Cranberry-Lime Shrub Sparkler
by Jennifer Armentrout
Popular in colonial times, a shrub is a sweetened fruit and vinegar syrup. It’s mainly used as a drink mixer, as in this recipe, but you can also use it to brighten a pan sauce for chicken or pork, to boost the flavor of a viniagrette, or to add some zing to whipped cream for a unique dessert topping.
Yields about 1 quart shrub, enough for 16 drinks
For the shrub
12 oz. (3 cups) cranberries,rinsed and picked over
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 strip lime zest (1/2 x 2 inches)
For the sparklers
1 cup seltzer, tonic water, or sparkling cider
1 fl. oz. vodka (optional)
Make the shrub
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, vinegar, and lime zest with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cranberries are completely broken down, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
Purée with an immersion blender. Strain through a fine sieve set over a large bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
Make the sparklers
Per drink, combine 3 to 4 Tbs. of the chilled shrub with cold seltzer (and vodka, if you like).
Make Ahead Tips
The shrub will keep, refrigerated in a jar, for up to 2 months.
nutrition information (per serving):
Size
:
1 Tbs. of the shurb;
Calories
(kcal):
15;
Fat
(g):
0;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
0;
Saturated Fat
(g):
0;
Protein
(g):
0;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
0;
Carbohydrates
(g):
4;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
0;
Sodium
(mg):
0;
Cholesterol
(mg):
0;
Fiber
(g):
0;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 113
, pp. 20-21
September 1, 2011
