Another fruit rich in vitamin C, black currants are an ideal fruit for making into a nectar, which can then be diluted as a cold drink or a hot comforting drink—similar to, but better than, the ready-made kind available in delicatessens.
MAKES: about 3 cups
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 pints overripe black currants
- sugar (for quantity, see step 3)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Strip the black currants from their stalks by running the tines of a fork over the stems.
- Place them with 1¾ cups water in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook for half an hour, stirring occasionally and mashing the fruit with the back of the spoon. Then strain through a sieve into a measuring pitcher; discard the pulp.
- Add 2 cups sugar to every 2½ cups juice and stir over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Bring just to the boil, then quickly remove from the heat.
- Pour the nectar into clean, clip-top or corked bottles and sterilize, or pour into freezer containers, seal, and freeze.
