From dogwood, rich in valuable amino acids and vitamin C, delicious preserves and jellies, jams and juices are brewed. Berries can be dried and used as additives in meals. Another interesting idea is to make an appetizing sauce for the winter, which will be a great addition to steaks, baked meat or fried sausages. There are also sweet options that will perfectly complement homemade cakes.
Cornel sauce: features and benefits
Dogwood is a shrub with large dark red berries. In the wild, it is found in the Caucasus and the Kuban, in other regions the shrub is grown in gardens. The plant is thermophilic, but breeders have bred hybrids suitable for the middle lane and colder areas. Gardeners love the original varieties with amber, bright orange and even creamy white berries. However, in cooking, the common ruby-red dogwood is more common, characterized by a bright, sour-tart taste and a recognizable delicate aroma.
Berries are appreciated for their excellent taste, and they are also very healthy. Cornel is rich in vitamins and natural antioxidants, it helps burn excess fat, stimulates digestion, improves skin condition, has bactericidal and bile-excreting properties.
Dogwood sauce, cooked according to all the rules, looks very impressive in photographs and videos, it is often used for illustrations and restaurant menus and specialized publications. The product has a deep red color and pasty consistency. The sauce can be used immediately after boiling, but it is usually made for future use by rolling up in jars and placing in a cool place. The tasty mixture can be used for garnishing, it is added to soups and vegetable stews to give the original sour-fruity notes. Cornel sauce is also useful for homemade barbecue marinade, it makes the meat tender, juicy, tasty.
The classic recipe for dogwood sauce for the winter
A simple and affordable option for a healthy sauce for meat. The proportions of seasonings can be changed to taste. Instead of fresh cilantro, dried cilantro is suitable, but then the final product will be less aromatic.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of ripe dogwood berries;
- head of garlic;
- 1 tsp ground chili;
- 1 tsp salt;
- 1 tsp ground coriander;
- 1 tsp quality olive oil;
- 1 tsp hops-suneli;
- a bunch of fresh cilantro (or 1.5 tsp dried).
Sort the dogwood, rejecting shriveled, damaged or rotted specimens. Rinse the berries, dry them by sprinkling them on a towel. Pour the dogwood into a thick-bottomed bowl, enamelled, cast iron or copper. Place the container on the stove and heat over medium heat, stirring the contents with a wooden spatula. When the berries give juice, start stirring more intensely, gently kneading the dogwood with a spatula. After about 10 minutes, the mass will become homogeneous. Boil it for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.
Rub the contents of the pan through a sieve. You will get a puree with a little liquid. The remaining skins and bones can be used to make homemade fruit drinks. Put the puree back into the saucepan.
Rinse cilantro, dry, chop finely and add to the berry mass. Add chopped garlic, hops-suneli, ground hot pepper, coriander, fried in a dry frying pan and pounded in a mortar. Pour in olive oil, add salt to the puree. If the mixture is too thick, add some filtered water. Simmer the sauce over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula. Properly cooked product is moderately thick, reminiscent of jam in consistency.
Sterilize and dry the jars. It is better to use small containers, because after opening the product is not stored for a long time. Pour hot sauce, roll up the lids and cool under the covers. Store ready-made canned food in a cool place. If you used ordinary jars with screw lids, it is better to put the sauce in the lower compartment of the refrigerator.
Sweet sauce: step by step
An unusual solution is the original cornelian cherry sauce for ice cream, soufflés, muffins and other desserts. The recipe is popular in Turkish cuisine, gravy not only gives the dishes a pleasant sour taste, but also decorates them. From the specified amount of products, 1 kg of the finished treat will be obtained.
Ingredients:
- 1, 3 kg of ripe dogwood;
- 2 kg of sugar;
- 2 glasses of filtered water;
- 0.25 tsp citric acid.
Sort the dogwood, rinse in several waters, discard in a colander. Pour the berries into a thick-walled saucepan or basin, put on low heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the berries are juiced and soft. Rub the hot mass through a sieve with a wooden pestle and a spoon.
Return the mashed potatoes to the saucepan, add sugar, cook over very low heat for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and not simmering. Remove rising foam with a spoon. Add citric acid at the end of cooking. It will serve as a safe preservative and will preserve the beautiful ruby red color of the sauce. If desired, you can add other tasty ingredients to the mixture: vanilla pod, fresh or dried mint, lemon balm. Aromatic dark honey will add interesting flavor notes.
Pour the hot sauce into sterilized and dried jars, filling them along the "shoulders". Tighten the containers with lids, turn them over on a towel, wrap them in a thick terry towel. Slow cooling will preserve the beautiful color of the product and make the taste even more intense. If long-term storage is not planned, you can close the containers with clean plastic or metal screw caps. These cans are best kept refrigerated and used within 2 months.
