Cecilia & I went elderflower picking by the river today. We took the dogs with us, & had a lovely time, with a detour to the shop to buy sugar for the recipe. Why not try it yourself – here’s the recipe, which we’ve taken from Jamie Oliver’s magazine www.jamieoliver.com
Makes 1.5 litres: 20 elderflower heads, 1.5 kilos caster sugar, 2 lemons, quartered, 2 oranges, quartered, 1.5 litres water
Gently shake the flowers to clean. Bring 1.5 litres of water to the boil in a large pan. Add the sugar & return to the boil, then reduce heat & simmer for a few minutes until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, place lemon & orange quarters in a large bowl with the elderflowers. Pour over the warm syrup. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to steep for 24 hours. Strain the cordial with a sieve. Pour into sterilised bottles. Fix the lids on tightly & store in a cool place. Mix 1 part cordial to 4 parts water.
