RED CURRANT SAUCE

Red currants are tangy and bright berries with a splashy red color. Whether you're cooking something savory or sweet, these little berries are a great way to add a shock of taste and crimson vibrance to enliven even the heaviest of recipes.

Equally at home atop sugary morning pancakes or savory roasted lamb, red currants act as a brightener for hearty dishes.

Currants don't tend to grow in the southern U.S. where I grew up, so my first introduction to these tart little berries was during my first trip to Scandinavia two years ago. Since then, I've had trouble disassociating them with wintery meals of reindeer meatballs and potato cakes (not to be confused with the very similar lingonberry, also popular in Scandinavia!)

Despite the fact that I always seem to bump into red currants when it's snowing outside, these little guys are a Summer berry. They hit the grocery store shelves around June/July, and can be preserved by making jam or sauce for later in the year.

This is a recipe to make berry compote and syrup for use within three days.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

( Makes about a half cup of syrup )

200 grams red currants

60 grams of sugar

Small pinch of Kosher salt

Tools:

Non-reactive mixing bowl (Stainless Steel, Glass, Ceramic, or Enamel)

Sieve

Storage container

Instructions:

1. In the non-reactive bowl (meaning one made from Stainless Steel, Glass, Ceramic, or Enamel ) mix the 200 grams of de-stemmed (and washed!) red currants with the 60 grams sugar and half pinch of salt.

2. Cover and let sit for at least two hours at room temp.

3. Once the berries are macerated (softened up) squish them a bit to let the juice loose.

4. Strain the syrup into a bowl. Store the syrup in an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to use it. Throw the squished berries and seeds away.

5. For hot dishes, serve the syrup at room temperature or warmer. For cold dishes, the syrup can be served chilled.

This Redcurrant Sauce will keep for Three Days.

Notes:

+ Summer is a great time for this recipe since red currants are at their finest!

+ This syrup is a delicious topping for use within a few days. For a longer-lasting flavor of red currant, consider making red currant jam, which you can keep until the winter for use with hearty dishes.