Quebec Sea Buckthorn Berries

Les Cueilleurs de Tingwick's #38 Quebec Sea Buckthorn Berries are frozen to preserve their multiple benefits. Sea Buckthorn is one of the most nutritious and vitamin-rich fruits on the planet. It can help boost the immune system, lower excess cholesterol and reduce the symptoms of eczema and dry skin.

• Antioxidant

• 30 x more vitamin C than orange

• 5 x more vitamin C than kiwi fruit

• High in vitamins: A, B1, B2, C , E , P and K

• CContains essential fatty acids (OMEGA): 3, 6, 7 and 9

How to harvest at Jardins Zone Orange

Because we have so many varieties, Jardins Zone Orange has decided to harvest its fruit by hand. We use secateurs to prune fruit-bearing branches. Those that are too low or too high, that cross over each other or that prevent the sun from reaching the center of the shrub.

The branches are then transported to a freezing chamber at -30°C. Once frozen, we transfer them to a freezing chamber maintained at -5°C for easy working. The berries are easily removed from the branch by shaking. This method has the advantage of keeping the fruit intact.

To separate the fruit from the leaves, we have built a machine (inspired by Mr. André. Nicole's prototype) fitted with a system that suffers the leaves, being lighter than the fruit, to the outside of the tray that receives the fruit.

The berries are then packed into freezer bags for storage. Most of the fruit remaining on the plants is U-picked.

Tips and advice

To make a puree : Rinse frozen berries under cold water. Place at least 500 ml (2 cups) of berries in a blender or tall, narrow container for a stand mixer. Puree for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour gradually into a sieve or chinois étamine, pressing well to extract maximum purée and juice. Refrigerate immediately.

Uses of sea buckthorn purée :

• For use in blended vegetable soups, such as carrot velouté, celeriac velouté, butternut squash velouté, etc.
• To add to cake batter (you can easily replace some of the yogurt in yogurt cake), to add to pudding, etc.
• To add to panna cotta, replace the milk with sea buckthorn purée. Be careful to increase the gelatin, as the acidity of the fruit causes the gelatin to loosen.
• To make a sweet coulis or savoury sauce
• The purée is the basic preparation that will be richest in sea buckthorn flavor, but as there is little pulp, it remains fairly liquid.

To make a juice : Rinse frozen berries under cold running water. Place at least 250 ml (1 cup) of berries in a blender or tall, narrow container for a blender stand, add 125 ml cold water (125 ml). Puree for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour gradually into a sieve or chinois étamine, pressing well to extract maximum purée and juice. Refrigerate immediately.

Uses of sea buckthorn in juice :

• For vinaigrettes, marinades and sauces.
• To add as a liquid to sauces - to poach white-fleshed fish, to cook mussels.
• To make jelly or fruit paste
• To add to smoothies
• To replace lemon juice in certain preparations