Borage Ice Cubes Recipes

Steps:

• Half fill ice block trays with cold water and freeze solid. Remove from freezer and tip out the half blocks. Put a borage flower into each division, replace the half blocks and top them up with water. The flower is then trapped between the water and the ice. When the tray is returned to the freezer the borage flower will be set in the middle of the ice block. Otherwise the flowers tend to float to the top.
• Or you can place the flower in a half filled tray, freeze then top with other half of water and freeze.

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients, except the oil, pea shoots and ice cubes, into a food processor with a good pinch of salt and pepper and blitz, adding enough water to get a soupy consistency. Taste, and add a little more vinegar and seasoning if necessary. Chill for up to 24 hrs, or at least 2 hrs.
• To serve, divide between shallow soup bowls, float a few ice cubes in each bowl (see tip, below) and add a scattering of pea shoots and a drizzle of oil before serving.

Steps:

• Blend brandy, sugar, wine, juice and ice until combined.
• Combine champagne, lemonade, ginger ale, borage and wine mixture in large bowl just before serving.
• Serve in chapagne flutes and decorate with borage flowers.
• Notes on Borage: Borage is a traditional herb used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, and anti-inflammatory. It was also thought to relieve symptoms of melancholy. Borage is a native of the Mediterranean but is well adapted to growing in British soils.
• These days, borage is rarely used in cooking or grown in the common herb garden. It is a beautiful plant with delicate blue flowers. The leaves, flowers and stalks of borage are edible, however borage is a voracious grower and can take over a garden very quickly. This has lead to a decline in its popularity as a garden plant and also as an ingredient in meals.
• Using Borage in Cooking.
• Borage is a versatile herb in the kitchen; its leaves, stalk and flowers are edible. The young, fresh leaves have a mild cucumber taste and can be added to salads, used in stocks, soups and stews, or brewed to make a refreshing tea. You could also try adding them to sandwiches instead of lettuce, or chopping them and adding them to cream cheese or yogurt. When cooked, borage leaves may be used as a substitute to spinach. Don't be put off by the fine white hairs on the leaves, as once in the mouth they quickly dissolve. They also disappear when cooked.
• Borage flowers are beautiful and both look and taste fantastic in salads. They can also be preserved or candied. Why not try freezing some in ice cubes and adding them to drinks or simply floating the blooms in a glass of lemonade?
• The stems of borage are used to flavour a number of alcoholic beverages, including Pimms No. 1. In Spain the stems are parboiled and fried in batter. Chopped up, they make a great addition to soups and can also be eaten raw; giving a hearty crunch to salads.

Steps:

• Empty the ice cubes that are left in the trays (if there are any left) into the bin.
• Take the trays over to the sink and fill them with cold water. (Hot water will freeze faster and more clear).
• Place the water filled ice trays back in the freezer.
• Replace the ice bin if you had to remove it.
• Shut the door to the freezer.
• Be sure to leave for around 4-6 hours at least to make sure it is frozen.
• If you want to experiment, you can freeze things like fruit infused waters or juices.

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in a blender and blend for approximately 30 seconds.
• Strain over lots of ice into a tall glass, and garnish with borage flowers.