Lilly Higgins: Gooseberry and ginger relish

Gooseberries usually evoke a strong reaction in people. They are one of those foods people tend to either love or hate. They’re in season now, so buy a few punnets or pick your own and have some fun in the kitchen getting to know the humble fruit.

Gooseberries grow so well in Ireland, freeze perfectly and are full of vitamin C. It’s always good to find summer’s bounty in the freezer once winter kicks in. I have so many memories associated with gooseberries, and none involves eating them.

We had rows and rows of gooseberry bushes when we were little. It used to annoy me that they weren’t raspberries or a sweeter, more palatable fruit. Instead they were bristly green sour little berries that needed cooking and plenty of sugar to make them appealing to a child.

They were prickly to pick, and then came the topping and tailing, where each little berry had to be trimmed and tidied up. I remember one afternoon sitting with four of my sisters for what seemed like hours, topping and tailing huge mixing bowls full of gooseberries.

That could be my dream afternoon now: surrounded by fresh local produce doing a mindless, repetitive task, with all of my sisters chatting around me. Throw in a few bottles of wine and it would be perfect.

My mother has always made gooseberry jam, which is amazing on scones. It has the perfect balance of piquancy and fruity sweetness. Sometimes the gooseberries made their way into tarts, encased in buttery pastry or in a sultana-studded chutney. Other days she just made a gooseberry sauce to have with a block of ice cream.

This quick and easy relish tastes great with cheese, especially goat’s cheese or served with fatty meat such as duck or pork. I’ve served mine with a thick slice of coarse pork terrine. It would be lovely on a cheeseboard and is great to have in the fridge. I’ve eaten it with grilled fresh mackerel, and that was amazing too.

Many recipes I have found pair gooseberries with ginger – and for good reason. The pepperiness of the ginger goes so well with the sour fruit. Yotam Ottolenghi has a gooseberry relish recipe where he uses a base of elderflower cordial with a spice bag of fresh ginger. He serves it with roast pork.

My neighbour, who is well into her 90s, once shared a fantastic recipe for gooseberry chutney with me. She has been making it all her life. She uses ground ginger and I’m afraid that’s as much as I’m allowed to say as she swore me to secrecy.

GOOSEBERRY AND GINGER RELISH: MAKES ONE LARGE JAR

The ingredients
1 small red onion, finely diced
1tbs finely grated fresh ginger
1tsp black mustard seeds
400g fresh gooseberries
50g brown sugar
3tbs cider vinegar
Pinch of sea salt

Method
Rinse the gooseberries and remove any brown tops and the tails. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized pan. Add the onion and sauté low until soft but not coloured. Add the ginger and mustard seeds. Stir and leave to cook for almost a minute before tipping in the gooseberries, sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Stir to coat everything, then lower the heat and leave to bubble and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries are soft and beginning to burst.

Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl to cool quickly. Pot into a large jar or sealable container. It will keep in the fridge for at least a week.