Red Currants

Not much information on Red Currants available.  They are classified as Ribes which include Currants and Gooseberries.  They are native to Western Europe and can be found in Asia and parts of North America.  The round berries look like small grapes and cluster.  Once mature they have a strong tart flavor.  To me they are very much like a pomegranate in taste and texture, only a bit larger and much easier to pull the fruit from the vine, than to beat up a pomegranate.  They are mostly used culinarily in Jams, Jellies and in baked goods.  They can be eaten raw from the vine or in salads and have also been used to make wine.  They are certainly not cheap, considering the size of the package but they are definitely a specific taste and could be used for many many different dishes.  I used them in a sauce and more than likely will again, however next time I may run it through a sieve as the seeds are very hard, small and bitter and get stuck in your molars.

I ate a couple of them raw….phew! Really tart.  So I opted for a cooked version.  I made a Red Currant Sauce, very simply, although I could see how this could get way more gourmet with the addition of citrus zest or spices.  I decided since I was making a sauce, I would have to put it on something.  I decided a simple Rice Pudding would be fancied up with the bright red sauce.

To make the sauce, pull all the currants from the vine and place in a pot on medium high heat with 1/3 cup of sugar of your choice.  Bring to a low boil and simmer until all sugar is dissolved.  You can continue to reduce the sauce to a thick syrup or serve a bit runny with the beautiful red pulp of the berries.