Why it works: Vinegar and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 20,806 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Compote De Groseilles Vertes
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the gooseberries
Take a pound of green gooseberries, spit them on one side to take out with a new toothpick.
Pick the seeds, silver or ivory, and put them into warm water on the fire, letting them remain until they rise to the top.
Take them off the fire, add a little salt and a spoonful of vinegar, and let them remain in the water until cold; then put them into cold water again.
Make the compote
In the meantime, make a strong syrup with half a pound of sugar and a glass of water, let it boil, and skim very clear; then add the well‑drained gooseberries and let them simmer gently until done.
Take them out with a strainer, put them into the compotier, reduce the syrup, and serve.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Vinegar + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Green gooseberries
- The main fruit, providing the compote's body, tartness and flavour.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the syrup that the gooseberries cook in and balances their tartness.
- Vinegar
- Adds a small amount of acidity that brightens the fruit's flavour.
The step that matters
Simmer the gooseberries gently in the syrup. Strong boiling bursts the delicate skins and breaks the fruit apart. A gentle simmer lets the gooseberries soften while they stay whole and hold their shape in the syrup.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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