Juniper Berry Recipes
Juniper Berries, how to cook them and reap medicinal benefits?We Answered:
The dried berries should be crushed well just before using as the flavor will decline rapidly once exposed to the air. You won't need many, three or four of the berries will flavor most dishes without overpowering the main ingredient or other seasonings.Juniper berries are a spice which is widely used in European cuisines to impart a clean, sharp flavor to meats especially wild game and wild birds and is one of the main flavourings of gin.
Calico Carrots
3 medium carrots (12 ounces), trimmed and peeled
2 medium potatoes (8 ounces), preferably Yukon Gold, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 shallot, halved and sliced thin (1/4 cup)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme, divided
4 juniper berries, crushed fine
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Arrange a saucepan and steamer basket over simmering water. Cut the carrots and potatoes into similarly sized pieces so that they will cook evenly. Transfer to steamer basket; cover and cook until the tip of a knife will pierce the centers with ease, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, half of the thyme and the juniper berries. (This will seem like too much oil but in the end it will be used to dress the carrots and potatoes.) Cook slowly, stirring often, until the shallots are very soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside but keep warm.
When the carrots and potatoes are cooked through, transfer them to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the vinegar and season with the salt and pepper. Use a potato masher or large fork to smash the vegetables into a rough texture that still shows some lumps of orange and white (the "calico" in the name). Taste this mixture for salt and pepper. Adjust if necessary.
Stir the remaining thyme into the cooked shallot mixture and pour the dressing over the carrots and potatoes. Mix thoroughly but lightly, again to preserve the separate orange and white colors. Serve hot.
Makes 4 servings.
Juniper- Lemon Marinade
Try this marinade with sautéed haddock, flounder, or halibut. The marinade has a nice tartness with touches of a savory gin and lemon flavour mixed with herbs.
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries, crushed
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons gin
• 1/3 cup of safflower oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped flat- leaf parsley
Preparation:
Combine the juniper berries, lemon juice, lemon zest, and gin in a non-reactive mixing bowl.
Whisk in the oil a little at a time. Add the shallots, bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Yield: 1 cup
Recommended cuts: Fish steaks (2 to 4 hours)
Lots more Juniper recipes here:
http://www.cookingindex.com/az/74/0/juni…
Juniper Tea:
Juniper berries may be tinctured or stored whole. Because juniper's volatile oils may irritate and stimulate, keep the dosage low. When making juniper tea, short, hot infusions of just five to eight minutes are best to preserve the volatile oils. Steep about 20 berries per cup of hot water. Steep in a covered container to preserve the oils.
Juniper Preparations and Warnings - Like all herbs, there are some precautions you should take before using juniper medicinally.
Herbal Tea: Limit consumption to 1 or 2 cups in a day, and do not use longer than two months.
Tincture: Take 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon at a time, no more than four times a day. Limit use to four to six weeks. Start with a low dosage and work upward, if needed.
Juniper berries could use a warning label: Not to be ingested by pregnant women, children under 12 and those with breast cancer or kidney problems
more information and possible side effects here:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/juniper-…
Lena Said:
Saltpetre.What is and where would I be able to buy Saltpetre in England.?We Answered:
Saltpetre is Potassium nitrate. I bought some from the local chemist's pharmacy counter.Saltpetre is carcinogenic, so be careful how you use it. It is a constituent of most "pink" coloured preserved meats, and providing you do not eat too much of it too often you will be fine.
Your recipe sounds fine, just make sure to check your beef on a daily basis, and if the "brine" goes slimy, or you detect any "off" smells discard the lot. Good Luck and enjoy the beef
Wesley Said:
Anyone have a good recipe that uses Juniper Berries?We Answered:
Chicken With Juniper BerriesIngredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 tps olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
1 Tbs juniper berries, lightly crushed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Directions
Lightly season chicken breasts with black pepper.
In large skillet heat half the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is just turning gold.
Remove the onion and set aside.
Add the other half of the olive oil and heat. Lightly brown the chicken breasts on both sides over medium-high heat; remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Add the chicken broth, wine, juniper berries, cooked onion, and fresh thyme sprigs to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil and let simmer for 2 minutes.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan and allow to cook for 6-7 minutes on each side.
Remove chicken from the pan, cover and set aside.
Bring liquid in the pan to a boil and slightly reduce (about 3-5 minutes).
Serve on a platter and top with the sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley.
Dwayne Said:
Are Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) cones edible ?We Answered:
Taxodium distichum is reported as not edible and its only use - beside as ornamental tree - is that resin in the cones is used as an analgesic for wounds.The analysis of volatile oil of cones:
http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/gca/…
is quite different from that one of Juniperus communis:
a-pinene, camphene, b-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, a-phellandrene, a-terpinene, y-terpinene, 1,4-cineole, b-phellandrene, p-cymene, terpinen-4-ol, bornyl acetate, cayophyllene and trace amounts of limonene, camphor, linalool, linalyl acetate, borneol and nerol.
Therefore it`s not applicative to substitute it.
Other uses of Bald Cypress:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?…
Ps
The ingredients are not toxic or harmful in small portion as used to spice, but do you really like the taste?
Should be the best to try a driblet before ruining a complete dish.
Alicia Said:
where can i find juniper berries near L.A. like stores do ralphs sell them?We Answered:
Last I knew, Whole foods still sells them in the herbs and dried products section.Adam Said:
german recipe?We Answered:
you can get dried juniper berries at most well stocked spice stores. I got some at a health food store as well.