Citrus ‘shrub’. Written by Mark Gould

A shrub is vinegar preserved raw fruit syrup. We use it like a cordial, as a topping and in very small amounts as an additive to a good beer which is our favourite.

Juice the citrus and set aside the juice. Fill a container with citrus peel and an equal weight (or a bit less) of sugar. Muddle the mix together, cover and reserve overnight in the fridge. Pour off the liquid and wash off the sugar from the skins with the juice initially set aside. Add a nice vinegar (apple cider, sweet balsamic etc) in small amounts till the taste suits you. Bottle and refrigerate.

Note that the skins are nicely sugared so if you add a bit more sugar and just cover with water, they can be boiled to make a marmalade. The result is more sweet/sour than normal because there is no juice.