Jamaica Concentrate

By keenan

This concentrate, made from dried hibiscus (Jamaica) flowers that are available at Mexican markets, is tart like cranberry, very acidic and a beautiful garnet color. Besides being used as a marinade and a reduced-syrup drizzle for steak tacos (see related recipe online), it can be used to make freshly flavored water, hot tea or popsicles; or combine the concentrate with chunks of fresh fruit or orange sections for dessert.

MAKE AHEAD: The concentrate can be refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Use with Steak Taco with Jamaica-Jalapeno Syrup recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 6 ounces dried hibiscus flowers (about 2 cups; see headnote)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, or to taste
• Freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 or 1 lime (2 tablespoons)

Details

Servings 5
Adapted from projects.washingtonpost.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring the water to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Add the Jamaica flowers. Reduce the heat to medium; cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, then turn off the heat. Cool, then strain into a heatproof container.

Add the sugar and lime juice; stir to dissolve the sugar, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.