This is a sweet cherry shrub of fresh cherries, water and sugar.

Ingredients

• For the shrub:
• 1 lb (500 g) sour cherries
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• For the conserve:
• the residue from boiling the cherries
• ½ cup of the shrub
• ½ cup sugar
• lemon juice
• ½ tsp ground cardamom

Method

Step 1

Remove the stems and wash and stone the cherries.

Step 2

Place in a pan with the sugar and 2½ cups water. Bring slowly to a boil, allowing the sugar to dissolve. When boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes or until the juices have thickened and are a little syrupy.

Step 3

Strain, reserving the residue. Allow to cool before pouring into clean jars or bottles. Store in the refrigerator.

Step 4

To serve, pour about couple of tablespoons of the concentrated juice over ice cubes and dilute further with chilled water.

Step 5

To make the conserve: Place the cherry residue in a pan, add the shrub and the sugar. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and the cardamom. Bring to a boil and continue boiling gently for about 3 minutes or so until a syrupy consistency has formed. Cool and store in clean dry jars.

Step 6

This is delicious served with yogurt or ice cream.