I am aware that there are several meanings for currants. What we know as currants are a small seedless raisin of the Mediterranean region, used chiefly in baking. I use black but specially the sultanas or yellow raisins. I use them for salads, for sweet sauces, as part of a delicious chicken fricasé (Creole style) and as the Spaniards do, with spinach and pine nuts. He re is one of my favorite recipes. Buen provecho!

Pasta Salad with Currants, Olives and Pine Nuts
8 servings

1 lb Penne pasta
1 Garlic clove, quartered
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Packed stemmed fresh parsley
1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
1 tsp Curry powder
1 tsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 cup Olive oil
1 Red onion-- peeled, finely chopped
1 cup Sliced Kalamata olives-- (pitted)
2/3 cup Dried currants
2/3 cup Toasted pine nuts
Fresh parsley sprigs
Cherry tomatoes

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain well. Transfer pasta to large bowl.

Meanwhile, blend garlic and salt to paste in processor, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup parsley and mince. Blend in lemon juice, vinegar, curry, sugar, cumin and pepper. With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube in thin steady stream. Pour dressing over pasta. Add onion, olives, currants and pine nuts to pasta and toss. Season with pepper.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead.) Garnish salad with parsley sprigs and cherry tomatoes and serve.

Edna Sheldon in "Bon Appetit" August, 1991