Season: Late May to June. I welcome the first tiny gooseberries that appear in the month of May, just as the first boughs of elder flowers are beginning to show. The berries are picked when small, almost as a thinning process, allowing their brothers and sisters to fill out and mature on the bush. But these early green goddesses are full of pectin, sharp, and tart, and make a divine jam. The fragrant elder flowers add a flavor that will remind you, when the days are short and dark, that summer will come again.

　　

Ingredients

makes six to seven 8-ounce jars

　　2 1/4 pounds young gooseberries

　　About 8 heads of elderflower

　　5 cups granulated sugar

　　

Step 1

Top and tail the gooseberries (it’s easiest to do this with a pair of scissors) and put into a preserving pan with 2 cups of water. Check the elderflower heads for any insects, then place on top of the gooseberries. Cook gently until the berries are soft but still hold their shape. Remove the elderflowers.

　　

Step 2

Add the sugar. Stir carefully, so as not to break up the fruit, until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 9 to 10 minutes. Test for the setting point (see p. 41).

　　

Step 3

Remove from the heat, let rest for 10 minutes, then pot and seal (see pp.21–22). Use within 1 year.

　　

VARIATION

Step 4

Use this recipe for later-season gooseberries, without the elderflower. The fruit will be sweeter and the jam will have a soft pink color.

　　

P.S.

Step 5

To make a quick and easy piquant gooseberry sauce to go with mackerel, add a little cider or balsamic vinegar to warmed gooseberry jam (with or without elderflower). Let the flavors mix and mingle before spooning over broiled or grilled fish.

　　The River Cottage Preserves Handbook by Pam Corbin.Pam Corbin has been making preserves for as long as she can remember, and for more than twenty years her passion has been her business. Pam and her husband, Hugh, moved to Devon where they bought an old pig farm and converted it into a small jam factory. Using only wholesome, seasonal ingredients, their products soon became firm favorites with jam-lovers the world over. Pam has now hung up her professional wooden spoon but continues to "jam" at home. She also works closely with the River Cottage team, making seasonal goodies using fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers from her own garden, and from the fields and hedgerows.