Recipes with Black Currant

Black currant is initially a wild berry. For a long time currant was collected in naturally growing thickets. Because of the abundance of currant on its banks, the River Moskva was even called The Currant River. In the course of a little over hundred years black currant due to hard work of selectors transformed from a wild berry into leading berry culture.
Berries of black currant contain vitamins (C, B2, B6, B9, D, E, P, K), microelements, carotinoids, flavonoids (1.5%), anthocyanidins (3-6%), proanthocyanidins, pectin, fruit acids (3.5%), sugar.
Being a rich source of vitamins, microelements and potassium, currant is frequently used preventively not only during seasonal hypovitaminosis and avitaminosises, but also all year long. The combination of vitamins C, P and flavonoids due to strengthening influence on blood vessels and capillaries makes currant especially good for eyes. Application of black currant as a sight strengthening means is common in Europe.
Black currant improves hematosis and raises immunity. Phytoncids of black currant are pernicious for infectious agent of upper air passages. Antifungal effect of currant extract has been noted. Black currant helps at common colds and other infectious diseases, sore throat and dry cough. It prevents and treats atherosclerosis, metabolic disorder, diseases of liver and bladder. To treat achylic and hypoacid gastritis, cholecystitis, intestinal dysbacteriosis, enterocolitis with expressed putrefactive processes in intestines and diarrhea, black currant is also frequently applied as an additional means as it contains organic acids and pectin substances.
Fruits are applies at hypertonic disease, circulatory system disorder, atherosclerosis, emaciation, gastritis with low acidity, strong headaches, hoarseness. Black currant is widely applied in Russia and in Europe; it is included in the British Pharmacopoeia.
Besides, Russians have always appreciated currant for its taste. As soon as these berries appeared in gardens, they collected them to eat with tea, to infuse vodka and liqueur, to make jam and certainly to bake delicious Russian pies.

Prunes In Pastry

150g flour
2 eggs
1 pinch salt
60g milk
1/2 bag vanilla sugar
1 tbsp vodka
400g vegetable oil for frying
sprinkle:
prunes, walnuts, powdered sugar
sauce:
200g black currant
powdered sugar

Cooking:
Rinse prunes in hot water and core them. Dry. Replace cores with walnut halves. Put prunes with nuts into pastry. Heat oil. Put prunes in pastry into hot oil. Fry on both sides. Make currant sauce, crushing berries in a mixer with powdered sugar. Take out fried prunes, put on a sieve to drain oil. Put battered prunes (8-9) on a plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar through a sieve, pour the berry sauce beside. It can also be served with vanilla sauce.

Urals Tea With Currant

2 handfuls black currant leaves
1 kettle water (boiling)
tea to taste

Cooking:
Put two handfuls of fresh black currant leaves in a big teapot and infuse three minutes in boiling water. Mix the resulting infusion with usual tea in any proportion – the way you like it.

Currant Mors

1-1.5 cups black currant
1 cup sugar
1L water

Cooking:
Squeeze juice out of berries. Boil the squeezed berries in water, filter, add sugar and juice.

Black Currant Soup

200g black currant
4 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp starch
3 cups water
for dumplings:
150g cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 tsp sugar
3 tbsp flour

Cooking:
Rinse black currant, rub it with a wooden spoon, squeeze out juice. Put the squeezed berries into a saucepan, fill it with cold water and boil. Filter through a sieve. Bring the liquid to boil, add sugar and starch dissolved in cold water. Bring to boil, take off the heat, pour in the squeezed juice and chill down. Rub cottage cheese, add eggs, sugar, flour, mix thoroughly. Make small dumplings of this pastry and boil them in a little salted water. When the dumplings float, take them out with a skimmer, put on a dish and chill down. Before serving, pour the soup into the dish with dumplings.

Black Currant Spotykach Liqueur

1kg black currant
1kg sugar
3.5 cups water
750g vodka

Cooking:
Rub black currant with a pestle, put in a gauze to let the juice drain. Make dense syrup of sugar and water. Pour black currant juice into the prepared syrup and boil again, take off the heat, add vodka and let the liqueur thicken stirring slowly and continuously, not letting it boil. After that chill down the "spotykach" and pour it in bottles. Store in a cool place.

Black Currant Jam

1kg black currant
1

Pkhali from the Chef of Kharcho Restaurant

Marinated cod

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Tuna with orange sauce from Chef of Lesnaya skazka Restaurant