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8 Delicious Rowan Berry Recipes

I love trying out new foraging recipes and where we are at the moment, the rowan berries are ripening up and turning a beautifully tempting shade of red. So, I thought I would round up some of my favourite rowan berry recipes from around the internet for you to try out and enjoy too! Jump to recipes...

Now, rowan is a bit of a love it or hate it berry. Mostly because it is quite astringent and a little (okay, very) bitter. But, there are ways to reduce this bitterness and enjoy a wonderfully nutritious and underrated berry. (Did you know that rowan berries contain almost twice the amount of vitamin C as oranges do? Plus they are rich in vitamin E, potassium and beta carotenes.

One of the best ways to enjoy a mellowed down rowan is to wait and pick them after the first frosts. But, well, sometimes that is just too long to wait... So, you can put them in the freezer for a day or two before using them to simulate the mellowing effects of frost. Alternatively, they can be mixed with apples, spices, herbs or lemon juice. Or, you can counter the bitterness by using a lot of sweeteners and sugars.

Rowan trees can be found growing in hedgerows, woodlands, city streets, parks and garden. Just remember to ensure you have correctly identified your tree and never strip it entirely of berries - they are a very important over-winter food source for the birds. I would recommend taking only as many berries as you need.

To prepare your rowan berries, strip them off their stalks and swirl them gently in cool water to remove any bugs and insects. Then, as suggested above, place them in the freezer for a day to two to help mellow their astringent bitterness before trying to use them.

P.S. If you are looking for a way to help grow your foraging confidence, check out this online foraging course by The Herbal Academy.

Rowanberry Chutney

A lovely, chunky and winter-warming rowan and apple chutney from Emi's Good Eating.

Ingredients:
  • 400g Rowan berries
  • 2 Cooking apples, chopped
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 2 Shallots or 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1tbsp molasses
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 or 2 star anise
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large pan and just cover with water (about 400ml), then bring to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30-40 minutes until most of the water has evaporated.
  3. Bottle the chutney once it has cooled down and enjoy!
 

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Rowanberry Jam

Rowan Berry Jam recipe from Adagio Blog Nordic Foraging.

Ingredients:

  • 800g Rowan berries
  • 800g Apples
  • 1kg Sugar
  • 1 Cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 Lemon juice
Instructions:
  1. Mix the rowan berries, apples, sugar and cinnamon in a large pan.
  2. Once it begins to boil, add the lemon juice and cook until the apples are completely softened
  3. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or sieve into glass jars, then seal and allow them to cool.
  4. Store in a dark place at room temperature.
  5. They should last for a few months.

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Rowanberry and Apple Jelly

This tart and smoky recipe comes from Sarah Raven, who recommends it to be enjoyed with wenslydale cheese or game.

Ingredients:

  • 2kg Rowan berries
  • 1 1/2 kg Apples
  • Sugar (1 pint sugar: 1 pint juice)

Instructions:

  1. Mix the rowan berries and apples together in a large pan and just cover with cold water. Then allow the water to boil, reduce and simmer gently until the fruit is soft. (About 30-40 minutes)
  2. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or muslin overnight, then measure the amount of liquid collected.
  3. Add the same quantity of sugar as the quantity of liquid collected and heat the mixture gently until the sugar has dissolved. Then, bring it to a rolling boil.
  4. Test whether the jam is ready by placing a small amount on a cold saucer or plate. The jam should wrinkle when pushed with a finger once it has cooled.
  5. Once the jam is ready, remove any scum from the surface and pour it straight into warm, sterilised jars. Seal them and allow them cool, then keep them in a cool, dark location. They should last for up to a year if un-opened.

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rowan berries

Rowanberry and Apple Jam

Recipe from the Forager Chef.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups of rowan berries
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 4 cups of apples, diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large pan and simmer until they are soft (about 30 minutes).
  2. If the mixture starts looking to dry, add a spoon of water.
  3. Blend the mixture together, then bottle up and keep in the fridge or freezer.

