus through the respiratory tract. In a clinical trial, 93.3% of study subjects claimed complete cure or significant improvement within 2-3 days. In contrast, subjects receiving the placebo required 6 days or more to recover.

 

 

 

ELDERBERRY CORDIAL RECIPE
[adapted from Noelle’s and others]

Fresh ‘black’ European elderberries

Granulated Sugar [sufficient for preserving shelf-life]

Cloves and other spicy additions [see List below]

Water

 

VARIANTS LIST

Sumac [added to cold infusions for high Vit C content]

Dried echinacea root [immune stimulant]

Dried ginseng root [immune stimulant]

Allspice, Fennel seeds, Cinnamon sticks, Nutmeg, Ginger

 

 Pick berries that are glossy, almost black, reject red and green berries.

•     Strip the berries from their stalks with a fork or by hand. I prefer hand-stripping for quality control. [stalked berries can be frozen which makes stripping them extremely easy]

•     Wash the berries, unripe ones tend to float to the top along with stray stems and perhaps insects.

•     Skim these off, drain, re-wash.

•     Put berries in a preserving or thick-based pan with enough water to just cover them 

•     Gently mash the berries with a potato masher to release their juice whilst simmering on low heat for 20 minutes

•         Strain the elderberry mixture through a muslin-lined sieve/straining bag into a jug or separate pan, squeeze the muslin to extract all the juice

•         For each pint of juice, add 1lb of sugar and 12 cloves [optional Variants list below] I add the juice and rind of two small oranges, one lemon, 2 cinnamon sticks, all spice and fennel seeds

•         Boil the mixture for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken [add citrus juice if necessary]

•         Allow the mixture to cool. Strain it again through muslin sieve to achieve a smooth syrupy liquid, pour into sterilised bottles, add more cloves if desired  then top up with brandy or cherry liqueur to further extend and preserve its shelf life [up to two years if kept in a cool, dark place]

 

If you over-boiled the syrup and invented elderberry toffee along the way, well done, have some apples on sticks ready to hand!

 We just celebrated a house purchase with a glass of Kir Royale made with champagne and our newly-bottled elderberry syrup, the ultimate health tonic. The cordial is also delicious poured over buttermilk soft pancakes and waffles. Next to try on the culinary list is Elderberry panna cotta which substitutes elderberry cordial for the sweet element in recipes.

Thank you Noelle for suggesting All spice, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, all of which went into my Elderberry cordials. We’re about to forage our garden for our third batch of elderberries for cordials and will keep going through September until nature closes the supply.

 

Elderberry Cordial Recipe

Nearly wordless, but recipe now added by special request : )

I just had to do a bit of foraging on our return from holiday.  A bag full of elderberries and a couple of handfuls of blackberries,

after washing and using the prongs of a fork to separate the berries

a few added spices: cloves, allspice berries, and fennel

some slow braising of the fruit in the oven with some water, until the juices ran, then into the large preserving pan,

with some sugar...loads of hot water for cleaning and sterilising and boiling up the juice again inside the bottles..we have ready our 'winter medicine'.

With the top  inche of so made up with Brandy, here is the finished article

Meanwhile I cracked a few hazelnuts which we also had picked..

Elderberry Cordial Recipe

Take secateurs with and collect as many ripe whole heads in perfect condition with shinny black elderberries as you have time for.  Collect them from hedgerows away from the road, and preferably from the edges of fields that have not had any crop spraying. Pick only the best and leave some for the birds too. 

A carrier bag full is sufficient to get a few bottles.  If on the way you gather some brambles, then you can add these two.

Wash carefully, discard any dried up ones, and also green ones.  There are many ways to cook the fruit.  This time I put them all in my stainless steel roasting pan, together with my spices of choice, of which the traditional ones are just cloves, with enough boiling water to just cover.  Into the oven the lidded roasting tin sat on the top shelf at Gas No 4.  About every 20 minutes, just time to pop into the garden with my timer, and do a bit of dead heading, I used a stainless steel masher to squash through the fruit. I did this about three times.  Of course an alternative is to cook at 10lbs pressure in the pressure cooker, again with just enough water to cover, but only fill to half the depth.  You may also cook the fruit in the jamming pan for about 30 minutes or until the juices run well.

