Rosemary and citrus cordial recipe

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of zest from the grapefruit and 2 of the lemons, taking care not to remove any of the white pith, as it is very bitter. If any strips have a lot of pith attached, scrape it off with a spoon. Put in a medium saucepan, juice all the fruit and add it to the pan. 
2. Lay the rosemary sprigs on a chopping board and run a rolling pin over them a few times to help release the oils. Strip the leaves into the pan, then stir in the ginger, sugar and 250ml water. 
3. Heat over a low-medium heat for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat to low and warm for 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and very fragrant. Leave to cool, then use immediately; or cover, transfer to the fridge and chill overnight to allow the flavours to develop.
4. Strain through a sieve into a jug or bowl, pressing down on the flavourings with a spatula, masher or spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a storage bottle, or ice cube trays if planning to freeze. To use, mix 1-2 tbsp with 150ml fizzy water (to make a tonic substitute) or boiling water and a splash of whisky to make a hot toddy.

Freezing tip: Freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Dissolve in fizzy or hot water straight from the freezer.

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