A simple recipe for making gooseberry and orange compote for the winter

A tasty and healthy compote of ripe gooseberries with orange, prepared with your own hands, will allow you to enjoy a healthy, fortified drink throughout the winter. The article contains several simple but very tasty recipes for novice housewives.

A few subtleties of preparing gooseberry and orange compote

To prepare the “right drink” you will need to know a few secrets from experienced compote lovers:

• Gooseberries with the addition of oranges have an exquisite taste and aroma, but there is no limit to perfection. “Gourmets” recommend using wine, mint, vanilla or cinnamon as aromatic additives, and some use allspice and thyme.
• To seal the berries and oranges for the winter, do not boil them, but pour ready-made boiling syrup several times and then seal them with a lid.
• To prepare the syrup, you can use orange peel; after boiling, it is simply thrown away, then the drink is infused with the taste of orange slices and gooseberries.

Preparing gooseberries for cooking

To prepare compotes, you can use berries of any variety, but if they are purchased on the market, it is better to look for the following varieties:

• Honey;
• Amateur;
• Black Negus.

It is not recommended to purchase green or overripe gooseberries. Otherwise, when buying berries at the market, you can only hope for the integrity of the seller. The main thing is that there are no rotten, crushed, dried out or damaged berries.

For compote, purchase large and slightly unripe fruits; they will be more aromatic and will not spread when poured with hot water.. Before preparing the compote, wash the gooseberries in a bowl of water. At the same time, spoiled, unsightly, damaged by scab and other diseases berries are removed. Then remove all the “tails” and “spouts” and place them in a colander to drain excess water.

Selection of oranges

Only ripe oranges with orange peel are used. The purchase of rotten and spoiled raw materials is not allowed. The formation of mold on the peel is unacceptable.The fungus also affects the insides, and not just the outer part of the fruit. To date, there is no clear answer as to whether it is possible to use chopped slices with the peel or whether it must be peeled. It all depends on the taste of the hostess.

The main thing is to wash the citrus fruits in running water and soap. If they are used without peeling the skins, you will need to pour boiling water over the fruits. If you plan to prepare peel-based syrup, peel the oranges and divide them into slices.

Methods for preparing compote

Here are several options for gooseberry and orange compote for the winter.

A simple recipe for the winter

Ingredients for preparing 3 liters of drink:

• 2 heaped glasses of ripe gooseberries;
• large ripe orange - 1 pc.;
• 200-300 g sugar; purified water - 2 l.

Cooking process:

1. First, pour boiling water over the orange and cut thin circles with a sharp knife.
2. Washed and dried gooseberries are cleared of tails and spouts.
3. Place the mugs and berries evenly into a 3 liter jar sterilized in a water bath.
4. Dissolve sugar and water in a saucepan, stir and place over high heat.
5. The boiled syrup is poured into the jar so that it does not reach the top by 10-15 mm.

Close the container with a lid and seal it tightly with a machine.

Gooseberry compote with orange and mint

Prepare:

• ripe or slightly unripe berries - 500 g;
• fresh mint - 1-2 small sprigs;
• 100-150 g sugar;
• large orange - 1 pc.

Perform several simple operations:

1. The orange is treated with boiling water, cut into circles 5-8 mm thick and placed in a pan.
2. Using light pressure, crush the citrus pulp so that it releases a little juice. It is not recommended to crush the peel, it will add bitterness to the drink.
3. After 60 minutes, strain the orange juice, pour it into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat.
4. Remove the container from the stove and put in a sprig of peppermint, washed under running water.
5. Add water, remove the mint, and dilute the sugar. Add berries to the infusion and place the pan on the stove.
6. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook for several minutes and remove the container from the stove.
7. Cover with a lid and let the compote brew until completely cooled.

If you plan to prepare it for the winter, pour the finished tasty compote into a sterilized jar and cover it with a lid.

Gooseberry compote with oranges “Ginger”

Ingredients:

• medium oranges - 2 pcs.;
• 300-400 g of berries;
• processed ginger root - length at least 70 mm;
• natural cinnamon, sticks - 2 pcs.;
• ½ lemon;
• 200 g glass of granulated sugar - 1 pc.;
• if desired, you can add vanilla - 20 g;
• star anise - 2-3 “stars”;
• allspice to taste.

Job:

1. The ginger root is peeled and cut into thin circles with a sharp knife.
2. Oranges and lemon are doused with boiling water and cut into discs 5-7 mm thick. The rounds are cut into 4 parts.
3. Place the citruses in a pan, spread the gooseberries and all the ingredients evenly, distributing them between the layers.
4. After 30-40 minutes, pour 3 liters of purified water into the pan and place it on high heat.

The finished compote can be sealed in a container for the winter or served after 30-40 minutes of infusion.

Gooseberry compote with oranges and honey

Recipe for making 2 jars of compote:

• oranges - 1 kg;
• dark gooseberries - 2 kg;
• sugar - 700-800 g;
• honey - 200 g.

Stages of work:

1. Oranges are scalded with boiling water and, after cooling, a thin layer of peel is removed with a sharp knife.
2. Peel and discard any remaining skin from the fruit. Cut into semicircular slices.
3. Gooseberries are evenly laid out with oranges in 2 prepared jars.
4. Pour 4-5 liters of purified water into a large saucepan, add sugar and bring it to a boil.
5. Add the peeled zest and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
6. The syrup is filtered through a sieve and the hot liquid is poured into the jars.
7. Cover and infuse the compote under the lids for 20-30 minutes.
8. Place a special plastic lid with holes on the neck of the jar and completely pour the syrup from the jars into the pan.
9. Place it on the fire, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
10. Add honey to the compote, dissolve it in water and pour the syrup into jars with berries.
11. The distance from the top of the syrup to the edge of the jar is at least 10-15 mm.

The lids are sealed, turned over and wrapped in a blanket for gradual cooling and infusion of the compote.

Storage Features

Like all winter preparations, it is better to store gooseberry and orange compote in a cool cellar or basement. But if this is not possible, cans of the drink can easily overwinter in an apartment, on a mezzanine or in a storage room. After opening the compote, store it only in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Storing an open can of drink in the room for a long time and then consuming compote can lead to severe forms of food poisoning. But even in a cool cellar it is not recommended to store gooseberry compote for more than 3 years.

Conclusion

Simple folk recipes for preparing fortified compote from gooseberries and oranges will not require much effort and time from housewives, but in winter it supplies the body with the necessary vitamins and microelements.The main thing is to carefully follow all the instructions and take your time.