We run out of ice on a daily basis at the moment. Everyone fights over the last remaining pieces in the freezer, hoping there’ll be just enough to at least cool their drink, if not chill. I’m not one to usually crave iced drinks and much prefer to drink room temperature for most of the year (knowing it’s better for your body), but far out it’s been so hot these past few weeks that I don’t feel quenched unless my drinks are iced! Judging my our low ice supplies, the rest of the family feel the same.
This pineapple + basil cordial recipe is a lovely one to have up your sleeve. Essentially it’s a basil-infused sugar syrup blended with fresh pineapple, that gets topped up with either sparkling or still water and lots of ice! You could also pour the cordial base into ice block (popsicle/icy-pole) moulds and freeze for a mid-summer treat.
COOKBOOK UPDATES
Just a little heads up that after 8 and 6 year respectively and numerous print runs, my first two cookbooks are now out of print. (You can still find the US edition of my first book for sale online, however). I have the remaining copies of both My Darling Lemon Thyme and A Year In my Real Food Kitchen for sale on my site, should you want a copy before they’re all gone. I’m currently only shipping within NZ and Australia, but if you live elsewhere and are happy to pay the current crazy price to post overseas, feel free to email me and I’ll see what I can do.
My third and most recent cookbook, Every Day is currently being reprinted, but copies are still floating around in stores in NZ, AU and the UK. I also sell signed copies via my site, for postage within NZ.
Pineapple + Basil Cordial
Ingredients
- 1 cup golden caster sugar
- 1 cup packed basil leaves roughly chopped + extra to serve
- 1 large pineapple peeled and hard core removed + roughly chopped
Instructions
- Combine sugar and 250ml (1 cup) water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes before removing from the heat. Add basil and set aside until cold.
- Place chopped pineapple into a blender, strain basil leaves out of the syrup and add syrup to blender. Blend on high until super smooth. If you don’t have a high powdered blender, strain mixture through a fine sieve, if you do have a high powdered blender, you should be able to get away without straining.
- To serve 1/3-1/2 fill glasses with pineapple and basil cordial base, add ice and top with cold water. Garnish with extra basil leaves, if desired (I used mini basil leaves). The cordial base will store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
