Summer Fruit Shrub
Published May 19, 2015
Rikki Snyder for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 10 minutes, plus 24 hours in the refrigerator
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 pound unpeeled but pitted and chopped plums, apricots, peaches or other fruit
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup white wine vinegar
Nutritional analysis per serving
50 grams carbs; 205 calories; 2 grams fiber; 1 milligram sodium; 1 gram protein; 49 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Mix fruit and sugar in a glass or other nonplastic bowl, breaking apart or mashing the fruit to bring out its juices. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Step 2
Stir the mixture well, add vinegar and chill. The shrub can be strained and used at this point, but it will take on more of the characteristics of the fruit if it sits for a few days. When ready to use, stir well to make sure sugar is dissolved, then strain using a fine sieve, pressing the solids to get all of the juice.
- Step 3
Pour the mixture into a clean Mason jar or funnel into a glass bottle with a stopper or cork.
- Step 4
To prepare a drink, add 1 part shrub to 2 or 3 parts seltzer or ginger beer and serve over ice.
CHERRY AND MINT SHRUB Mix 2 cups crushed sweet cherries, ¼ cup mint leaves and ½ cup sugar. Refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice. Strain and mix with ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. Particularly good with tonic.
TOMATO AND BASIL SHRUB Crush 1 pound Sungold or other cherry tomatoes and add ½ cup sugar. Steep about 20 basil leaves in ½ cup apple cider vinegar overnight. Combine both in a jar, shake well and store in the refrigerator for a week. Strain before drinking.
CUCUMBER AND DILL SHRUB Steep overnight ¼ cup fresh dill in ½ cup white vinegar and ½ cup apple cider vinegar. Cut 2 large cucumbers into chunks and put into a blender with a little water. Purée and strain through a sieve. Strain the vinegar and add the cucumber juice. Refrigerate.
CELERY SHRUB Chop 1 pound celery, leaves and all, and blend with ½ cup water, adding more water as needed. Strain and mix with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup apple cider vinegar. Shake well and refrigerate. Shake intermittently for a day or two. Strain. Add seltzer for homemade celery soda.
Private Notes
Comments
I've made this several times. The vinegar used can really influence the final product, so the more delicate the fruit or veggie, I.e., strawberry or cucumber, I prefer white vinegar. Heartier fruits like plums, blueberries and tomatoes get apple cider or even balsamic, or a blend of the two. Adding ginger, cinnamon or fresh herbs can be great. You can always divide a batch and try different combinations. The flavors of uncooked shrubs are much brighter than the cooked shrub recipes.
Can this be made from frozen fruit? Or with honey instead of sugar?
Zero waste tip, don't use plastic wrap, either put it in a jar with a lid or if you make it in a bowl when it's marinating, put a plate on top of the bowl. Otherwise, delightful.
Champagne vinegar is a great option, too. It’s not too overpowering. I use it for shrubs all the time.
Is it possible to freeze this to thaw and use later?
I made my scrub with raspberries, mandarin, and lemon. I made a drink with about 3 oz of shrub and 6 oz mineral water. I ended up with a very upset stomach. I guess too much acid.