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Fresh gooseberries |
Time to respect your elders!
Clare Latimer’s world gets turned
upside-down by the marriage of
gooseberries and the magical elderflower
I was walking my dog round the edge of a field in the country last week and huge white clusters caught my eye.
They were perfect elderflower heads which look like flat plates of flower heads and are made up of tiny white flowers. For once I have caught them in time before they turn into berries.
Using them in cooking and for drinks is so exciting as they have that wonderful perfumed smell and flavour. In my view there is a much more attractive flavour in this flower stage than when they ripen into dark purple berries.
Most years, by the time I have thought about these umbrella gems, the heads have green unripe berries and I know that another year will have to pass.
If you want to join in with these recipes you will have to get out quickly and start picking so that you can get the benefit of these magical summer flowers.
Elderflower cordial
An easy to make drink that can be frozen in plastic bottles, leaving room for expansion, so it can be enjoyed all year round.
It will keep for almost a month if just bottled, although is best to drink within two weeks. Freeze in plastic containers or even ice cubes for smaller amounts.
You can buy the citric acid in chemists.
Ingredients
3 litres water
900g granulated sugar
25 heads of elderflowers
2 teasp citric acid
2 lemons, sliced.
Method
Put the water into a saucepan or kettle and bring to the boil.
Put all the other ingredients into a large bowl or small clean bucket and when the water has come to the boil, pour it over the other ingredients.
Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved and then skim the top of the water to remove any scum. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave for 24 hours in a cool place. Stir and then leave for another day. Stir again and then strain through a muslin cloth and store in the plastic containers. Keep in the fridge if using within two weeks or freeze in smaller amounts.
To use, dilute with about five parts water but check to see what you like best.
Gooseberry and Elderflower Upside-down Cake
I was having dinner with cookery writer Rosie Stark the other evening and asked her what she would marry with elderflowers and she instantly lit up and said that gooseberries were perfection.
She then went on to talk about being upside down and how gooseberries were so wet and I thought the wine had gone to her head but, no, she came up with this great upside-down cake idea, and yes, the juice from the gooseberries will make the sponge bit sticky!
Serve with gooseberry yoghurt ice cream from our shop or make your own elderflower ice cream.
Ingredients
1 large head of elderflowers, whole
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
225g fresh gooseberries, topped and tailed and washed
2 eggs
125g caster sugar
125g self raising flour
125g butter, softened
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon.
Method
Preheat the oven 180C/ 350F/gas 4.
Grease a 20cm cake tin, line with greaseproof paper and grease again. Cover the bottom with the soft brown sugar, and then put on the prepared gooseberries.
To make the sponge, put the eggs, caster sugar, flour, butter and lemon rind into a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Spoon over the gooseberries, smooth over and then bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, turn out onto a plate, remove the flower head and serve. |
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