Welcome back to my continuing series on how to cope with the sudden onslaught of several tons of berries, otherwise known as "July." Today I give you the humble currant. 
We have two large red currant bushes and one smaller black. The red are juicier and sweeter than their black cousins, which are smaller and quite tart. Because of these differences, they are used for different purposes.
We harvest liters and liters of red currants, which grow in clusters like grapes. Luckily, the berries can be left on their thin stems for many uses, like making juice or jelly.
Making juice and jelly both start the same way. You bring 2 liters of currants with 3 dl water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, pressing the berries against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.
The berries are then poured through a fine-mesh strainer. You should not press the berries through the strainer, as this can make your juice or jelly cloudy. Just let them drain at their own pace, even if it takes a half an hour.
Sometimes I get a little impatient and press anyway. I don't mind cloudy juice. The jelly is prettier if you wait, though.
If you're making jelly, warm the liquid over medium heat and add 9 dl jamming sugar. Then pour into jars, and you're done. Easy as pie.
Top the cake with bunches of currants marinated in a little honey and lemon juice. Serve the cake with your currant juice, and you're in for a real treat.
Another option is to bake meringues, spread on a layer of mascarpone blended with a little whipped cream and powdered sugar, and top with bunches of red currants. Delicious!
The most important recipe for these is also the easiest: vinbärssnaps: currant-flavored aquavit.
There is also a lovely sauce for chicken you can make with black currants, which we had for dinner tonight. Start by melting 4 tbsp brown sugar in a saucepan. When it's starting to liquify, add 2 dl black currants.
When your currants are nice and syrupy, add 3 dl water, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp beef fond (a concentrated liquid boullion). Simmer and reduce for 10 minutes, then strain. Season with salt, and thicken with 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in cold water. This is delicious over baked chicken breasts wrapped in bacon.
The sauce is surprisingly not very fruity. It resembles more a red wine sauce, and the slight sweetness compliments the salty bacon very well.
We have two large red currant bushes and one smaller black. The red are juicier and sweeter than their black cousins, which are smaller and quite tart. Because of these differences, they are used for different purposes.
We harvest liters and liters of red currants, which grow in clusters like grapes. Luckily, the berries can be left on their thin stems for many uses, like making juice or jelly.
Making juice and jelly both start the same way. You bring 2 liters of currants with 3 dl water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, pressing the berries against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.
The berries are then poured through a fine-mesh strainer. You should not press the berries through the strainer, as this can make your juice or jelly cloudy. Just let them drain at their own pace, even if it takes a half an hour.
Sometimes I get a little impatient and press anyway. I don't mind cloudy juice. The jelly is prettier if you wait, though.
You should now have a liter of liquid, and it's time to decide if you want juice or jelly. If you want juice, add 3 dl sugar to your cooled liquid, which gives you a concentrate that you store in the refrigerator. When you want a drink, just blend one part of the concentrate to 4 parts water. So two dl concentrate gives you a liter juice.
If you're making jelly, warm the liquid over medium heat and add 9 dl jamming sugar. Then pour into jars, and you're done. Easy as pie.
Speaking of pie... Red currants are also excellent in cakes, and you don't need a special recipe. Just use your favorite recipe for sponge cake, pound cake... even a cake mix would work. Pour half your batter in the pan, then add a couple dl currants (picked from their stems) which have been coated with flour, top with the remaining batter, and bake as usual.
Top the cake with bunches of currants marinated in a little honey and lemon juice. Serve the cake with your currant juice, and you're in for a real treat.
Another option is to bake meringues, spread on a layer of mascarpone blended with a little whipped cream and powdered sugar, and top with bunches of red currants. Delicious!
Our black currant bush doesn't yeild nearly as many berries, and they are picked one by one, instead of in bunches, so I can't use these with such wild abandon as I do the red.
The most important recipe for these is also the easiest: vinbärssnaps: currant-flavored aquavit.
5 dl currants are mixed with 5 dl vodka and 2 tbsp sugar, then left to sit in a dark cool place in an air-tight jar. They can sit one week up to three months. I generally leave mine in for about a month before straining, so the snaps are ready for crayfish season.
There is also a lovely sauce for chicken you can make with black currants, which we had for dinner tonight. Start by melting 4 tbsp brown sugar in a saucepan. When it's starting to liquify, add 2 dl black currants.
When your currants are nice and syrupy, add 3 dl water, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp beef fond (a concentrated liquid boullion). Simmer and reduce for 10 minutes, then strain. Season with salt, and thicken with 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in cold water. This is delicious over baked chicken breasts wrapped in bacon.
The sauce is surprisingly not very fruity. It resembles more a red wine sauce, and the slight sweetness compliments the salty bacon very well.
There are many other things you can do with currants, these are just a few of our favorites. What are yours?
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