Gooseberries

[dougiezerts]

I recently bought a 2lb jar of gooseberries. Do any of you have any suggestions for quick recipes for them? Thanks!

[Mama Mangia]

Crunchy Gooseberry Layer
4 oz gingernut biscuits, crushed
1 ½ oz butter, melted
8 oz gooseberries
1 tbsp water
4 oz caster sugar
1/2 pint double cream, whipped
Mix together the biscuit crumbs and melted butter and allow to cool. Place the gooseberries and water in a pan , cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until soft. Stir in the sugar and puree until smooth. Leave to cool. Fold the cream into the gooseberries and spoon half the mixture into the base of 6 individual glass dishes or 1 large serving dish. Top with half the biscuit crumbs. Repeat the layers. Chill and serve. Serves: 6

Gooseberry Chutney
3 lb gooseberries
1/2 lb onions
1 lb sugar
1/2 pint water
1/2 oz salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pint vinegar
Top and tail the berries, and chop roughly. Chop the onions finely and cook with the berries in the water until they are well softened. Add the other ingredients, and simmer until the chutney becomes thick, stirring occasionally. Bottle while hot and cover immediately.
This chutney, yielding about 4.5 lbs becomes more mellow in flavor the longer it is kept.

Gooseberry Pie
Pastry for 2 - 9" pie crusts
3 cups gooseberries
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter or margarine
Prepare pastry. Stem and rinse berries. Crush 1/2 cup berries; combine sugar, tapioca, and salt and mix with crushed berries. Cook and stir until mixture boils; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add remaining whole berries. Pour into pastry. Adjust top crust , cut slits for escape of steam. Brush with milk and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.


Gooseberry Crunch
Crumb Topping:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup soft butter
1 tsp cinnamon
Fruit Mixture:
3-4 cups gooseberries
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together crumb topping until crumbly. Press half of crumbs into 9" greased pan. In saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Bring to boil, add fruit and cool until clear and thick. Pour over crumb mix and top with remaining crumbs. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until browned. Cut in squares, serve warm with whipped cream.

Spiced Gooseberries
2 quarts gooseberries
4 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
2" stick cinnamon
8 cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 whole allspice
Wash berries, remove stems and blossom ends. Place sugar, vinegar, and spices together in a large pot, add 1/2 cup of water and boil for 5 minutes. Add gooseberries and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. When the berries are tender and the syrup is thick, turn into hot sterile jars and seal.
Time required: 1 hour. Yield: about 3 pints


Gooseberry Fool
1 pint gooseberries, stemmed
Sugar
2 - 3 tbsp water
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Put the gooseberries in a non-reactive saucepan with 1/4 cup of sugar and the water. Cook very gently until the gooseberries are thoroughly done and soft enought to mash. Put them through a sieve or food mill and add sugar to taste. Fold the gooseberry puree through the whipped cream. Chill for several hours.

[dougiezerts]

Thanks, Mama!

[Mama Mangia]

Anytime Doug - enjoy!