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The gooseberry is a much neglected fruit, but there’s no good reason for this. They’re available – in abundance – in June and July, and making yummy gooseberry treats won’t put a dent in your pocket. They also have as much as 20 times the amount of vitamin C oranges do, and they’ll help boost your levels of calcium and B vitamins. Because the gooseberry season is so short, it’s best to pick them up now, while you can. Here’s some inspiration for using the gooseberry in your kitchen.

What to do with gooseberries

Many people don’t like the tart taste of raw gooseberries, but when they’re cooked they lose some of that sharpness, and they’re versatile enough to be used in sweet and savoury dishes. Before cooking gooseberries, they need to be topped and tailed. This is a little fiddly, but very easy to do with a pair of kitchen scissors. Then rinse them thoroughly under running water, and you’re ready to go.

Sweet treats

The easiest way to prepare the gooseberry for a sweet dish is to put them in a pan with a little sugar and some water, and let them cook gently for 10-15 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re soft, but if they start to fall apart, you’ve cooked them for too long. You could also cook them with honey for a little extra flavor, and add a sprig of elderflower for something different.

The savoury gooseberry

Gooseberry sauce is a great accompaniment to fish like salmon or mackerel, and marry well with pork and lamb. Cook the berries as though you were preparing them for a sweet dish, but add only just enough sugar to balance their sharpness. Gently frying some onion in a pan before adding the gooseberries will add to their savoury taste. Once the gooseberries have softened, pop them in your blender, or mash them gently by hand for a more rustic sauce.

For more ideas on what to do with the gooseberry, visit the BBC’s Good Food website.

Tags: blender, cooking, eating healthily