rosella flowers, strawberries, preserving, Native Australian recipeForage Byron Bay Forage Byron Bayrosella preserves, using rosella flowers, rosella recipes, rosella flower, hibiscus sabdariffa, wild hibiscus, cooking with wild hibiscus, preserving wild hibiscus flowers, rosella shrub, rosella cordial, rosella and strawberry shrub, how to use rosella flowersComment

Rosella and strawberry shrub

rosella flowers, strawberries, preserving, Native Australian recipeForage Byron Bay Forage Byron Bayrosella preserves, using rosella flowers, rosella recipes, rosella flower, hibiscus sabdariffa, wild hibiscus, cooking with wild hibiscus, preserving wild hibiscus flowers, rosella shrub, rosella cordial, rosella and strawberry shrub, how to use rosella flowersComment
Rosella and strawberry shrub

Gardening over Summer in the subtropics can be challenging. It is hot and humid and bugs seem to thrive more than my plants do... Enter the rosella plant. Rosella, or Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a hardy shrub considered naturalised in Australia. It is considered a weed in some areas in Northern Australia. It grows when not much else will - and also provides a shade hedge for other plants. At the end of Summer and through Autumn, I harvest a few big crops of the ‘fruit’ - the dark red calyx that forms after the flower and around the seed pod.

The calyx is tart and crunchy raw, and when cooked adds a bright red colour and gentle spiced flavour to the dish. Excellent in cordials, syrups, jams, chutneys and fruit paste. The calyx is a little time consuming to prepare. Once the seed is removed you can use the calyx flesh fresh, freeze it or dry it (a delicious option for a herbal tea).

This year I had a lovely email about an adaptation to my rosella jam with strawberries. Instantly sounded like a good idea to me. That is all I needed to inspire some experimentation and a batch of a pretty delightful shrub.

Rosella and strawberry shrub

Makes 5L

Ingredients

1kg strawberries

500g rosella calyxes (seeds removed)

1.5L apple cider vinegar

1.5L water

1kg -1.5kg sugar to taste (I used white sugar to keep the bright colour and clean flavour, raw sugar is fine if you prefer)

Instructions

  1. Place the strawberries, rosella calyxes, apple cider and water in a large preserving pan and bring to a simmer for a few minutes. Turn off and allow to cool.

  2. Process via a cold press juicer if you have one (fastest option and worth the investment if you make lots of cordials or shrubs where you need to remove the fruit pulp), or through a mouli or sieve if you don’t.

  3. Sterilise your bottles.

  4. Return the liquid to the pan and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes.

  5. Pour carefully into your sterilised bottles and seal.

Shrub stores well in a dark cupboard for at least 6 months. Keep in the fridge once opened.

foraging, preserving, Summer harvest, davidson plum, Native Australian recipe, dessertsForage Byron Bay Forage Byron BayDavidson Plum recipe, Davidson Plum sorbet recipe, How to make Davidson Plum powder, Cooking with Davidson Plum, how to use Davidson Plum, davidsonia jerseyana, native australian ingredients recipe, using Native Australian ingredients in modern cooking, Davidson Plum crumble, Davidson Plum dessertComment

Davidson Plum

Davidson plum and rose sorbet

foraging, preserving, Summer harvest, davidson plum, Native Australian recipe, dessertsForage Byron Bay Forage Byron BayDavidson Plum recipe, Davidson Plum sorbet recipe, How to make Davidson Plum powder, Cooking with Davidson Plum, how to use Davidson Plum, davidsonia jerseyana, native australian ingredients recipe, using Native Australian ingredients in modern cooking, Davidson Plum crumble, Davidson Plum dessertComment
Davidson Plum
Autumn harvest, preserving, guava, rosella flowersForage Byron Bay Forage Byron Bayguava recipes, rosella recipes, guava and rosella fruit paste, guava and rosella cheese paste, romeo and juliet paste, how to make fruit paste, preserving with guava, using rosella flowers, fruit paste recipes, fruit cheese recipes, guava paste recipe, guava fruit cheese recipe, preserving rosella flowers, preserving guava, guava preserves, rosella preserves, receita de romeu e julieta doceComment

Romeo & Juliet

Spiced guava and rosella paste

Autumn harvest, preserving, guava, rosella flowersForage Byron Bay Forage Byron Bayguava recipes, rosella recipes, guava and rosella fruit paste, guava and rosella cheese paste, romeo and juliet paste, how to make fruit paste, preserving with guava, using rosella flowers, fruit paste recipes, fruit cheese recipes, guava paste recipe, guava fruit cheese recipe, preserving rosella flowers, preserving guava, guava preserves, rosella preserves, receita de romeu e julieta doceComment
Romeo & Juliet
rosella flowers, preservingForage Byron Bay Forage Byron Bayrosella preserves, rosella syrup, rosella recipes, preserving rosella flowers, hibiscus sabdariffa, wild hibiscus, cooking with wild hibiscus, preserving wild hibiscus flowers, mocktail recipes, nojito recipes1 Comment

Rosella and lime nojito

Rosella flower syrup

rosella flowers, preservingForage Byron Bay Forage Byron Bayrosella preserves, rosella syrup, rosella recipes, preserving rosella flowers, hibiscus sabdariffa, wild hibiscus, cooking with wild hibiscus, preserving wild hibiscus flowers, mocktail recipes, nojito recipes1 Comment
Rosella and lime nojito
rosella flowers, preservingForage Byron Bay rosella preserves, rosella recipes, preserving rosella flowers, using rosella flowers, rosella flower jam, wild hibiscus, cooking with wild hibiscus, preserving wild hibiscus flowers, hibiscus sabdariffa, making jam with flowers, flower jam, how to make jamComment

Rosella flower jam

wild hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa )

rosella flowers, preservingForage Byron Bay rosella preserves, rosella recipes, preserving rosella flowers, using rosella flowers, rosella flower jam, wild hibiscus, cooking with wild hibiscus, preserving wild hibiscus flowers, hibiscus sabdariffa, making jam with flowers, flower jam, how to make jamComment
Rosella flower jam
davidson plum, preserving, Native Australian recipeForage Byron Bay Forage Byron BayDavidson Plum recipe, davidson plum recipes, davidsonia jerseyana, how to use Davidson Plum, Cooking with Davidson Plum, davidson plum shrub, davidson plum cordial, cooking with davidson plum, preserving davidson plums, davidson plum drink, davidson plum harvestComment

Davidson Plum shrub syrup

davidson plum, preserving, Native Australian recipeForage Byron Bay Forage Byron BayDavidson Plum recipe, davidson plum recipes, davidsonia jerseyana, how to use Davidson Plum, Cooking with Davidson Plum, davidson plum shrub, davidson plum cordial, cooking with davidson plum, preserving davidson plums, davidson plum drink, davidson plum harvestComment
Davidson Plum shrub syrup