Gooseberry Compote

Gooseberry compote
Elaine Lemm
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 8 servings

A simple, sweet-tart gooseberry compote makes a delicious dish on its own but is also the basis for many more recipes. Gooseberry compote blended with a mix of custard and cream (or custard and yogurt for a slightly sharper flavor) becomes a luscious Gooseberry Fool. When topped with meringue and baked becomes a Gooseberry Snow and who can resist a buttery, sweet Gooseberry crumble with lashings of custard or cream.

It is not, however, the sweetness of a gooseberry compote that makes a gooseberry shine; the gooseberry is also the perfect partner for smoked and oily fish and a must with pan-fried mackerel. When using for savory dishes, go easy on the sugar; you will still need some, but not as much as for a pudding. So, this compote is just as at home with meats and fish as it is with the crumble topping, thus making it a very versatile fruit indeed.

Ingredients

  • 450 grams gooseberries, about 2 cups

  • 84 grams fine sugar, about 3 tablespoons

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

  3. Scatter the gooseberries onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, this will take about 20 to 30 minutes.

  4. Tip the gooseberries into a bowl and squash gently with a fork to break up the fruit and release the juice. Taste to check sweetness and add more sugar if required, this is personal preference and also depends on the end use of the compote. If you intend to use with fish or meat then go easy on the sugar.

  5. Add the elderflower cordial if using (again, taking note for the end use of the compote)

  6. Use as desired, or serve with cream as a simple pudding. The compote will keep well in the refrigerator for a few days and is also good for freezing. Use within a couple of months if frozen to make sure you eat the compote at its best.

Options

  1. If you want a finer, seed-free compote, blend the compote in a food processor to the consistency you like, then pass through a sieve. The resulting texture will be very loose.

  2. For a slightly chunkier compote, put two-thirds of the berries into the blender, whizz to your preferred consistency, pass through a sieve and then add back the whole gooseberries. This method for a compote can be then used for relish, crumbles Fools and Gooseberry Snow.

Topping and tailing a gooseberry involves nipping off any remaining stalk on the top of the gooseberry, and likewise the little spike at the bottom. It is not absolutely essential to do this, however, it does make for a much better texture in the finished dish.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
65 Calories
0g Fat
16g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 65
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 16mg 78%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 112mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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