Xa Milne and Fiona Houston’s elderberry sauce recipe is a fantastic way to use the hedgerow harvest. And it tastes great with game, perfect for post-shoot suppers if you are entertaining. If you are hankering after something a little sweeter, try elderberry syrup instead. It is a delicious addition to puddings, or simply pour generously over ice-cream.

If you’re after something stronger, there’s nothing quite like a homemade hedgerow tipple. Try our elderberry vodka, simple to make and will last for months (if you can resist it). And if you still have some elderberries left over, wild fruit jam is a great way to use them up. Read the best way to make wild fruit jam for The Field’s perfect recipe.

ELDERBERRY SAUCE

Elderberries are not grown commercially, so the only way to get them is to raid the hedgerow yourself. Remember The Field’s top tip when you go elderberry gathering. There is no need to individually pick every berry. Instead take the whole umbel of the elderberries once they start drooping and then you can strip the berries off with the tines of a fork. A particuarly abundant harvest is the perfect excuse to try The Field’s elderberry sauce and elderberry syrup.

Elderberry sauce is delicious with game dishes. To make the sauce, simply bake the berries with some vinegar (two pints of berries to half a pint of vinegar), strain the juice into a heavy pan, add a minced shallot, some root ginger, peppercorns and cloves and boil for about 20 minutes.

ELDERBERRY SYRUP

For a sweet variation, make an elderberry syrup to add to puddings or pour over ice-cream: 1lb berries and 1lb brown sugar simmered in a pan and then strained. A beaten egg white can be added to help clear the liquid. Or freeze the purée and eat it with strawberries; a great combination.