Gardening over Summer in the subtropics can be challenging. It is hot and humid and bugs seem to thrive more than my plants do... Enter the rosella plant. Rosella, or Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a hardy shrub considered naturalised in Australia. It is considered a weed in some areas in Northern Australia. It grows when not much else will - and also provides a shade hedge for other plants. At the end of Summer and through Autumn, I harvest a few big crops of the ‘fruit’ - the dark red calyx that forms after the flower and around the seed pod.

The calyx is tart and crunchy raw, and when cooked adds a bright red colour and gentle spiced flavour to the dish. Excellent in cordials, syrups, jams, chutneys and fruit paste. The calyx is a little time consuming to prepare. Once the seed is removed you can use the calyx flesh fresh, freeze it or dry it (a delicious option for a herbal tea).

This year I had a lovely email about an adaptation to my rosella jam with strawberries. Instantly sounded like a good idea to me. That is all I needed to inspire some experimentation and a batch of a pretty delightful shrub.

Rosella and strawberry shrub

Makes 5L

Ingredients

1kg strawberries

500g rosella calyxes (seeds removed)

1.5L apple cider vinegar

1.5L water

1kg -1.5kg sugar to taste (I used white sugar to keep the bright colour and clean flavour, raw sugar is fine if you prefer)

Instructions

1. Place the strawberries, rosella calyxes, apple cider and water in a large preserving pan and bring to a simmer for a few minutes. Turn off and allow to cool.

2. Process via a cold press juicer if you have one (fastest option and worth the investment if you make lots of cordials or shrubs where you need to remove the fruit pulp), or through a mouli or sieve if you don’t.

3. Sterilise your bottles.

4. Return the liquid to the pan and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes.

5. Pour carefully into your sterilised bottles and seal.

Shrub stores well in a dark cupboard for at least 6 months. Keep in the fridge once opened.