Strawberry cordial

Method

1. Crush the strawberries slightly to release the flavour. Slice the lemon thinly and place in a large glass bowl along with the strawberries, sugar and citric acid.

2. In a saucepan, bring the water to the boil. As soon as it has boiled, pour it into the bowl and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.

3. Leave to cool, cover and place somewhere cool and dark for 4 days.

4. Using a clean spoon, taste the concentrate to see if it is strong enough. If it requires further steeping, leave it in the fridge for another day or so.

5. Strain through a sieve lined with muslin and decant into sterilised bottles. Keeps in the fridge for up to 6 months. When serving, dilute with still or sparkling water to taste.