Ingredients
Currant
General Description: Currants (Ribes genus) are small fresh berries that may be red, white, gold, or black; the gooseberry is a popular variant. The English word “currant,” taken from their resemblance to the dried currants (actually small grapes) of Greece, has been used for this fruit only since 1550.
The much older English name “ribes” is of ancient Indo-European origin.
Red currants are especially sought after for making jellies and glazes, which take advantage of their high pectin content and ruby-red color. White currants are albino forms of red currants. They are fine for cooking, but because of their lower acidity, they may also be eaten fresh. Black currants are astringent and are generally cooked before eating. Black currants are best known as the main ingredient in crème de cassis.
The European gooseberry (Ribes grossularia) is the main cultivated gooseberry species. Gooseberries look like small, long green grapes covered with stripes. These light green, gold, or red berries are quite tart. They may have gotten their name because they go well with fatty meats like goose. The popularity of gooseberries in England has led cultivators to breed larger and sweeter varieties.
Season: Currants are in season during summer. Gooseberries are available from New Zealand from October through December and from Oregon in July and August.
Purchase: Choose currants and gooseberries that are firm and brightly colored with green stems.
Avoid: Do not buy currants or gooseberries with brown stems, shriveling, or leakage.
Storage: Refrigerate the fruit in a plastic bag for 1 to 2 days.
Preparation:
- Wash currants and gooseberries by swishing them around in a bowl of water. Lift out.
- Pick off and discard any small stems.
Serving Suggestions: Boil currants with water to cover and sugar to taste till soft and the mixture is thick, then purée, strain, and chill before serving over ice cream, fruit salad, or cake. Purée cooked gooseberries, mix in one beaten egg, then reheat gently, and serve as a sauce for grilled mackerel.
Flavor Affinities: Cream, custard, duck, ginger, goose, lamb, lemon, melon, mustard, oily fish, orange, pork, sour cream, sugar, sweet spices, venison.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
