black currant compote
Picking through currants
Black Currant Compote
Adapted from Elizabeth David, Summer Cooking
Ingredients:
1 pound black currants, rinsed (smaller stems are O.K. if you plan on straining)
3/4 pounds sugar, plus more if needed
fresh lemon juice
Instructions: Put black currants and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium flame until they begin to bubble. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring and mashing occasionally with a spoon. Once berries have broken down, pass them through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing to extract all the liquid. Use a spatula to scrape the outside of the strainer, as the fruit contains a lot of pectin and will begin to thicken. Discard solids. Rinse pan and return the strained puree to the heat, stirring in a squeeze of lemon. Taste and add a little more sugar if you'd like it sweeter, and serve hot or cold (puree thickens when chilled). It’s absolutely delicious served over good vanilla ice cream.