Red Currant Sauce

I picked up a flat of red currants today – what a throwback to my childhood! Red currants grew wild in the woods across the street from where I grew up and my brothers and I would eat them right off the bushes when out exploring “The Woods”. They are so good, fresh, but obviously with a whole flat, I needed to do something with them, so I’ve come up with a basic recipe for red currant sauce. Once cooked, it can be parceled into freezer containers and then each one can be modified for how it’s to be used. Need a savory sauce? Add a minced shallot, a minced clove of garlic, a dash of salt and maybe even a few sprigs of fresh basil or thyme. Need it sweet for dessert? Add a bit more honey, or some vanilla, fresh, minced ginger, orange or lemon zest. You could even add in a few cherries, figs or any stone fruit.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups red currants
Honey (3/4 cup for tart, or 1 cup for sweet)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

PREPARATION

Combine desired ingredients in sauce pan and start cooking over medium heat. Reduce temperature as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until reduced and thickened, about 25 minutes. Once its cooked down and thickened, to get rid of the seeds, transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and pulse until the sauce is a nice, smooth purée. It will thicken even more as it cools.

This recipe makes about 2 cups of red currant sauce, if you just want a single serving, cut the recipe in half or even in thirds. Treat it like a base and freeze it in small containers for later use. Feel free to add ingredients to make it more savory, such as shallot, fresh basil, and garlic. Serve over chicken, pork, or salmon.

If you plan on using the sauce for sweeter fare, it’s terrific over vanilla bean ice cream or Belgian waffles.

If you make this recipe, snap a pic of your dish and hashtag it #kellylenihancooks. I'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

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