Lamb Kidneys and Red Cabbage with Juniper Sauce

For a Distinctive Meal, Try These Two Recipes Using Juniper Berries

© Marie Brannon

Apr 25, 2009

The Juniper berry is best known as the spirit of gin, but in medieval times it was considered a miracle plant. Its pungent taste, spicy with an aromatic sweetness, adds intrigue to any meal. Here are two recipes using the Juniper berry, one as sauce and one as an ingredient in a vegetable dish.

Lamb Kidneys with Juniper Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 lamb kidneys, with fat and membranes removed
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• ¼ cup gin
• 10 Juniper berries
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1/3 cup white veal stock or chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Split the kidneys in two, lengthwise, but do not separate the halves. Remove the cores.
2. Sauté the kidneys in the clarified butter for about three minutes, until they are browned on the outside
3. Pour the gin over the kidneys, ignite it, and shake the pan until the flames go out.
4. Transfer the kidneys to a serving dish
5. Using the pan the kidneys just came out of, add the juniper berries and the shallot and cook over moderate heat for two minutes
6. Add the veal stock and stir until the mixture is reduced to about three tablespoons
7. Remove the pan from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
8. Slice the kidneys into thick slices and add them to the pan until they are heated through.
9. Remove the kidneys and sauce from pan and place on serving dish

Red Cabbage with Juniper Berries and Carrots

Ingredients:

• ¼ pound slab bacon
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 20 Juniper berries
• ½ bay leaf
• 1/8 teaspoon mace
• 8 cups sliced red cabbage
• 2 ½ cups dry red wine
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried orange peel
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the bacon into chunks, and simmer them in water for five minutes. Drain.
2. Put the onions and carrots and drained bacon into a large casserole dish and cook for five minutes.
3. Add the berries and the bay leaf and mace and cook for two more minutes
4. Add the cabbage and after it is stirred well, add the red wine and the remaining ingredients
5. When the mixture is at the simmering stage, put the casserole into a pre-heated oven (300F) and bake for four hours, stirring every half-hour. The liquid should be absorbed at the end of the four hours.

Although the juniper berry is still most associated with strong drinks, the purple-colored fruits also contribute much to cookery. They add an excellent spiciness to most any wild game menu, and can be used with pork loin, chicken and other meats as well.

Juniper Berries

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