Five ways with... Gooseberries

GOOSEBERRIES can be red, green, yellow or white. The yellow variety generally offers the best flavour for desserts and wine-making. The Lothians produce some of the most flavoursome fruits anywhere. They are ripe for picking now, and meltingly sweet when you find the dessert varieties. Unfortunately, the gooseberries sold in shops are often more like acidic green bullets, which do have culinary value but need softening and a lot of sugar to make them edible.

In the Middle Ages, wild gooseberries were held in high esteem medicinally for the cooling effect of their acid juice in fevers. Indeed, the fruit is still known in some areas of Lancashire by its old English name of fea berry.

Traditionally, gooseberries are used in pies, jams, sauces, chutneys and the classic English dessert gooseberry fool. The berries also combine well with poultry and game, especially roast goose and duck. They are high in pectin, which makes them particularly good for making jellies.

1 GOOSEBERRY RELISH FOR VENISON BURGERS

500g gooseberries; 200g brown sugar; 200g raisins; 1 onion, peeled and sliced; 3 tbsp salt; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp mustard powder; 1 tsp ginger; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 litre malt vinegar

Chop the gooseberries, raisins and onion. Add the other ingredients and heat slowly until the mixture reaches boiling point. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Rub the mixture through a coarse sieve, then pour into warm, sterilised jars. Leave to cool before covering with lids.

2 GOOSEBERRY KETCHUP FOR HOTDOGS

125g gooseberries; 150g tomato purée; 30g sugar; 2 tbsp wine or cider vinegar; 1/2 onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; pinch salt

Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for ten minutes, stirring often. Press the mixture through a fine sieve, discarding the skins. Cover and chill for two hours, or up to two weeks.

3 GOOSEBERRY CURD

375g gooseberries; 1 tbsp elderflower cordial; 125g butter; 200g caster sugar; 3 eggs

Top and tail the gooseberries and cook in a pan with 25g of the butter and the elderflower cordial until the fruit is very soft and collapsing. Sieve the mixture over a Pyrex bowl to remove the seeds and skins. Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water that is just big enough to hold the bowl without touching the water. Add the sugar and stir. Beat the eggs together and pass through a sieve into the bowl. Stir over a gentle heat until the mixture thickens to the consistency of custard (do not let it boil), then remove from the heat and pour into warmed sterile jars. Allow to cool and then seal the jars. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

4 GOOSEBERRY FOOL

450g gooseberries; 25g butter; 50g sugar; 250ml double cream

Top and tail the gooseberries, rinse and drain them, then put them in a pan with the butter. Soften the fruit over a low heat for five minutes. When soft, mash them lightly with the back of a spoon. Stir in the sugar, adding more if needed. Whip the cream until quite thick, then fold it in to the gooseberries. Chill before serving and top with a sprig of mint.

5 GOOSEBERRY MERINGUE PIE

1 x 9in baked pastry shell For the filling 250g gooseberries; 125ml water; 200g sugar; 125g flour; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon;

For the meringue 2 egg whites; 4 tbsp sugar

To make the filling, cook the gooseberries in water until tender. Mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt, then add to the gooseberries and cook until thick. Allow to cool and pour into the pastry shell. Beat the egg whites until stiff and add the sugar. Spread the meringue over the pastry case and bake in the oven at 180ûC for 12 to 15 minutes.