Pickled gooseberries
Description
Perfect for winter preserves. Ingredient amounts are for a 500 ml container. You can preserve either green or red gooseberries—choose whichever you prefer. Be sure to add vinegar: it acts as a preservative, and without it the preserve will ferment. Taste the berries and, if needed, add a little sugar to the marinade if they are sour. Store the preserve in a cool, dark place. Jars keep for up to a year in a cool place.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the listed ingredients. Buy or pick ripe gooseberries, remove the papery skins from the garlic cloves, and rinse them in water.
- 2
Step 2
Pour the berries into a salad bowl or deep bowl and cover with cold water. Rinse off dust and dirt; remove any spoiled gooseberries, leaves, and stems.
- 3
Step 3
Transfer the washed berries into a jar, filling it almost to the top. Remember that they will be covered with boiling water and steam-processed, so the contents will shrink slightly in volume.
- 4
Step 4
Bring water to a boil in a kettle and put the garlic cloves in a jar. Pour boiling water to the top and cover with a lid. Leave the gooseberries to steam for 5 minutes. The berries are small, so 5 minutes is definitely enough for them, but no longer, or they will burst!
- 5
Step 5
Pour salt, black peppercorns, and mustard seeds into a cauldron or pot. If you like, you can also add other spices and seasonings, plus a little granulated sugar or honey.
- 6
Step 6
Carefully pour the liquid from the jar of berries into the saucepan with the spices and add a little boiling water. Place the pot on the stove and bring the liquid to a boil so the salt dissolves. Turn off the heat, pour in the vinegar, and stir. Add the vinegar only when the heat is off; otherwise a lot of foam will form and it may boil over the sides.
- 7
Step 7
Pour the prepared marinade into the jar with berries until full. Try to cover all the gooseberries with it.
- 8
Step 8
Immediately screw the lid onto the jar by the threads, or use a canning jar wrench. Let cool at room temperature, then move to a pantry or cellar.
- 9
Step 9
As soon as the preparation cools and the gooseberries have absorbed the marinade, it is ready. Store the appetizer in a cool place until winter or some holiday, serving it at the table without the marinade. Enjoy your meal!