Elderflower Cordial

The recipe and photos for this post were found via Nordljus, an incredible food blog from the UK. Blogger Keiko Oikawa combines her own beautiful food photography with delicious recipes. Check her site out, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Elderflower Cordial is a concentrate made from steeped elderflowers and citrus and sugar, originally popular in Northeastern Europe. To serve, dilute the cordial concentrate with fizzy water and serve over ice with slices of lemon and a sprig of mint. Add a shot of gin or vodka for a refreshing twist. Elderflower Cordial is also used to make Elderflower Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 20 heads of elderflower
• 2lb granulated sugar, or caster sugar
• 1/2 gallon water
• 4 organic Lemons
• 2oz citric acid

Directions

1. Shake the elderflowers to expel any lingering insects, and then place in a large bowl.
2. Put the sugar into a pan with the water and bring up to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. While the sugar syrup is heating, pare the zest of the lemons off in wide strips and toss into the bowl with the elderflowers. Slice the lemons, discard the ends, and add the slices to the bowl. Pour over the boiling syrup, and then stir in the citric acid. Cover with a cloth and then leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
4. Next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with muslin or cheese cloth, and pour into sterile glass jars or bottles. Keep refridgerated or can or cork for later use.

Elderberry grows on moist, well-drained sunny sites, usually occurring in early seral communities or in openings in moist forest habitats (slopes, canyons, cliff bases, streamsides, streambanks) and moist areas within drier, more open habitats. This species flowers from May to September and fruits from July to October.

The entire flower cluster can be dipped in batter and fried while petals can be eaten raw or made into a fragrant and tasty tea. The flowers add an aromatic flavor and lightness to pancakes or fritters.

Mulberries (Morus rubra)

Mulberries are in full swing! But catch em' quick before the birds snatch them all up. These tasty berries are perfect for pies and jams, or just for snacking. The easiest way I have found to catch mulberries is to lay down a tarp or two under the tree and shake the branches. If you leave the tarps out, berries will continue to fall, and you can gather them easily. I also had good luck just picking them out of the grass. (A great task to keep little ones occupied!)

My mulberry harvest this year was small but memorable and I was able to make a very precious batch of mulberry jam. I'd like to share some tips for making a delicious preserve. I tend to wing it when it comes to jams, and with such a small quantity of berries, I didn't follow any particular recipe.

Mulberry Jam

Ingredients:

• Mullberries
• Apples (for natural pectin)
• Fresh Lemon Juice
  
• Honey
• Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Rinse berries in a colander. ( I don't worry about the stems of mulberries as they soften while cooking, but you can remove stems at this point if you'd like)
2. Mash berries either by hand or in a food processor.
3. Cook berries over medium heat stirring often.
4. Add finely chopped apples- to a quantity of your liking. (fresh or dried) These will provide natural pectin to aid in the jams ability to gel, as mulberries, like most berries are low in natural pectin. They also add great flavor and texture) For a large batch of jam, say 10-15 cups of berries, add about 4 tart apples, for a small batch like mine, about a handful will do.
   
5. Add about a tablespoon of lemon juice, a dash or more of cinnamon to taste and as much honey as you'd like. The berries have good flavor, so I don't think the jam needs much sweetness.
   
6. Cook until juices begin to break and the mixture begins to thicken. Let the jam boil about 10-15.
   
7. Allow mixture to cool slightly before spooning into sterile canning jars, leaving about 1/4-1/2" at the top. Can in a water bath for about 5-7 minutes.
   
8. Enjoy!!
   

Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia Willd)

Widely found and easy to identify, violets are sweet and perfumed in flavor. Add the tender leaves and flowers to salads. Heart-shaped leaves are edible, and tasty when cooked like spinach. Flowers beautifully embellish desserts and iced drinks. Freeze them in punches to delight children and adults alike. Flowers also make attractive adornments for frosted cakes, sorbets, or any other desserts, and they may be crystallized as well.

Rich in vitamin C and valued for many medicinal and well as culinary uses, recipes for edible violets abound in old recipe books and herbals. As with all edible flowers, use only varieties that have been organically grown and never sprayed.

Wild Green Onions

One of the first things that might pop up in your yard this spring is wild onion grass. These super hardy plants will grow throughout the summer and are a wonderful addition to salads and can be used in substitute for any recipe calling for green onions. Bulbs are easily harvested with a small trow and can used fresh or pickled for later use.

The photos above identify wild onion in its native environment, freshly harvested and garnishing in a wonderful quiche of local eggs, cheese and wild mushrooms. Click the photo for more detail