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Spiced Rowanberry and Orange Jam

This recipe also comes from the Forager Chef and is the same as the recipe above, with the addition of:

  • 1/8 tsp toasted ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • Grated zest of 1 orange

Instructions:

  1. Follow steps 1 and 2 from the recipe given above for rowan berry and apple jam. However, add in the ingredients above and mix them well before continuing to step 3 and putting the mixture into the blender.

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Rowanberry and Orange Curd

This delicious recipe comes courtesy of the delightful blog, Havoc in the Kitchen and is a lovely idea to use up some of your frosted rowan berries.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of rowan berries
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • 125g butter
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 large orange (1/2 cup juice)
  • 2/3 cup sugar

Instructions:

  1. Combine the rowan berries and water in a large pan and bring to the boil. Then, simmer for 10 minutes, pressing the berries occasionally to break their skins and release their juices.
  2. Remove from the heat and strain the berries through a sieve or cheesecloth (reserving the liquid). Then combine 2/3 cup of this liquid with the orange juice.
  3. In another pan, melt the butter then add the juice, sugar and egg yolks.
  4. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until thick (about 10-15 minutes).
  5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then sit back and enjoy!

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Rowanberry Turkish Delight

I cannot wait to try out this recipe for rowan berry Turkish delight by Eat Weeds forager and author, Robin Harford once I find some veggie gelatine. In the meantime, why don't you have a go?

Ingredients:

  • 140g rowan berries
  • 500ml water
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 450g sugar
  • 300ml rowan berry juice (see instructions)
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • 25g gelatine
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1tbsp rose water
  • 1 tbsp pistachio nuts
  • 1oz arrowroot or cornflower

Instructions:

  1. Make the rowan berry juice by covering the rowan berries in a large pan with 500ml of water. Then, bring them to a boil.
  2. As they are boiling, try to crush the berries using a potato masher to break them down as much as possible. Then, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
  3. Then, mash the berries again and allow to strain overnight through a muslin cheesecloth or strainer.
  4. This should yield about 400ml of liquid. Next, ass an extra amount of water to make it up to 500ml.
  5. To make the Turkish delight, butter  baking tin and set aside.
  6. Then, mix the sugar, rowan berry juice and lemon juice in a large pan and bring to the boil.
  7. Continue boiling until the liquid thickens and forms a hard ball if you drop some into a bowl of cold water.
  8. Once it is ready, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
  9. Dissolve the gelatine in 120ml of hot, boiled water, then add the vanilla and mix well before adding it to the rowan juice.
  10. Mix thoroughly, then pour half of the liquid into your baking tin. Then, cover the surface with chopped up pistachios.
  11. Next, stir the rosewater into the remaining rowan liquid and mix well before pouring this into the baking tray too.
  12. Allow the mixture to cool before placing it into the fridge overnight.
  13. The following day, gently tip the Turkish delight onto a lightly dusted surface, cut into cubes and roll each piece in arrowroot powder or cornflower.
  14. Finally, taking a big bite and enjoy!

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Rowanberry Sorbet

This recipe comes from the Swedish website, Naset Marcusgard and is an interesting and rather different idea which I have not come across before, to make rowan more palatable by turning it into a sorbet. I have not tried this one yet, as we do not have an ice machine, but I thought it sounded intriguing enough for me to share with you x

Ingredients:

  • 1 litre of water
  • 500g sugar
  • 500-700g rowan berries
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 egg white

Instructions:

  1. Make a syrup by combining thr sugar and water and warming gently until the sugar is dissolved.
  2. Next, pour this syrup over the berries and heat until it reaches 70C, then add the cinnamon stick.
  3. Allow the mixture to cool down, then blend and add the lemon juice.
  4. Strain the mixture through a cheese cloth or strainer and pour it into an ice-machine.
  5. Finally, blend in the egg white half a minute before your sorbet is ready.

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