Peruvian Ground Cherries

[IronNoggin]

I first heard about these marvelous little bursts of unique flavor about a year ago.
As I am right into cooking, I frequent a couple of cooking sites.
One of these is run by a couple French Chefs who are damn good, and they mentioned these berries make "the absolute best seafood sauce imaginable".
That of course got me thinking...

Here's the standard description of these things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_peruviana

After a little searching, I found a seed supplier in Ontario, ordered up a few, and started them off early inside our little greenhouse. At first they struggled, and I thought they were perhaps a lost cause. But we planted the little guys here and there, and I took off to go fishing for a month & change. When I got home, their transformation was nothing shy of amazing! They had literally jumped up to 2.5 feet in height, and had taken over most of the garden space wherever we had planted them!

Wasn't long and the berries began to form. Had to taste a few of course, and they were amazing. Very unique, like nothing I have ever tasted before. A little sweet, but not overly so, with hints of strawberry & pineapple. Interesting, and I could see why they might make a great seafood sauce.

Jump forward to yesterday.
Harvest was great. Ended up with almost 5 of the largest ziplocks full of the cherries still in their husks. They keep very well in the fridge, so we were able to stockpile them for eventual processing.

Each berry comes in it's own husk which has to be removed:

https://i.imgur.com/FGHjIXX.jpg

Time consuming, but well worth the effort!

https://i.imgur.com/uPRaitX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4swD3BJ.jpg

Eventually I got them all husked & cleaned up:

https://i.imgur.com/99HOZBN.jpg

That's about 7 1/2 pounds worth.

...

[IronNoggin]

Then it was time to experiment.
I had found several recipes on the net, and settled on a couple of versions to try.

The first was a preserve style of product, this is what went into it:

Ingredients


2 lb 8 oz fresh ground cherries
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons pectin
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 shots of brandy

Instructions

Add butter to pan on medium heat. Once melted, add ground cherries and stir to evenly coat the fruit with butter. Cook and stir butter and ground cherries for a few minutes, then add 1/2 cup water to help prevent fruit scald and sticking.

Add lemon juice and let cook and reduce for about 1 hour on medium heat (depending on quantity of ground cherries and desired thickness), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The more the ground cherries reduce, the faster they can potentially start sticking to the bottom of the pan.

After one hour, prepare/sanitize your canning jars in a pot of boiling water .

Mix in pectin. Then mix in sugar and bring the pot to a quick boil to get the pectin to set. Reduce or remove from heat after the preserves reach boil, continuing to stir to prevent sticking.

Just before canning, mix in brandy and vanilla. Both of these ingredients contain volatile flavors that will dissipate with prolonged heat exposure, so adding them just before canning maximizes their flavor preservation.

Fill sanitized jars with ground cherry jam, and boil them for at least 15 minutes. Jar lids should make a "pop" sound and seal soon after removing from boiling water bath. Cool your ground cherry preserves and store them!

We tested this version, and found it just a little too sweet and firm for what I wanted in a seafood sauce. So for the next round we changed it up a little:

Ingredients


5 lb fresh ground cherries
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons pectin
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 shots of brandy

This turned out exceptionally well!

The processing:

https://i.imgur.com/XS4olFQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FGOQDWz.jpg

Pretty much there:

https://i.imgur.com/RzOub4d.jpg

Finished Products:

https://i.imgur.com/FrjCdvX.jpg

The sauce stayed slightly runny which I wanted. The first batch is more like a preserve or jam type of product. You can see the color difference with the first batch on the right being slightly darker due to a heavier concentration of the cane sugar:

https://i.imgur.com/XWW3mlh.jpg

And of course we simply had to try it out!
Poured over a slab of fine ling cod, it was simply delectable!!

If you're looking to try something just a little different, and downright delicious, give this one a try!
I promise you won't be disappointed!!

Cheers,
Nog

[Rieber]

Crikey Nog - you're abilities never cease to amaze me. Very nice.

Peruvian Ground Cherries - I honestly thought this was going to be about moose or elk poops. I never cease to amaze myself.

[tomahawk]

wow, just might have to give em a go. What would you say is the main flavour similar to? I have a ton of ground fish and salmon that is yearning for a new flavour?

[IronNoggin]

wow, just might have to give em a go. What would you say is the main flavour similar to? I have a ton of ground fish and salmon that is yearning for a new flavour?

Every single person that tries them says they taste like something different from everyone else.

To me: Semi-Sweet with a minor acidic after taste (which is excellent for my purposes).
Hints of strawberry, pineapple and peach.
Sort of.

Give them a whirl, I am certain you won't be disappointed!

Cheers,
Nog

[Stormy]

Nog - I know that fruit as a Cape gooseberry - my grandmother and mother have grown them on our traditional family farm in the Cape, for as long as I can remember.

Gooseberry Jam has been a family staple since my birth and before - spread generously on warm freshly baked white bread - served up with steaming hot tea - can't be beat in my humble opinion.

[wideopenthrottle]

I was back visiting my parents this summer and got some to bring home from my mom(for seeds)...ill be growing them next year

[IronNoggin]

Nog - I know that fruit as a Cape gooseberry - my grandmother and mother have grown them on our traditional family farm in the Cape, for as long as I can remember.

Same fruit for sure.
It has a wide variety of names, and grows in many many varying places.
Excellent Munchies!


I was back visiting my parents this summer and got some to bring home from my mom(for seeds)...ill be growing them next year

Be a little careful where you plant them.
Here, they literally took over the planter boxes they were introduced to, at the cost of all other plants in them!
Although they ain't in the best shape due to the lateness of the season, you can see what I mean here:

https://i.imgur.com/3ZlncF2.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PLg7x18.jpg


I am currently working on a Nursery Owner & his Neighbor to grow a hell of a lot more for next fall!! :twisted:

Cheers,
Nog

[wideopenthrottle]

yes...they had escaped moms garden and were popping up on the lawn

[Ubertuber]

One of my daughters works at a property in South Langley. She brought a pile of them home about a month ago. We loved them, such a unique flavour. Thumbs up to you for growing them.