Vivid and intensely red flor de Jamaica offers culinary adventure. Results are stunning, scrumptious and easier to obtain than you might think. Dried hibiscus, the herbal heavyweight, offers a tangy, tart, almost fruity flavor. Think cranberry and rhubarb, with floral notes.
The origin of the hibiscus flower is contested, claimed by both Africa and India. But the dried flowers are easily found at most grocery stores or on Amazon. Middle Eastern grocers call it karkady.
Hibiscus often serves as a meat alternative in Mexican cuisine. Empanadas, enchiladas and street tacos offer the texture of pulled meat using the steeped dried flowers. In Mali, tigadegena, a peanut stew, can be made with hibiscus flowers as a vegetarian option. In Senegal, thieboudienne ― a rice, fish and vegetable dish originating in the 19th century ― may be seasoned with white hibiscus. Hibiscus also is used as a marinade in dishes native to Cameroon.
Hibiscus infusions also are globally popular. Beverages like agua de Jamaica in Mexico, sorrel in Jamaica and the Caribbean, and bissap, zobo and folere throughout Africa are made with steeped hibiscus flowers.
To experiment with hibiscus in your own kitchen, begin with the simple Hibiscus Flower Concentrate, and use it along with the rehydrated flowers in the following recipes. The big flavor profile of flor de Jamaica will stand up to gamy duck breast, the delicate madeleine or your new favorite beverages.
Hibiscus Flower Concentrate
8 cups water
2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add dried flowers, sugar and lime juice. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain liquid, cover and refrigerate. Reserve macerated flowers, storing covered and refrigerated.
Hibiscus Berry Mocktail
8 blueberries, divided use
1 stem cilantro, stripped
2 ounces Hibiscus Flower Concentrate
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
4 ounces Topo Chico Grapefruit
Lemon twist
In the bottom of a rocks glass, muddle 3 blueberries and cilantro leaves. Add Hibiscus Flower Concentrate and lemon juice. Fill glass with ice. Top with Topo Chico. Garnish with additional berries and a twist of lemon.
Makes 1 mocktail.
Hibiscus Mule With Aperol
1 1/2 ounces vodka
1 ounce Hibiscus Flower Concentrate
1 ounce Aperol
3 ounces ginger beer
Berries of choice
Orange wheel
Fill a mule mug with crushed ice. Add vodka, Hibiscus Concentrate, Aperol and ginger beer. Stir and garnish with berries and orange wheel.
Makes 1 cocktail.
Red Kale and Baby Greens Salad With Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese and Hibiscus Flower Vinaigrette
1 bunch red kale, roughly chopped
5 ounces baby greens
1 cucumber, diced
1 pint heirloom baby tomatoes, cut in halves
1/4 cup macerated hibiscus flowers, chopped fine
8 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup chopped candied pecans
Hibiscus Flower Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Combine ingredients and dress with Hibiscus Flower Vinaigrette.
Hibiscus Flower Vinaigrette: In a large bowl, add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Slowly add 3/4 cup olive oil, whisking to incorporate. Fold in 1/4 cup macerated hibiscus flowers. Add 1/8 cup Hibiscus Flower Concentrate, 1 minced garlic glove, 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Chill for 2 hours to allow flavors to marry before use.
Makes 4 servings.
Seared Duck Breast With Hibiscus Flower Citrus Sauce
4 8-ounce duck breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 orange sliced in wheels
1/4 cup macerated hibiscus flowers
Hibiscus Flower Citrus Sauce (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 400 F.
Salt and pepper duck breasts. In a large skillet, over medium high heat, sear duck breasts, skin side down, for 5 minutes or until skin is browned and crisp. Turn breasts over and continue to cook 5 additional minutes.
Move seared duck to a half sheet pan, skin side up, adding orange slices in single layer, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove duck from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with orange slices and macerated hibiscus flowers, drizzled with Hibiscus Flower Citrus Sauce.
Hibiscus Flower Citrus Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring 4 cups Hibiscus Flower Concentrate and 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add juice and zest of one orange, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon all spice. Stir until incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced by half. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. Sauce can be made 1 day in advance and chilled in the refrigerator. Reheat to serve with duck.
Makes 4 servings.
Hibiscus Flower Madeleines
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Confectioners sugar to dust
Heat oven to 375 F.
Prepare 12-mold madeleine pan, brushing with butter and dusting with flour.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and salt. Beat with wire whisk until pale, thick and fluffy. Add extracts and continue whisking. Slowly add flour, whisking to incorporate. Gently fold in hibiscus flowers and lemon zest. Fold in 1/2 of butter until incorporated. Fold in remaining butter.
Evenly divide batter, using a heaping tablespoon per mold. Place filled pan, in preheated oven, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until tops spring back when touched. Dust cooked madeleines with confectioners sugar.
Makes 12 madeleines.