Gooseberries are never going to win any beauty contents, but in terms of flavour they’re hard to beat. When raw they’re almost inedible because of their intensely fierce tartness, but add a little bit of sugar and heat and they mellow out to become pleasingly sharp. Being a very seasonal fruit, gooseberries are only available in the UK between June and August, and when they’re gone, they’re gone – so once they start appearing on shop shelves, be sure to snap some up.
Cooking gooseberries is incredibly simple and they’re a very forgiving fruit, often stewed down over a gentle heat with some sugar to create an indulgent filling for pies, tarts and crumbles. But they can also create wonderful sauces for savoury dishes. Take a look at our five favourite gooseberry recipes below and make the most of this seasonal treat.