Raspberry Shrub Recipes
Recipes courtesy of Gary Danko and Joanne Weir

Raspberry Vinegar a.k.a. Raspberry Shrub

Ingredients:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 quarts raspberries
Sugar

Preparation
1. In a non-reactive bowl, combine the vinegar and raspberries. Cover and let macerate for 3 days. (3 days makes it taste as great as it does, wait for it…wait for it.)

2. Mash the raspberries in the bowl, then strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth. For every 1 cup juice, add 1/2 pound of sugar.

3. Combine the juice and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool, then bottle. (Can keep in fridge for up to 3 months).

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Stone Fruit Summer Salad

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar syrup (recipe above)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (you can use red too)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup toasted almonds
1 peach
1 nectarine
1 plum
1 apricot
1/2 cup pitted cherries
8 cups mixed greens
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (or feta)

Preparation:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry vinegar syrup, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast in oven until golden, around 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool.

3. Just before serving, cut the peach, nectarine, plums and apricots into 3/8-inch wedges. To serve, toss the salad greens with the fruit, almonds and vinaigrette. Top with the crumbled goat or feta cheese and serve.

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Raspberry Vinegar Float

Ingredients:
1 ounce raspberry vinegar (recipe above)
2 ounces Pisco Italiana (if you can’t find it, use Pisco)
1/4 ounces fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce Maraschino liqueur
Club soda
Vanilla Ice Cream (recipe below)
Mint sprig to garnish

Preparation:
1. Place all of the ingredients in a shaker, add plenty of ice, and shake well. Strain into a tall float glass. Top the drink with club soda to taste (1/4 to 1/2 cup).

2. Carefully place a scoop of vanilla ice cream into the glass. Garnish with mint sprig, a tall bar spoon and a straw, and you got yourself an adult version of a float!

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Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Serves: About 10; Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
9 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
1. In a saucepan, combine milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla bean. Over medium heat, heat or scald the mixture until it bubbles around the edges and a skin forms on the top, 5 minutes. Place the yolks in a bowl and whisk together to break them up but do not foam.

2. Remove the milk and cream mixture from the heat and very slowly add the milk/cream mixture to the yolks, whisking constantly. Turn the heat on to medium. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to 165 degrees or until it begins to thicken and coats a wooden spoon. Immediately remove from the heat, strain into a clean bowl and whisk quickly, 20 seconds. Add the vanilla extract. Chill the mixture until ice cold in the fridge.

3. Freeze according to the instructions with your ice cream maker.

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Raspberry Tiramisu

Serves: 12-16

Ingredients:
3 cups raspberry vinegar syrup (recipe above)
8 tablespoons brandy
1 pound mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup heavy cream
50 to 60 Savoia ladyfingers
2 to 3 pints fresh raspberries

Preparation:
1. In a large skillet, combine the raspberry syrup and 6 tablespoons of the brandy, warm gently but not to a boil.

2. Place the mascarpone in a large bowl and mix until smooth, do not over beat as it will separate.

3. In a clean mixer bowl, with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until frothy, start adding the sugar and continue to stuff but not dry peaks. Remove meringue to larger bowl.

4. In the same mixer bowl ribbon 4 egg yolks, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, remove, scraping into a bowl on top of meringue. In the same mixer bowl whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and scrape into the master bowl. Fold all of the mixtures together ensuring not to over fold the mixture.

5. To assemble: Macerate half of the ladyfingers in the raspberry syrup and line the bottom of a 13 X 9 baking dish. Spread half the cream mixture over the ladyfingers. Sprinkle the raspberries evenly. Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers, raspberries and cream mixture. Smooth out. Cover w/parchment paper or plastic, pressing on the surface to completely seal. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or best overnight.