Sea Buckthorn Infused Vinegar



Sea buckthorn berries, those precious orange gems are considered to be a super fruit. They are an excellent source of vitamins C, A, K and B complex and they are also packed with amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals and oligoelemenets. Sea buckthorn berries have antibiotic, anti-inflamatory and immunostimulant properties.

When they are in season, my favorite ways to include them in my diet are smoothies and apple – sea buckthorn pies. But since I want to benefit from their properties all year round, I like to preserve them in vinegar (I usually use apple cider vinegar), which I use to season various dishes, from simple salads to hummus, pasta dishes or vegetable stews. This way I get to enjoy both its pleasant flavor and its healing properties.

Ingredients:

  • 5% aplle cider vinegar
  • 100 – 150g sea buckthorn berries

 

Method:

  1. Place the sea buckthorn berries in a large bowl and make sure to pick only the healthy berries. Carefully rinse them in cold water 3 – 4 times and leave them to drain in a colander.
  2. Place them on a paper-lined plate and let them dry for 2 – 3 for hours.
  3. Preheat the oven at 180C / 350 F (gas mark 4). When the berries look dry, sterilize the jar.
  4. If your jar has a rubber seal, remove it. Clean the jar in hot soapy water and rinse it. While the jar is still wet, place it on a tray and sterilize it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
  5. After 15 minutes remove the tray from the oven and leave it aside to cool down.
  6. Sterilize the rubber seal as well by boiling it in a saucepan for 1 – 2 minutes. Carefully remove it from the boiling water and place it on a towel.
  7. When the jar is cool enough to handle, attach the rubber seal. Place the berries in the jar.
  8. Heat the vinegar just below the boiling point and let it cool down for a few minutes. Pour the vinegar in the jar and seal the jar.
  9. Leave the vinegar to infuse it in a dark cupboad (or on a shelf in your pantry) for 3 – 4 weeks.

Source: www.seabuckthorninsider.com