Red Currant Sauce
Red currant tang and sparkle
Thanksgiving this year lacked one essential element: cranberries. There were none to be found in my Italian grocery stores, and I missed them. Then, cartons of red currants appeared, and I decided to see if they could stand in for the traditional ingredient. Truth be told, with their own special tang and sparkle, red currants are beyond a substitute. The berries pack a punch and have a brightness that pairs beautifully with poultry, pork, and platters of dense triple-cream cheeses. I am besotted.
Red Currant Sauce
Makes 1 cup
1-1/2 cups stemmed red currants
zest from 1 large orange
juice from 1 large orange, with water added to make ¾ cup
2-3 tablespoons sugar, depending on your preference of sweetness versus tanginess
5 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Place all the ingredients in a small to medium nonstick skillet. Bring to a boil. The mixture will foam and appear orange from the zest. Stir it down and adjust the heat so the currants bubble and the juice reduces, 12 to 15 minutes. You’ll notice a change in the bubble pattern — they’ll become flatter and larger — just before the mixture is finished. If you overcook, the red currants will gel like mint jelly. They will still taste good, but it’s better to stop cooking them before they become too thick and syrupy.
Store in an airtight container. The condiment will keep in the refrigerator for a week or more.
Title Photo: © Pixel-Shot
Sally Uhlmann’s passion for cooking led her to publish a memoir-style cookbook, “Just Cook with Sally.” She splits her time between the States and her farmhouse in Cortona, Italy, when she is not traveling the world. Sally cooks, develops recipes, and writes stories—mostly about the intersection of food, travel, and her life.