After many years of using a jelly bag, and having this brownish fabric floating around the back of my jamming cupboard, for small amounts, I just put the fruit into the sieve which is just reserved for jamming.  I let it drip for a couple of hours covered with a cloth to keep out any little flies, and finally press with the back of the soup ladle.  I feel those last little drops will have all the goodness!

Measure the juice, and the ratio I use is 600g sugar to 1 litre of juice, you can go up to 700g if you like your cordials sweeter.  This goes into the jamming pan, where it is mixed thoroughly to dissolve the sugar, and bring up to heat to just just a few bubbles for about 2 minutes.

Fill bottles which have been sterilised by standing in a warm oven for 15 minutes or so.  Fill without leaving too much space at the top, and top up with brandy if you wish, and add couple more cloves into each bottle.  I probably should have added even more brandy to bring the level to just 1cm below the seal.  

The bottles  should have first been really well cleaned and sterilized, and at the same time you can put some extra cloves in the oven to warm.  When the bottles are filled and sealed, I then put them back in the jamming pan filled with boiling water, and let the whole lot wobble gently for about 20 minutes. I put an old tea towel folded in the bottom of the pan under the bottles to stop the glass from banging around.

I shall invest soon in some smaller bottles as I feel the cordial is best used up within three weeks, and kept in the fridge once opened.

Beetroot Chutney Recipe

It must be the season of purple preserves...fig jam, elderberry cordial, and now perhaps one of my top five chutneys.  I find Beetroot chutney is great way of getting some bright colour onto winter cold plates.  It goes really well with some our favourites: goat's cheese, chickpeas, cold meats, home made coleslaws, avocado and other salads.

It makes just the ideal Christmas present for friends who like preserves.  Maybe give the jar with my recipe for Boxing Day salad.  Great with cold turkey, ham etc., and no need to boil up beetroot to add that depth of flavour to something like a Russian salad, just mix in some cold diced salad potatoes, and other cold cooked veg, a little mayo, and a good quantity of this chutney.  Well my Dad always used to add beetroot to Russian salad.  A Swedish friend said that it was just like the salads they make in Sweden.

I've made Beetroot Chutney for at least 10 years.  Of course I always planted several rows of beetroot when I had my allotment.  Yesterday I could not resist the bunches at the market.  The leaves signaled freshly dug globes.  This year as it is still so warm, I did not feel like having the oven on for a couple of hours whilst they roasted, so instead they got 15 minutes in the pressure cooker.

With various books out on the table and other searches,  I found that my recipe from last year was about the best.   I made a variation to one the spices, inspired by Nigel's Salter comment in his Book 'Tender', that cumin could be included in any beetroot dish, deciding to add this to the chutney this year.

Of course you can scale up or down....

Beetroot Chutney Recipe 2014 

1Kg cooked beetroot, skinned
400g red onions
500g cooking apples, cored
250g raisins
750g cider vinegar, I use Biona Organic cider vinegar
350g soft brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground allspice
1tsp salt

Pour the vinegar into the preserving pan, then add the spices.   While this is heating up chop the red onion finely and pop that into the vinegar on the stove. They chop the cooking apple,  and add that together with the raisins, sugar, spices and salt to the pan.  Bring to the boil again, and reduce the heat to a simmer.  From the start to the end, stir from time to time, to make sure that the bottom does not catch, and that all the vegetables mix in the sauce. Then simmer the whole lot for about 30 minutes.

Whilst this is going on, there is time to chop the beetroot.  It is easy to make a nice neat small dice, the size you will want it on your plate.

Add the beetroot to the cooking pot, and continue the occasional stir, whilst on a gentle simmer, until the veg to sauce balance is to your liking.  I simmered gently for about one hour.

