Elderberry Syrup

Exact two months following the flowering, elderberries arrived at my local farmers market.

Elderberry, when cooked, has all sorts of health benefits. It boosts the immune system and is known to treat cold and flu symptoms.

The recipe I used came from David Lebovitz – former pastry chef in San Francisco and one of my favorite food bloggers.

Elderberry Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (1kg) elderberries
• 4 cups (1litre) water
• 2 cups (220g) sugar
• squirt of freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, rinse and carefully pick the berries off the stem. Discard the stems, they are poisonous.
2. Put berries and water in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low boil, cook 15-20 minutes until soft.
3. Pass the almost liquid through a food mill, discard the skins.
4. Pour the juice back into the pot, add sugar, cook at low boil over moderate heat for 15 minutes, until the syrup has thickened.
5. Add a spritz of lemon juice.
6. Once cooled completely, pour into a bottle or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to two years.

Elderberry syrup is delicious as an addition to morning Yogurt

Or it can be used to flavor desserts, such as panna cotta

Finally, while we are on the subject, did anyone notice this reference to Monty Python in Game of Thrones? It happened in Season 4, Episode 3.