Ingredients:

1.5kg very ripe raspberries
1.25l white wine vinegar
130g sugar
200ml cognac

Method:

Put half the fruit in a non-metallic bowl. Cover with vinegar then cover bowl and leave in a cool place for 24 hours.

Drain the juice of using a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, pressing very lightly on the berries with the back of a ladle to extract as much juice as possible. Add the remaining fruit to the extracted juice, then leave for another 24 hours.

Drain the fruit into a saucepan, add the sugar and alcohol and leave until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil the lower the heat so the vinegar is bubbling gently and cook for one hour. While it is cooking, skim the surface as often as necessary.

Transfer the vinegar in to a non-metallic bowl and leave in a cool place until cold. Strain it through a muslin-lined sieve and funnel into a bottle and cork it. It will keep for 3 weeks in the fridge.

Try your rasperry vinegar on salads or as a refreshing summer drink.

Contributor: Maggie Beer