Monday, June 29, 2009

Got Leftover Strawberries?

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Summertime heaps sweet red orbs of deliciousness upon us. Strawberries are nothing short of spectacular in so many dishes, from salads to dessert. They don't last long in my household, but I had some leftover from last week that were looking a little sad when I got home on Sunday night. And not sad as in they felt a little depressed from being left behind when I went out of town, but sad as in of a dull and somber color.

If you have strawberries that start to look a little less than fresh, you can cut out the really mushy parts and then macerate the remaining fruit in some sugar, balsamic vinegar and black pepper. The proportions for this should be about 1 pint strawberries to 4 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. I know the black pepper may sound a bit odd, but trust me on this one. I've even served this to kids and they liked it.

After a few hours in the fridge, take out the strawberries and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Top with a sprinkling of chopped mint or use some whole mint leaves for garnish, if you so desire. Then grab a spoon and dig in!

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