STRAWBERRY LIME CORDIAL: fresh fruit, optional alcohol, low sugar, easy, prep ahead

Lively strawberry lime fizz, a gorgeously fruity thirst quencher perfect for a heatwave...

Strawberries with a hint of lime...add fizzy water or champers, white wine or grape juice. '...a wonderful pick-me-up when lying in bed with 'flu' 

Looking for another recipe to enjoy all the gorgeous ruby red strawberries on offer everywhere?  

They're at their peak as we head up to Wimbledon season, and tons of them will be served there sprinkled with a bit of sugar and loaded with double or clotted cream. 

Or there's always Eton Mess, the classic mix of strawberries, cream and crushed macaroons.  Or 67goingon50's non-traditional but highly desireable Strawberries 'n Cream with Sweet Ginger. 

Strawberry Lime Cordial is another 67 twist on the delicious fruit.

Pureed strawberries with a hint of lime form a thick cordial which is topped up with ice and fizzy water or champagne or white wine or white grape juice.

It's designed to appeal to tee-totallers and kids as well as drinkers. 

Whatever your choice, it's a gorgeous colour and has great strawberry flavour with a kick  of lime.  It's ever-so-refreshing in a heatwave.

67goingon50 liked it without any sugar at all, but adding a bit of sugar or maple syrup may heighten the pleasure for kids and others.

Easy to make, it's prepped in advance.

Cost: depending on berries, maybe £4.00 not including alcohol (6/23)

Makes: maybe 6-8 glasses; recipe doubles easily   

Ingredients:

300gm/10.5oz ripe strawberries, green removed

zest & flesh of two limes

1/2 cup boiling water

2-3 tbsp maple syrup (opt)

one star anise (opt)

Method:

1. Zest the limes, remove the white pith from the flesh and add with star anise (optional) in a heat-proof bowl; pour over boiling water; steep 20 mins
2. Remove star anise; set aside
3. Add a handful of strawberries; whizz to a very fine pulp
4. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl; pour in pulp, pressing the flat of a spatula against the mesh to extract all the liquid
5. Cover and chill 24 hours
6. When ready to serve, process the rest of the strawberries and repeat instruction 4. 
7. Mix with lime puree.
8. Pour cordial into a jug; add the star anise, a few halved berries and a slice or two of lime for decoration
9. Mix one part cocktail with 1 1/2 parts champagne or other alcohol, prosecco or fizzy water

Comment: 'I really liked this, especially the slight tartness.  Of the varieties I tested, the  sugar-free version was my favourite but add sugar or maple syrup depending on your taste.'  Retired writer

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

CANTONESE CHICKEN, MUSHROOM & WHITE WINE STEW: wallet-friendly, low-fat & carb, quick & easy

This adventurous boozy Cantonese-inspired chicken stew was popular amongst the hunting'n fishing set the Blogger fed many years ago... 

An unusal rich mixture of white wine, dried Chinese mushrooms, lemon, grass, star anise, fresh ginger and garlic.

The Stew was just exotic enough to tempt conservative eaters but not so intense as to be off-putting.

It's biggest selling points, though, are that it is low-fat/cholesterol and low-carb.  It was also frugal (using boiling fowl) and energy-efficient, slow cooked for hours in an oven or over a fire or on an Aga.  Though no one cared very much about that then! 

Since the advent of higher-welfare Chooks (thank you, M&S!), the price of decent chicken is now low enough to re-consider this recipe.

The ingredients are more or less the same but the cooking time is  sharply reduced.  Today's chickens are so tender that, apart from a little prep the night before, the stew can be on the table in 20 mins.

The recipe is unusually versatile: a whole bird serves a family or a crowd depending on how small the individual pieces of chicken are; half a bird is perfect for a couple or singleton.

Cost: depends on chicken: whole or pieces (in the absence of small chickens 67 bought a medium, 1.5 kilos, for £7) plus cupboard staples: wine, stock & Asian spices

Serves: 7 adults; more if the bird is chopped into smaller segments (as seen on Chinese platters: bottom page How to Carve a Roast/Poached Chicken).  Couples and singletons, use half the ingredients

Ingreds:

 

whole chicken 1.5 k/3lbs Or equiv legs & breasts 

1.5 pints good stock, home-made or cubes/granules* (see Tips below) 

3-4 dried Shitake mushrooms

1 large onion or 1.5 leeks, whites only, thinly sliced

2 large cloves garlic, peeled, whole (or generous 1/8 tsp garlic granules)

2 inch/4cm piece root ginger or 1/2 tsp dried ginger

min 1/8 tsp, max 1/2 tsp hot sauce (eg Chiu Chow Chilli Oil - very fiery) OR large pinch chilli flakes to taste

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 stick lemongrass (opt)

2 star anise (opt)

1-2 glasses white wine OR white grape juice

Garnishes: 

chives, parsley or coriander, fresh if poss

drizzle of oyster sauce OR hoisin sauce

drizzle of toasted sesame oil

Method: