How does the saying go? Thou shalt reap what thou sows????
I'm ringing around a couple of green grocers at the moment to see if they want to buy any surplus blackcurrants, but here's what I've done with them in the meantime!
Blackcurrant jam - very good recipe & dead easy. As blackcurrants are reasonably high in pectin, you only need to use normal sugar. This makes about 8 or 9 pounds of fantastic jam. My husband is particularly fond of a blackcurrant jam & banana sandwich.
1.8kg (4lb) blackcurrants
1.2 l (2 pints) water
2.2kg (5lb) white granulated sugar
Wash and remove the stalks from the currants (dont worry about the old flower bit on the other end of the currants). Put the fruit and the water into a pan. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer till the fruit begins to break.
Add the sugar and reduce the heat right down. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved - DO NOT INCREASE HEAT UNTIL ALL THE SUGAR IS DISSOLVED otherwise you get gritty jam. Once it is all syrupy, increase the heat to a fast boil. If it's in a nice wide preserving pan, set a timer and boil quickly for 25 minutes and it will be done then. Stir frequently to make sure it doesn't catch or stick. Otherwise, put a saucer into your freezer then when the 25 mins is up, blob some jam onto the plate. Leave it briefly, then push with your finger. If the skin wrinkles, the jam is done. If not, boil for another 5 mins and test again.
Add a knob of unsalted butter & stir in to disperse the froth on top.
Put into cleaned, warm jars and cover with waxed discs. DON'T SEAL THE JARS TILL THE JAM IS COMPLETELY COLD.
Duck breast with Cassis Jus
2 Medium sized duck breasts
Large pinch five spice
Sea salt
1 finely chopped shallot
1 tbspn cassis (you could use blackcurrant jam)
150ml red wine
300ml brown beef stock or chicken stock
10g unsalted butter
1 Big handful fresh blackcurrants
Score the skin of the duck several times, then rub in some sea salt and the five spice.
Place in a COLD frying pan skin side down, then place the pan onto the heat and cook gently for 6 mins with no additional oil.
Carefully remove any excess fat from the pan
Turn the duck over and seal for 1 minute.
Turn the duck back over onto the skin side, season the flesh with a little more salt and spice and place into a hot oven at 220C for 6-8 minutes (medium rare), 10-12 (medium), 14 (well done).
Remove the duck from the over, place on a board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before carving into thick slices.
Jus
Sweat the shallot in half the butter till softened.
Add the red wine and reduce until only a few tablespoons left and it's thick and syrupy.
Add the stock and reduce until you have around 100ml (a wine glass) left.
Add the blackcurrants and continue to simmer till they're just softened.
Add the last of the butter then add the cassis or jam to finish and make it all lovely & glossy. Season to taste. Serve poured over the duck.
I really like this with some steamed new potatoes and green beans tossed in butter and a clove of crushed garlic. Steamed courgettes work well instead of beans, too.
I'll post my blackcurrant sorbet recipe next time.
Enjoy!
Vivien
Why on earth did I plant 6 blackcurrant bushes???????
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi Vivienz. We have two mature blackcurrant bushes and two 2 year olds. So far, I have picked 14 pounds of fruit and there is still some unripe berries to come! We had thought of extending the fruit cage and buying more blackcurrant bushes but I have said a definite and resounding NO to that idea now! 
I have already made some jam resulting in 7 jars and am about to do some more this afternoon...good job we're partial to blackcurrant jam! (and our family and friends)
There are also 4 pounds of red currants and 5 pounds of gooseberries awaiting their turn in the maslin pan too!!
The soft fruit certainly has done us proud this year. Cheers!
I have already made some jam resulting in 7 jars and am about to do some more this afternoon...good job we're partial to blackcurrant jam! (and our family and friends)
There are also 4 pounds of red currants and 5 pounds of gooseberries awaiting their turn in the maslin pan too!!
The soft fruit certainly has done us proud this year. Cheers!
Happy with my lot
-
sally wright
- KG Regular
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:32 pm
- Location: Cambridge
Dear Vivien,
as soon as it stops raining I am going to pick mine and sling them into some alcohol. Then I have an instant topping for ice cream or a milk pud in winter.
I have not done this before so I shall have a small experiment and see which booze makes them taste nicest. Vodka, brandy or cassis. I will let you all have the results (hic!) when I open them in the winter. I don't need any more jam as there is still around 10 jars from the year before last in the cupboard!
Regards Sally Wright.
as soon as it stops raining I am going to pick mine and sling them into some alcohol. Then I have an instant topping for ice cream or a milk pud in winter.
I have not done this before so I shall have a small experiment and see which booze makes them taste nicest. Vodka, brandy or cassis. I will let you all have the results (hic!) when I open them in the winter. I don't need any more jam as there is still around 10 jars from the year before last in the cupboard!
Regards Sally Wright.
-
vivienz
- KG Regular
- Posts: 525
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Very north Dorset
- Has thanked: 13 times
- Been thanked: 15 times
Hi Elaine & Sally,
I would offer my sympathies, but just think of all the cases of scurvy we can ward off amongst friends and family by spreading our blackcurranty goodness around!
Some creme de cassis is next on the blackcurrant menu, as it uses up a full 2.5 pounds of the little devils, and then I'll probably manage to squeeze in some bc ripple ice cream before I'm done. I'm sure that I can manage a couple of cake recipes, too!
By the time all that's done, I'll just about be ready to move on to the courgette glut. Incidentally, with the currants in alcohol, I understand that if you add a few small currant leaves, it really intensifies the flavour, a bit like adding tomato stalks to tom sauce whilst cooking.
Best wishes all,
Vivien
I would offer my sympathies, but just think of all the cases of scurvy we can ward off amongst friends and family by spreading our blackcurranty goodness around!
