Currant season begins in July and peaks in August. Translucent, gem-like red currant berries and plump, with glossy black skin, black berries differ in taste. However, in the main, the berries are similar - currants of any kind are rich in vitamins and therefore it should be prepared for the winter.
For harvesting for the winter, choose hard and glossy currant berries, brightly colored in black or scarlet. Discard unripe berries, crushed and moldy. Put the berries in a sieve or colander, rinse and dry. Remove the red currants from the bunch with a fork. Take the stem in your hand, stretch it between the teeth of the device and pull the fork down - the berries will easily and simply separate and fall into the provided container. If desired, you can separate the “tail” from black and red currants by pinching it off, but it will not affect the taste of the blanks, and this work is painstaking and laborious.
This clear jelly with a cool mint flavor can be used in desserts, as a base for Cumberland sauce, or simply added to roasted lamb. For one kilogram of peeled berries, you will need:
- 1 kg of fine granulated sugar;
- 1 lemon;
- 2 sprigs of fresh mint;
- 20 fresh mint leaves.
Put the washed red currants in a wide iron saucepan with a thick bottom and pour in 1 liter of water, put the mint sprigs and put the pan on the fire. Bring to a boil, crush the berries with a crush and remove from heat. Let cool, remove the mint sprigs and hang the currants over a container in a bag of gauze, muslin, or in a fine sieve. Leave overnight to drain slowly. Do not squeeze the bag, do not press on the berries, otherwise the currant jelly will not be transparent.
When all the juice has drained, pour it into a saucepan, add sugar and squeeze the juice from the lemon, simmer, stirring constantly. When the sugar dissolves, turn up the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chopped mint leaves to the jelly and stir. Cool slightly and pour into sterilized jars, store ready-made red currant jelly in the refrigerator.
This aromatic jam is obtained with a special piquant note, given to it by blackcurrant liqueur. Do not worry about the presence of alcohol - it will evaporate when heated. Blackcurrant jam can be added to cereals, cottage cheese, yogurt, added to drinks and served with pancakes, pancakes or cheese cakes. For a kilogram of black currant, take:
- 750 g of fine granulated sugar;
- 1 lemon;
- 2 tablespoons of blackcurrant liqueur.
Stir the washed currants with sugar in a large iron bowl or saucepan, cover and leave at room temperature for 8-10 hours. Peel the zest off the lemon in thin, long strips and squeeze out the juice. Stir the berries, add the lemon juice and cook over low heat until all the sugar is completely dissolved.
Increase heat, add lemon zest and liqueur and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Chill slightly and pour into sterilized jars.
Berry vinegars decorate salads and are great for marinating meat. To make blackcurrant vinegar you will need:
- 500 g of berries;
- 1 stick of cinnamon;
- 200 g of granulated sugar;
- 300 g of apple cider vinegar.
Put the washed black currant berries in a glass jar, crush lightly, add cinnamon and cover with vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for a week. Hang the berries and vinegar in a strainer or gauze bag over a saucepan and wait for all the juice to drain. Add sugar and simmer over medium heat, when the sand is dissolved, turn off the heat and let the vinegar cool. Pour into bottles with tight-fitting lids and keep away from light and heat.
