Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Chef'S Knife
- Pot
- Canning Jar
Ingredients
- 1 kg Gooseberry red
- 200 gram Water
- 30 gram Vinegar
- 650 gram Brown sugar
- 1 pcs. Vanilla Pod
Instructions
Time to Pickle
- Gooseberries have a small, dried flower at one end of the berry. While you can eat it, it’s much more pleasant if you remove it before you begin pickling the berries.
- Find a small paring knife in the kitchen drawer and carefully nip off the flower without breaking the berry. In this recipe, the berries aren’t supposed to be mashed, as the whole gooseberries add structure and bite.
Getting Started
- The nipped berries are rinsed and placed in a thick-bottomed pot along with water and vinegar.
- Let the whole mix simmer gently under a lid until the gooseberries almost burst, then add the brown sugar and vanilla bean to the pot.
- Now, let the berries bubble for the next 5 minutes before transferring the pot’s contents to clean, scalded jars.
Notes
How Long Will They Last?
Pickled items generally have a long shelf life, and this also applies to red gooseberries. As long as you place the berries in sterile jars, they can last for several months.If you want to extend the shelf life, you can rinse the jar with 1 tsp. of Atamon before filling it with pickled berries. Are you used to using Atamon? Many people use this preservative to prevent molds and other undesirables from spreading in the jar.
However, Atamon is not a natural product, and if you want to avoid E-numbers in your homemade pickles, it is not recommended to use it. Instead, you can swirl 1 tsp. of rum, whisky, or vodka in the jar. This also disinfects, and the alcohol will not affect the berries afterward.
How to Use the Pickled Berries
Want to try something other than jam on bread?The pickled, red gooseberries are delightful for many other things besides being a bread complement. The acidity from the vinegar, the sweetness from the brown sugar, and the soft notes of vanilla complement the berry's fruit flavor in the best way. This is precisely what makes this recipe special and different from regular gooseberry jam recipes.
Serving Suggestions
When pancakes are on the menu, it’s not a bad idea to place a generous spoonful of the pickled berries on the warm dessert, but if you’re looking for a sweet topping for your breakfast, they can be used for that as well.You can also serve the red berries with a piece of cake instead of fresh fruit, and when mixed with whipped cream or creme, they make perfect fillings for layer cakes and Swiss rolls.
Enjoy!