The Poultry Keeper

Mel · Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 150 Location: Gosport, Hampshire

Anyone know of any recipes for elderberries and or rose hips? Was in the New Forest yesterday picking blackberries and there were loads of elderberries and rose hips so am going back next week to pick some but don't know what to do with them. Don't even know what they taste like

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

Rose Hip Syrup (be warned - very fiddly and I'm talking about making it not picking, which is okay if you like shredded hands Laughing

)

Mince rose hips and put at once into boiling water, allowing 3 pints for 2lbs hips. Bring back to boil and then remove from heat and stand for 10 - 15 minutes. Strain through a cloth or jelly bag. When it stopps dripping return to pan with another 1 & 1/2 pints boiling water. Re boil, allow to stand for 10 mins, strain. Mix the 2 extracts and reduce by boiling until the juice measures 1 & 1/2 pints. Add 1lb sugar, stir till dissolved and boil for 5 minutes. Pour into clean hot bottles and seal at once. Sterilise by boiling for 5 mins (that would be unecessary if you can find sealable bottle with pop tops).

I've mentioned elderberries replying to your other post Smile

I would just like to say that I make everything I can, I don't do bought food, and I made rosehip syrup just the once Shocked

Itsybitsy

stephen · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:56 pm Post subject:

Lisa · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:02 pm Post subject:

I went on a woodland walk with a medical herbalist last weekend and one of the things she gave us a taster of during her talk was "elderberry rob". Basically its a thick syrup of lots of stewed down elderberries with some sugar (as a preservative?) and, depending on the recipe, other ingredients that may help cold and flu symptoms. It was yummy - I think she added ginger, clove, cinnamon and thyme. I've read that sambucol, an extract of elderberry, is already sold and proven effective for treating colds and flu, so not only is it a nice drink, apparrantly it does you good too! Razz

I'm meeting her again on Thursday - I'll see if I can get the exact recipe.

chook-in-eire · Joined: 11 Sep 2006 Posts: 88

I am making elderberry juice as we speak - on the cooker in a steam juice extractor. I'll bottle it and once there is a sign of a cold I'll add some water, sugar or honey, and spices (as written above) and heat it up. Perfect on a cold winter's night and very healthy. Family standby for at least 3 generations.
Yesterday I made elderberry jelly from another two batches. To one batch I added about 1/3 cooking apples and steam extracted them together with the elderberries, added some cinnamon and the usual pectin and sugar for the jelly. The second batch got cinnamon and 1/10th rum (150 ml rum to 1.5 l elderberry juice) plus pectin + sugar. Yum!

chook-in-eire · Joined: 11 Sep 2006 Posts: 88

ps.
The stuff left after steam extraction gets mixed into the chooks mash in the morning, they love it, whether elderberry, apple, or blackberry.

Lisa · Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:40 pm Post subject:

What is a steam juice extractor / how does it work? Not come across one of those before...

chook-in-eire · Joined: 11 Sep 2006 Posts: 88

Hi Lisa,
Basically the fruit goes into a steamer basket that sits over a pan collecting the juice which sits in a large pot containing some water at the bottom. The lid seals tightly like in a steam cooker and there is a tap for extracting the juice. The steam rises through the fruit and the resultant juice drips into the pan underneath the steamer basket.
If you google "steam juice extractor" you'll get results from internet shops etc. that illustrate it.
HTH
chook

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3461 Location: Monmouthshire

They're absolutely brilliant and we make gallons of apple juice every year.
Rose hip syrup is delicious over ice cream.

Old Man of the 80's · Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 308 Location: Wittering, UK

Rose hip Jelly is supposed to be very good. I made a dead esay elderberry cordial last year. Will dig out recipe if required. No need for juice extractors, but sounds like a good gadget!!

Don't forget wine. The elder is the "vine of Britain". Very Happy

CP · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:53 pm Post subject:

And you can make elderflower cordial earlier in the year. Wink

(& elderflower fritters, but I've never tried those.)