cowberries
These berries are new to me in that I don’t associate them with my childhood, finding out about these quite recently
Alternatively known as lingonberry or foxberry. They can be found across ireland and Scotland and parts of England, found predominantly in bogland and woodland areas.
The berries are edible but are acidic and unpleasant to eat until they are cooked. They are revered in Germany and the Scandinavian countries.
Cookery
They are bitter and until baked or cooked with the addition of sugar. In Nordic countries they make it into a jam and use it as a condiment to meat dishes.
As a member of the heather it is thought to have medicinal uses, some suggesting that it eases cold and flu symptoms, helps with stomach discomfort and dahrreoa
Jam/jelly recipe
In a heavy pot
1 kg of washed and destalked
Add 250ml water and bring to the boil and leave boil until the berries are soft
Add 500g sugar and dissolve
Boil vigorously for 15 mins
Pass through a sieve or muslin cloth if making a jelly
Add 500g sugar for every 600 ml liquid
Boil vigorously for a further 6 minutes until it begins to set.
How do you know it will set
Take a side plate and chill it
Place a spoon of the liquid on the plate it should solidify in a matter of minutes
A big thanks to James “Macdaddy” for the intro to these berries
by paul cotter @chefpaulc
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