Currant bushes

[Ilikepumpkins]

I have a redcurrant and a whitecurrant bush that have both fruited well.

But (and apologies for the dumb question) what can you actually do with red and whitecurrants? Any recipe ideas would be gratefully received.

Thanks.

[nick the grief]

Not dumb at all, I was wondering the same as I've got red, white & black currant bushes

Maybe Piglet will post his recipe for Redcurrant jelly. Blackcurrant jam is a favourite I guess not sure about white currants.

[Sunbeam]

there was a thread about white currant recipes - if you google for recipes you can bring up a couple for wine

[nick the grief]

Oh no Sunbeam, I'm not falling for the old google for that trick, I was the one who caught LJ out remember

[blackkitty]

Currant jelly
Place your currants in a saucepan with a little water ( about one tablespoon) just to stop it sticking. Cook until the currants burst and leak their juice. Place into a jelly bag over a bowl. (if you don't have a jelly bag use a sieve lined with a clean cloth, blue j clothes work, but check they're not impregnated with anti bacterial stuff. leave overnight or until completely finished dripping. If you want to be a perfectionist, resist the urge to push more juice through with a spoon or to squeeze the bag as the jelly will go cloudy.
measure the amount of juice you have, add the same amount of sugar by volume. I add the juice of half a lemon for every cup or so. Bring to the boil making sure all the sugar has dissolved first. Currant jelly sets really quickly so test after the first five minutes or so. Place a little on a cold saucer (I put a few in the fridge when I start) place in fridge fro a few minutes. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger its done. Pour into sterilised jars.
I use redcurrants, or a mixture of red and white. I usually make jam with the blackcurrants.

Currants also make good sorbet, but I'll have to think about that before I post a recipe as you need more precise measurements.

[nick the grief]

Ta BK,
My son announced today he likes redcurrant jelly so I'll pick him some

My WHite currant bush seems to be a bit on the shy side at the moment but I've got loads of red & black currants.

[Sunbeam]

you've lost me Nick! which google trick was that??

[Lesley Jay]

Sunbeam if you REALLY want to know the full horrors of the google story then you will need to go to General Chitchat, page 4 and the thread The Kettles On, Take A Seat And Put up Your Feet. Read page 2.

[Sunbeam]

OH!!!!

Enlightenment of the non-pudding-kind! You don't get anything so exciting when you google for white currants - I tried it already ...

although I'm sure if you tried "I'm feeling lucky.....!!!! "

[Slug]

I remember googling for a spotted dick recipe for my manager at work. She's from the US and while having a conversation about traditional foods, I asked her if she'd ever had a spotted dick. Well.... you can imagine what she thought of me for asking!!

While googling (to prove this was really a recipe - and I wasn't just being cheeky!!), I came across some rather unsavoury sites....

[Shortie]

While googling (to prove this was really a recipe - and I wasn't just being cheeky!!), I came across some rather unsavoury sites....

Yes.... I'm sure you would say that!

[Slug]

I think you have me misunderstood shortie.... when I said the sites were rather unsavoury... I simply meant they were describing sweet treats rather than savoury treats like sausage rolls...

Not too sure what you thought I meant....??

[Squirrel]

When I first arrived in this country went for a typing test. Needed to save it to a removable disk. Wandered into the office and asked for a stiffy! Didn't live that down for a long time!

[Sunbeam]

where are you from, Squirrel?

[Slug]

Sorry guys - just to go back to the blackcurrants for a moment.... should they be ready to do something with now? They look lovely and ripe on the bush, but taste pretty bitter.... I'm not sure if they're not ripe enough, or just that they're not normally eaten just raw and on their own?

I'll happily cook an apple and blackcurrant tart or something like that, if they're not meant to be eaten on their own. I'm just not sure if they're only suitable for cooking, or if mine aren't ripe enough.

Does anybody else eat them raw (you can do that with redcurrants can't you?).