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Rob Smith - Garden Writer and Veg Grower
@robsallotment

108,774 followers

Want to make something from all the elderberries that are around? . Why not make a delicious Pontac sauce, it’s a spicy, less harsh version of Lea & Perrins (or Henderson’s, if you’re from Sheffield) . You better be quick, the berries won’t be around long . What you need: 1lb (450g) elderberries 2cups (500ml) cider vinegar 8oz (225g) finely chopped or grated shallots Small piece of ginger, grated 4 allspice berries 4 cloves 1 tbsp black peppercorns 1 tsp nutmeg (or mace) 1 tsp salt . Preheat your oven to 120°C. Place the elderberries in a casserole dish and pour the vinegar over them. Cover the dish with a lid and let them cook for 4-6 hours . Once the mixture has cooled, strain the juices through a sieve, applying pressure to extract all the liquid. Discard the elderberries. Transfer the liquid to a saucepan, add the shallots and other ingredients, and bring it to a boil. Simmer with the lid on for approximately 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it cool, strain it again, and then bottle your homemade Pontak sauce . Top Tip: to get the berries off the stalk, use a fork to pull them off . The longer you leave the sauce, the better it gets! It’s great added to gravy and casseroles, or can be used as a marinade for meats too . . . . #elderberry #wildfood #garden #berries #recipe #homemade #garden #gardening #hedgerow #allotment