I’m not a gin enthusiast, between you and me. That’s often what we think of, when talking ‘juniper berries’. These piney-scented little treasures, with a slightly bitter, pungent taste, are,however, a part of my culinary pantry. I am sharing juniper berry recipes with you today! Enjoy!
Often a part of Scandinavian and some European cuisines, it is paired with other herbs or spices and enjoyed with various meats. We find juniper in sauces or marinades for venison, duck, pheasant and other so called ‘wild game’ meals, as well as farmed meats. It is also a part of preparations with sauerkraut where it adds it’s aromatic taste to classic traditional recipes. Juniper berries can be crushed and added to a blend of herbs to make a ‘rub’ or to ‘encrust’ meat or fish.
I guess it should come as no surprise that these little morsels, with a bitter ‘edge’, are many times, paired with heavy or fatty meats. The knowledge that bitter tasting foods can improve digestibility of foods and soothe a ‘post heavy meal tummy discomfort’, is no doubt a part of the reason we see juniper in these recipes. For more about "Juniper Medicine" and the benefits of these berries, stay tuned.
Juniper Berry Recipes ~ Marinade
I make a simple marinade for meat dishes. The ingredients change, depending upon my mood and what’s on hand. Here’s an example:
Marinade:
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (including skins)
6-8 Juniper Berries
1 teaspoon Thyme (fresh when possible)
1-2 Bay leaves
½ teaspoon Rosemary leaves, snipped
½ cup olive oil
splash Apple Cider Vinegar (herb-infused vinegars can complement well here)
Mix ingredients together in a bowl and add the meat. Cover.
I’ve started using a large freezer bag, which makes this SO easy.
Mix ingredients in the bag itself. Add the meat.
Seal the bag and place in the fridge for 2-8 hours.
Juniper Berry Recipes ~ Dry Rub or Paste:
It’s easy to make a quick ‘dry rub’ or paste to use to encrust meat or fish.
In this case, we would crush the juniper berries with a mortar and pestle and add to other ingredients. As an example, for a light white fish dish:
3-4 juniper berries
1 onion or 2 shallots, minced
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped finely
½ teaspoon black pepper
Combine with a tablespoon or two of butter and whisk into a paste which is then applied to the fish before baking. Use your imagination. Play with the juniper berries and find your own favourite combinations
Juniper Berry Recipes ~ Syrup
I read about this delicious Syrup in ‘Bon Appetit’ magazine, last year. As soon as I could gather the ingredients, I made this and it is SO good!
Very versatile, it jazzes up ice cream dishes, yogurt, fruit salads and, even co*cktails!
This recipe was developed by famed Michelin-starred Chef Alain Passard,
for his restaurant L’Arpege, in Paris.
Thousand Flavor Syrup
Makes approx. 2 c. or 16 oz.
- ¼ c. sugar
- 2 c. water
- ½ vanilla pod, split lengthwise seeds removed
- 3 green cardamom pods; lightly crushed
- 1 star anise
- 5 juniper berries
- 3 wide strips of lemon zest or rind, avoiding white pith
- ¼ c. dried rose petals
- 2 T. dried hibiscus flowers or tea
- 1 t. pink peppercorns
- 1 t. Sichuan peppercorns
Bring ¼ c. sugar & 2 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar.
Remove from heat & scrape in seeds from ½ vanilla pod, split lengthwise.
Add pod along with all of the rest of the ingredients.
Let syrup set until flavors are infused, 10-15 minutes.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl
Discard solids, Chill until cold, then cover.
Syrup can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Imagine all the ways you enjoy this delicious and aromatic infusion!
Juniper Berry Recipes ~ Polish “Kapusta”
(aka Sauerkraut with Juniper Berries)
In Toronto, I live in Parkdale, a community of homes dating from late 1880s. In the 50s and 60s, many arrived from Germany and Poland, made their homes here and businesses thrived. We still enjoy bakeries and delicatessens featuring ‘goodies’ from these cultures.
A favourite with my family, is called “Kapusta” (cabbage in Polish). It’s another version of a type of “Choucroute Garnie”, a French dish from Alsace featuring sauerkraut with aromatic herbs and spices. Whatever name we use, each dish is delicious and a popular warming comfort food in the cold months. I do make Kapusta myself occasionally but confess to popping up to the deli more often – as it is ready to eat and very satisfying. Why am I telling you this?
It’s chock full of little juniper berries with onions, bay leaves and thyme!
We can make a Kapusta with a head of cabbage (from scratch) or skip that step and go straight to glass jars of sauerkraut.
This version takes a little longer, but is delicious.
1 head of cabbage (green or red), shredded
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoon butter
1 bay leaf
4 juniper berries
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
sea salt + fresh pepper
optional: ½ cup of dry white wine
This can be a vegetarian dish or not. Optional “add ons”:
Kielbasa sausage, bacon, shredded pork or chicken.
Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onion and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until translucent.
Add the cabbage, stirring well. Cook over low heat for a few minutes and then add the apple. Mix well.
Add bay leaf and juniper berries. Blend into the mixture.
Add the vinegar and wine if using, plus salt and pepper.
Continue to simmer for about 1 hour.
Juniper Recipes ~ A must make Compote:
I had mentioned that juniper berries are synonymous with classic wild dishes and have used them several times to create a tasty accompaniment for grilled and baked duck breast.
This is normally a little compote or fruity sauce made with cherries or blueberries. Here’s a template for a fragrant ‘jammy’ sauce which is just perfect with duck breast:
1 cup fruit
½ cup vinegar (red wine, white wine or balsamic, apple cider)
½ cup white wine (best is dry white)
4-6 juniper berries
1 bay leaf
1-2 tablespoon peppercorns
Optional: sweetener ~ I use maple syrup or honey to taste
Combine the fruit and vinegar in a pot. Cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Add the wine. Simmer.
Place the juniper berries, bay leaf and peppercorns in a muslin bag.
Put the bag on a cutting board and bash with a mallet to crush a little, and then pop into the fruit mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bag. Taste. If the simmering jam needs to be a little sweeter, add some honey or maple syrup.
Drizzle over top of the duck breast when serving. I like to keep the jam warm and serve as a hot sauce!
Note: If using balsamic vinegar for your vinegar in this recipe, use a little less as it can be very potent.
Experiment!!
Here’s hoping that you are inspired to try JUNIPER berry recipes in your own kitchen!
Add a little juniper ‘medicine’ to your life!
