Make the most of these wonderful fruits, in a range of gooseberry recipes.
Fruity and floral, the scent of gooseberries simmering is one of the quintessential aromas of summer.
I'm certain I remember eating raw gooseberries from my granny's fruit bushes, but perhaps my memory is playing tricks, because these days I find them mouth-puckeringly sour. Raw gooseberries need cooking with sugar to release their rich and wine-like flavour. Fortunately, there are many delicious gooseberry recipes to try.
The taste of cooked gooseberries is unlike that of any other fruit, despite this little ditty my father used to sing:
"You can't grow hairs on a duck egg Hairs only grow on an ape And it's only the hairs on a goosegog That stop it from being a grape."
Find out more about how to choose and prepare gooseberries, or try them in some delicious Gooseberry Recipes.
When Are Gooseberries In Season?
Gooseberries are only around in June and July. The gooseberry season is very short and lasts only 3-4 weeks, so snap them up as soon as you see them.
Wondering where to buy gooseberries? You'll usually find them in larger supermarkets, but it's better to buy from local greengrocers, farmers' markets or pick-your-own farms. Buy lots, because gooseberries freeze well, either uncooked (pack in boxes with headspace and freeze, or open-freeze on a tray before packing). They're also great in jams and chutneys.
Cooking gooseberries are the most commonly available type. They should be hard, shiny and green. Avoid wrinkled or yellowing berries.
Look out for dessert gooseberries, which are a real treat. Their skins vary from palest yellow to a light maroon, and should be almost transparent. The berries should give slightly when pressed if ripe. Sweeter than green cooking gooseberries, they can be used in fruit salads.
Gooseberries have high nutritional value. They contain vitamins A and C and potassium, and are a good source of fibre.
Cooking With Gooseberries
You should top and tail gooseberries before cooking them. The easiest way is to use scissors to snip each end. It is a bit of a fiddle, but UK cookery writer Nigel Slater has this to say: "It takes barely two minutes to stalk and flower a pound of goosegogs - I have timed it...and I am not sure they always need it anyway." Once you've removed the stalks (or not), rinse the berries well under running water to remove dust and bits of leaf, and you're ready to cook.
Put the prepared berries in a pan with a little water and 1 tbsp sugar per 100g (1/2 cup) fruit (taste, and add more sugar if you need it once the fruit has softened). Cover and cook gently for 10-15 min until soft. Once cooked, the gooseberries can be used in sweet dishes and for savoury sauces.
Raw gooseberries are hard and sour, but cooking with sugar or honey releases their full taste. Add a sprig of elderflower when cooking, to give them amuscat flavour.
Gooseberries work well with other flavours. Try marrying them with apples or strawberries in a crumble, or add scent and flavour with mint or elderflower.
Gooseberry Fool is one of the classic summer recipes for gooseberries. For this dish, make the puree as above, sieve to remove pips if you wish, then fold through whipped cream, using 250ml (1 cup) gooseberry puree to 250ml (1 cup) cream (measured before whipping).
Gooseberry Crumble, also called Gooseberry Crisp is another excellent summer dessert. There's no need to pre-cook the fruit. Place 900g (2 lb, 4-5 cups) prepared gooseberries in an ovenproof dish, and sprinkle generously with sugar.
Top with crumble topping, made from 175g (1 ½ cups) plain flour and 85g (1/3 cup) butter, processed until they resemble fine breadcrumbs (you can run the fat into the flour by hand if you prefer). Stir in 55g (1/3 cup) brown sugar and ½ tsp ground cinnamon. Bake at 180C/350F/gas 4 until the top is browned and the fruit begins to bubble - around 30 minutes.
Again, put the uncooked fruit into a pie dish, sprinkle well with sugar, top with pastry and bake in a moderate oven until the juices bubble and the pastry is browned on top.
Ready-made shortcrust pastry is fine, but do check the list of ingredients before buying and use one made with vegetable fat (not hydrogenated), or - better - pure butter.
Finally, a savoury recipe for gooseberries. Green gooseberries are very tart, and make a sensational sharp goosberry sauce to serve with mackerel or salmon, or with lamb or pork. Cook the berries as above, with a finely chopped onion. Be sparing with the sugar. Puree, and serve the sauce warm or cold.
