Foraging and Cooking with Nannyberries (Viburnum lentago)

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil is a dairy-free alternative that adds a unique flavor.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey is a natural sweetener, while brown sugar can be less expensive.

Harvest ripe nannyberries using an herb rake or blueberry rake, ensuring the stems are not brittle.

Clean the harvested nannyberries, removing leaves and unripe berries by winnowing or by hand.

Add the cleaned nannyberries to a pot and cover them with water, adding a little more if needed.

Cook the nannyberries and water, then mash them up using a hand blender, being careful not to break the seeds.

Remove the seeds using a conical sieve or food mill, extracting as much puree as possible.

For the second wash, add water to the remaining skins and seeds, mix, and strain again to extract more puree.

Bake the puree in a wide pan to evaporate excess water until it reaches a thick consistency, similar to thick applesauce or mashed bananas.

Add cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the thickened puree, then bake in a moderately hot oven, stirring occasionally until it thickens enough that a spoon stands up in it and the bottom of the pan is visible when scraped.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens