cookslovak

I have been drinking store-bought sea-buckthorn infusions for a few years without knowing how versatile these berries are. Dried and packed on their own, or mixed with other ingredients like green tea, ginger, rosehips, eldeberry flowers, mint or redcurrants, sea-buckthorn berries (or seaberries for short) are sold in our shops and commonly used to make ‘tea’. Tea (or čaj in Slovak) is how we refer to any hot infusion of dried berries, herbs or leaves in water, no mattter if tea leaves are present.

I hadn’t seen sea-buckthorn shrubs (rakytník in Slovak) until last month when I was staying with my niece’s family in their home. I was so fascinated with vibrant orange berries the female plant was laden with that I picked a bowl to take home and test.

The Internet told me about the medicinal uses of seaberries in tinctures and oils, as well as the health benefits of eating them raw or drinking the seaberry juice. I decided to make a seaberry jam, as the berries I had brought tasted a bit too tart.

I rinsed the seaberries under running water and placed them in a clean bowl. Added granulated sugar, stirred well into the berries, covered with a lid and let the sugared berries sit overnight in a cool, dark place. I checked them the next morning, stirred again and left to stand, covered, for a few more hours.

In the afternoon, I gave the mixture a quick buzz in a blender and strained the pulp through a fine mesh sieve. The juice I got looked so nice that I couldn’t resist taking a few sips. It tasted divine – the sugar had tamed the tartness of the berries – so I put aside some for freezing and some for chilling in the fridge. Diluted with cold water, the fresh or frozen seaberry juice makes a wonderful summer drink.

The rest of the seaberry juice went into making a jelly. The recipe below shows the amount I actually worked with, but the 2:1 berry to sugar ratio can be applied to any amount of the berries.

Seaberry Jelly

• 400 g sea-buckthorn berries
• 200 g granulated sugar

Instructions:

1. Rinse the berries under running water and place in a clean bowl. Add the sugar and stir it well into the berries. Cover with a lid or clingfilm and let stand overnight in a cool, dark place.
2. The next morning, stir the berries again to release more juice. Leave to stand, covered, for a few more hours.
3. When the berries have absorbed all the sugar and softened, give them a quick buzz in a blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and either save some of the juice for freezing/chilling (see the notes and photos above), or use it all to make the jelly.

   

4. Place a wide, deep pan with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Transfer 2 – 3 ladles of the juice to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the volume of the juice has reduced by about a half.

   

5. When the wooden spoon leaves a path in the hot mixture, carefully transfer it to a clean, dry jar and cook another batch in the same manner. Fill the jar up to the brim and screw on the lid while the jelly is still hot. Leave to cool down. Repeat the process until you have used all the juice.

   

6. As the jars are cooling, you will hear slight popping sounds. That is the sign of a good seal. When they have cooled completely, transfer the jars to a pantry or a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in the fridge.

   

Did you know that seaberries

• are high in vitamin C, E, A
• are rich in flavonoids and omega 3, 6, 7, and 9 fatty acids, which improve your heart function, reduce inflammation and help blood circulation
• have a high content of beneficial oils that boost skin elasticity and improve its texture
• show some support in cancer therapy?

Source: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-sea-buckthorn