Some creme de cassis is next on the blackcurrant menu, as it uses up a full 2.5 pounds of the little devils, and then I'll probably manage to squeeze in some bc ripple ice cream before I'm done. I'm sure that I can manage a couple of cake recipes, too!
By the time all that's done, I'll just about be ready to move on to the courgette glut. Incidentally, with the currants in alcohol, I understand that if you add a few small currant leaves, it really intensifies the flavour, a bit like adding tomato stalks to tom sauce whilst cooking.
Best wishes all,
Vivien
-
sally wright
- KG Regular
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:32 pm
- Location: Cambridge
Dear All,
I forgot to mention the stone of b/c's from last year that were in the freezer until I managed to palm them off on to someone at the plots last month.
Regards Sally Wright.
I forgot to mention the stone of b/c's from last year that were in the freezer until I managed to palm them off on to someone at the plots last month.
Regards Sally Wright.
They're great added to the mix for summer puddings, make the best jam and jelly, fab ice cream, lovely sauce, great infused in alcohol and I have previously posted (and can do so again) a blackcurrant and mint sorbet recipe that is fantastic. It's even good if you miss out the mint!
We've got about 40 blackcurrant bushes and have no problem with dispatching their produce.
We've got about 40 blackcurrant bushes and have no problem with dispatching their produce.
Use them for blackcurrant gin; make wine with them; syrup for winter drinks (like Ribena, but better); dry them; freeze them; bottle them; sauce them for winter sponge puddings, or over ice cream.
Can't ahve too many, in my view!
(I may eat my words.........)
Can't ahve too many, in my view!
(I may eat my words.........)-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8062
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 289 times
Yes, know the feeling.! We have two redcurrant bushes and one blackcurrant bush and this year's crop has been overwhelming. (Am currently still trying to use up last year's surplus from the freezer.)
Fruit syrups are an ideal way of using up surplus soft fruit but you will need a jelly bag to squeeze out the juice and remove the pips. Last year I made three bottles of mixed fruit syrup (blackberry, reducurrant, blackcurrant) and this makes a lovely hot drink with a slice of lemon on a cold day. It's also great for mixing in with porridge when you need to brighten up the white stuff. I find green screw top wine bottles make ideal containers as the dark glass helps preserve the colour of the syrup.
Fruit syrups are an ideal way of using up surplus soft fruit but you will need a jelly bag to squeeze out the juice and remove the pips. Last year I made three bottles of mixed fruit syrup (blackberry, reducurrant, blackcurrant) and this makes a lovely hot drink with a slice of lemon on a cold day. It's also great for mixing in with porridge when you need to brighten up the white stuff. I find green screw top wine bottles make ideal containers as the dark glass helps preserve the colour of the syrup.
-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8062
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 289 times
The syrup will store for a couple of years in wine bottles in an ordinary food cupboard or even in a cool garage. Here's my recipe which avoids the complicated business of heat sterilising bottles in baths of hot water, or in the oven, by using Campden tablets, which are a sterilising agent also used in winemaking. You can get these from good chemists, some Health Food stores, the winemaking section of Wilkinsons, or via internet. Boots Chemists used to sell them but not sure if they still do.
Recipe for Blackcurrant syrup (or any other combination of soft fruit):
Quarter pint of water for each pound of soft fruit
To each pint of juice allow 8 - 12 oz sugar (depending on individual taste)
1. Put fruit in large pan & add water, according to weight of fruit.
2. Simmer gently for up to 30 minutes, squashing fruit until thoroughly soft.
3.Turn pulp into jelly bag resting in a collander so that liquid drains into another pan underneath. If necessary, leave overnight. Do not squeeze or syrup will become cloudy.
4. Measure juice. Pour into saucepan and add preferred amount of sugar.(Start with minimum amount and gradually increase to taste). Heat liquid & stir until sugar has dissolved.
5. When liquid has cooled to just tepid, pour into screw top wine bottles, preferably dark green ones, to preserve colour of syrup.
6. Crush half a Campden tablet between two teaspoons until it's a fine power. Add this to a small amount of the syrup removed from each wine bottle & return to bottle when dissolved. Screw cap down and gently agitate bottle for a few shakes to distribute the sterilising agent.
Recipe for Blackcurrant syrup (or any other combination of soft fruit):
Quarter pint of water for each pound of soft fruit
To each pint of juice allow 8 - 12 oz sugar (depending on individual taste)
1. Put fruit in large pan & add water, according to weight of fruit.
2. Simmer gently for up to 30 minutes, squashing fruit until thoroughly soft.
3.Turn pulp into jelly bag resting in a collander so that liquid drains into another pan underneath. If necessary, leave overnight. Do not squeeze or syrup will become cloudy.
4. Measure juice. Pour into saucepan and add preferred amount of sugar.(Start with minimum amount and gradually increase to taste). Heat liquid & stir until sugar has dissolved.
5. When liquid has cooled to just tepid, pour into screw top wine bottles, preferably dark green ones, to preserve colour of syrup.
6. Crush half a Campden tablet between two teaspoons until it's a fine power. Add this to a small amount of the syrup removed from each wine bottle & return to bottle when dissolved. Screw cap down and gently agitate bottle for a few shakes to distribute the sterilising agent.
-
PLUMPUDDING
- KG Regular
- Posts: 3269
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:14 pm
- Location: Stocksbridge, S. Yorks
I invested in a Vigo juice extractor which you put the fruit in a basket over a boiler. You can add the sugar at the same time and the steam releases the juice which you release through a tube into the clean bottles and screw down the tops. It keeps for ages and tastes like a superior Ribena. You can adjust the sugar to suit your taste. It is also very handy for bottling fruit and veg and can also be used as a tea urn. A very handy bit of kit.