Anyone have a good recipe that uses Juniper Berries?!
Answers: Any? the only thing I have found that calls for them is brine. Pork recipes a plus as I love pork. Thanks
Chicken With Juniper Berries
Ingredients
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.
Gin? Sorry, not got a recipe, I wish I had.
Braised Pork With Beer & Juniper Berries
| 2 hours | 20 min prep | SERVES 4 -6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (2 lb) boneless pork roast
salt & pepper
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups carrots , peeled & chopped
1 cup celery , chopped
2 cups onions , sliced or
24 small white pearl onions
1 (12 ounce) bottle dark beer
2 cloves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 juniper berries , crushed
Directions
1Brown the roast on all sides in a dutch oven in the heated olive oil, as you turn the roast season with salt& pepper.
2Drain off any fat.
3Sprinkle the veggies with the flour.
4Add the veggies to the pot and the bay leaf.
5Add the beer.
6Bring to a boil.
7Add cloves, thyme& juniper berries.
8Cook covered for apprx 1 1/4 hours or until the meat is tender and apprx 160F in the center of the roast.
9Remove the roast from the pot.
10Skim off any fat.
11Puree the sauce (if the sauce is soupy reduce it by cooking longer until there is apprx 1 cup before you puree it).
12Slice the roast& serve with the onion sauce.
QUAIL WITH JUNIPER BERRY SAUCE
2 quail (clean with necks cut off)
2 c. brown sugar (recipe below)
2 Juniper berries, crushed
1/4 c. clarified butter
BROWN SAUCE:
Veal bones or chicken bones or combination of both
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 c. parsley leaves
2 very ripe tomatoes, cubed
2 c. dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. peppercorns
Simmer and strain brown sauce ingredients. Chill and remove any fat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Truss the birds with strong thread. Cook brown sauce and Juniper berries in saucepan until sauce is reduced in half. Using tongs, saute the birds in butter over moderately high heat in an ovenproof pan until they are lightly browned on all sides. Place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes and baste quail 2 or 3 times. Remove the birds to warm platter and put in a warm oven.
Spoon off excess butter and deglaze the saute pan with the reduced brown sauce, strain the sauce back into the pan and add fresh green seedless grapes (can substitute 4 oz. foie le gras). Pour the sauce over the birds and serve. Quail should be juicy.
As a chef I used them in saurkraut, with pork, wild game, in pate spice, fish boullion and as a flavouring for veg like cabbage, brussel sprouts and even carrots.
Correct they do play a big part in the flavour of gin, marinating meats with them in a red wine, white wine or even a beer marinade. I grind them in my spice grinder and use them as part of my seasoning in a spice mix I use for many meats and other game dishes.