This recipe comes from my friend Kathy Casey. She's a cookbook author, cocktail expert and a woman in the know. I'm off to pick some blackberries right now...
BERRY DELICIOUS VINEGAR
Makes about 3 cups
Vinegar will keep about 1 year at room temperature, or you can store it refrigerated if you want the color to stay red longer. If stored at room temperature, the red color will “brown out” a bit—but the flavor will still be d’lish. You can also use other seasonal fruits with this recipe and/or add herbs or spices. The sugar and salt can be omitted for just a straight fruit vinegar. Some flavor combinations that I have enjoyed are peach-tarragon, cherry-star anise (you don’t need to pit the cherries, just squish them) and pear-cardamom.
1 1/2 cups marionberries, blackberries or raspberries (or use a combination of any fresh berries)
3 cups white wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Place berries in a stainless steel bowl or pot or a glass cooking pot. Give them a little mash to break them up slightly with a potato masher. (Or you can make the recipe in large glass canning jars that will take the heat.)
In a stainless steel saucepan, heat vinegar, sugar and salt until just boiling. Remove from heat and pour over berries.
Let cool. Cover and allow to stand for at least 48 hours unrefrigerated or up to 7 days in refrigerator. Then strain through a cheesecloth or coffee filter-lined strainer. (If straining through coffee filters, strain first through a mesh strainer then through the coffee filter-lined strainer.) With a ladle or wooden spoon, lightly push through any extra juice. Discard the solids. Bring strained vinegar to a boil again and then fill clean wine bottles or decorative bottles with HOT vinegar. Cap and cool.
Chef’s Notes: This recipe can be multiplied several times. © Kathy Casey – blogging at Dishing with Kathy
BERRY DELICIOUS VINEGAR
Makes about 3 cups
Vinegar will keep about 1 year at room temperature, or you can store it refrigerated if you want the color to stay red longer. If stored at room temperature, the red color will “brown out” a bit—but the flavor will still be d’lish. You can also use other seasonal fruits with this recipe and/or add herbs or spices. The sugar and salt can be omitted for just a straight fruit vinegar. Some flavor combinations that I have enjoyed are peach-tarragon, cherry-star anise (you don’t need to pit the cherries, just squish them) and pear-cardamom.
1 1/2 cups marionberries, blackberries or raspberries (or use a combination of any fresh berries)
3 cups white wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Place berries in a stainless steel bowl or pot or a glass cooking pot. Give them a little mash to break them up slightly with a potato masher. (Or you can make the recipe in large glass canning jars that will take the heat.)
In a stainless steel saucepan, heat vinegar, sugar and salt until just boiling. Remove from heat and pour over berries.
Let cool. Cover and allow to stand for at least 48 hours unrefrigerated or up to 7 days in refrigerator. Then strain through a cheesecloth or coffee filter-lined strainer. (If straining through coffee filters, strain first through a mesh strainer then through the coffee filter-lined strainer.) With a ladle or wooden spoon, lightly push through any extra juice. Discard the solids. Bring strained vinegar to a boil again and then fill clean wine bottles or decorative bottles with HOT vinegar. Cap and cool.
Chef’s Notes: This recipe can be multiplied several times. © Kathy Casey – blogging at Dishing with Kathy