Pot up into sound jars which have been well washed and dried out in the oven.  You must use vinegar proof lids.  As you ladle the chutney into the jars, press down with the back of a teaspoon, to remove trapped air, and be sure that there is liquid to the top of the veg.  Only leave a small gap at the top of the jar, about 1/2 cm, beneath the lid.  Wipe the jars and label.  This time it yielded 8 x 340g jars, and a little 'tasting' jar.

Keep in a cool dark cupboard, best after 6 weeks, and wonderful up to 2 years thereafter!  Once opened if you are not likely to eat it up within a couple of weeks, I recommend keeping it in the fridge and use within a few weeks, but I suggest that after one month, you either don't like it, or have forgotten it was there, and have opened a second one by mistake!

It would make a wonderful Ruby Wedding Anniversary Present for the couple who has it all.

Six on Saturday - End of August 2025

The hot dry weather has broken, and we have had a little rain, but nothing to penetrate the soil yet! Even when we have rain forecast it has something been no more than a sprinkling, then more sun but with some clouds. We are still taking every opportunity of being outside. Outside is the favourite place for gardeners except perhaps when they want to catch up with their fellows over at Jim's to share Six things on a Saturday. 

1. We were having coffee in the morning in the garden, when we spotted a number of pretty Small Copper Butterflies, yes that is the name of this butterfly,  with the favourite food source being the Asters. One with a large mound of flowers is Aster pyrenaeus 'Lutetia' and I wouldn't have time to count the number of bees and butterflies on it at any one time.

 

2.  I bought half a dozen of little Cosmos from the Bishop's Palace and planted them in a couple of different beds.  They have grown tall, well over a metre, and no flower!  Even in the sunniest beds they have behaved just like this one.  It does make quite a nice green bush, but I want flowers!  In fact it reminded me of the 'Burning Bush' Kochia scoparia which my in laws used to grow back in the seventies in their garden.  Such a blast from the past are those, and funnily I don't see them around these days. 

Tall Cosmos that refuses to flower

3. I sowed some Cosmos seed directly late, and transferred three seedlings to the same bed, and here is one of them feeling quite relieved that it is starting to rain. They were Dwarf Purple Picotee Cosmos from Thompson & Morgan.  

4. Just emerging through the Aster pyrenaeus 'Lutetia' is the Miscanthus nepalensis, or is it that the Aster has draped across  the Miscanthus's space?

 Miscanthus nepalensis

5. I have been battling the watering, and Mr S came up with something that will make it so much easier for me.  This is of course supplementary to the waterbutt when it has water in it and water collected as part of savings from indoors.  Firstly he fitter a small splitter to the outside tap so that I can keep the hose connected and am able to turn it on and off, without having to disconnect the timer and its various finer pipes that go to the larger outdoor pots.  I was finding rolling up the heavy hose a little too hard and now I have a new expanding snake hose. It is so much lighter and easy to coil up and hang.  The timer is now near the floor rather than coming out of the tap.  The whole thing will of course be put away for the winter.  

6. And why do you think I am showing my old but favourite pair of secateurs?  It is because after looking for them, they were lost for a whole 24 hours and then they were found. I felt full of thanks and rejoiced.  However this was not before I had emptied the shed, sorted out the tools, thrown out lots of old bits of string, and worn out gloves, etc, swept out and cleaned other tools, scoured the garden, and emptied the green bin.  I had resolved to allow a week to pass and then order or perhaps even visit the Kiwaki Show Room. This would be an excursion, what gardener doesn't love an excursion with perhaps a garden visit etc thrown in as well? 

 

It was not till I cycled into town, and locked up my bike, that I found the secateurs nestling right at the bottom of my panier.  It has been there for three or four days from when I had cycled out hunting for elberries to harvest from the hedgerows on the levels ready to make Elderberry Cordial. I don't normally phone home whilst I am out, but to save poor Mr S from continuing the hunt, I had to share my find and my joy.

Wild Damsons

 Out for a walk this morning along the lanes, and prepared with boxes and carrier bag we came back with very nearly two kilos of wild damsons.

I noticed that the elderberries were starting to ripen, and again this year I shall be making elderberry syrup or cordial.