The gooseberry makes itself welcome in both sweet and savoury settings: in a tarte tatin, in a lively salad for spicy, herby pork chops and in a crumble custard cake
In the summer glut of saccharine fruits such as strawberries and peaches, gooseberries may not be the ones you reach for first. But behind their strange burr of fine fuzz, these translucent, marble-like fruits offer a complex, defiant flavour. They are juicy, fragrant, a little sweet (especially the red ones that come along later in the season), but, overall, they are raspishly sour. Like rhubarb, they need sweetening if you’re using them in compotes or desserts, but their natural tartness offers a wonderful contrast and cuts through cheese, fatty meat such as pork or oily fish such as mackerel.
The addition of tart fruit in the salad helps to cut through the fattiness of the meat.
Prep 15 minMarinate 20 minPickle 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp fennel seeds2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
4 pork chops
2 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and bashed flat
For the salad3 tbsp white-wine vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar, or honey
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and very lightly crushed2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and very finely sliced from top to base (preferably with a mandoline)1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler or mandoline1 banana shallot, peeled and very finely sliced200g gooseberries25g tarragon, leaves picked25g mint, leaves picked and finely chopped3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Put the salt, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, pepper and sugar in a mortar and grind to a fine powder. Add the paprika and oregano, and grind again. Pat the chops dry with kitchen paper, then press the spice mix all over the meat. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/350F/gas 6. Heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof frying pan and add the garlic. Using tongs, hold the chops skin-side down in the pan for five minutes to crisp up and render the fat. Once the fat is a lovely amber colour, fry the chops for three minutes on each side, basting as you go, then transfer to the oven for six minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Rest the meat for five minutes.
Meanwhile, make the salad. Mix the vinegar and caster sugar in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved, then season well with salt and pepper. Add the coriander seeds, fennel, cucumber and shallot, and set aside to lightly pickle for 10 minutes. Finally, add the gooseberries and herbs and drizzle over the olive oil. Toss well and serve with the pork chops.
A savoury take on the classic apple tarte tatin. This version features a wonderful partnership between tart gooseberries and funky goat’s cheese. Serve with some dressed salad leaves and toasted hazelnuts for crunch.
40g butterA few sprigs of thyme2½ tbsp runny honey3 tbsp apple cider vinegarSea salt and black pepper
750g gooseberries, topped and tailedPlain flour, for dusting500g block puff pastry
150g soft goat’s cheese
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/425F/gas 6. Put a 20cm ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter has completely melted, add the thyme and fry briefly for 30 seconds, then stir in the honey and vinegar and season well.
Once the glaze has thickened and caramelised, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for eight to 10 minutes. Add the gooseberries and stir to coat.
On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 3mm thick, then cut out a circle slightly larger than the pan. Cover the gooseberries with the pastry, using your fingers to carefully tuck it in at the edges. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crisp and golden on top.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least five minutes before carefully inverting on to a serving plate. Serve hot or cold, scattered with crumbled goat’s cheese and more black pepper.
The sour fruit offers a welcome respite in this nursery-sweet cake layered with custard. Raspberries would also work well here.
