Spiced Strawberry Syrup and Shrub

⏱ 40 mins 🍽 2 cups, approximately 🏷 Drink

This recipe yields a beautifully spiced strawberry syrup, which can also be used to make a traditional shrub drink. The process involves macerating strawberries with sugar and lemon juice, then simmering the strained liquid with ginger, chilli flakes, and Sichuan peppercorns until thickened. The resulting syrup is versatile and keeps for up to one week. To serve as a shrub, simply mix the syrup with apple cider vinegar and top with sparkling water over ice.

Spiced Strawberry Syrup and Shrub

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs organic strawberries, washed and hulled (about 2 quarts)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 thick slice fresh ginger (3/4-inch)
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes (to taste, I use half-teaspoons of the spices)
  • 1/2 teaspoon szichuan peppercorn (to taste)

Method

  1. Pulse the strawberries in a food processor in batches until they are coarsely chopped.
  2. Transfer the chopped berries to a bowl and mix in the sugar, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the salt.
  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 8 hours or leave it overnight.
  4. Strain the accumulated juices from the berries into a 2-quart saucepan, keeping the fruit pulp aside for other uses.
  5. Add the slice of ginger, the crushed red chilli flakes, and the Sichuan peppercorns to the juice in the pan.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until it becomes thick and syrupy, which will take 30 to 35 minutes.
  7. About halfway through the cooking time, skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
  8. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature.
  9. Once cooled, strain the syrup to remove the spices and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  10. To make a shrub, combine 4 to 6 tablespoons of the cooled syrup with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a tall glass filled with ice, then top up with sparkling water.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium1097100 mg

Recipe details

CategoryDrink
Authorzeldaz51