Strawberries Marinated in Balsamic Vinegar

Strawberries from Spain

Strolling through the Marché de Breteuil on Saturday, I noticed the large, lush looking, deep red strawberries from Spain. A sure sign of spring! These pajaro strawberries are not as tasty as the tiny, wild French fraise de bois but those won’t come into season until June. The other varieties of strawberries grown in France will start showing up in May.

Strawberries make a fabulous and versatile dessert. They can be served plain, sugared, peppered or with crème fraîche, whipped cream or ice cream, macerated in wine, champagne or kirsch, or mixed with other fruit in a fruit salad… just to name a few ways.

Here’s one unexpected combination that really does work.

Strawberries Marinated in Balsamic Vinegar
Serves: 4

500 g strawberries, sliced
30 mL (2 Tbsp) sugar
60 mL (4 Tbsp) balsamic vinegar
3 mL (½ tsp) pure vanilla extract
125 mL (1/2 cup) mascarpone cheese
Sugar, to taste
Fresh mint or basil, finely sliced for garnish

Place strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Pour over balsamic vinegar, stir to mix and marinate for about 2 hours.
Mix the vanilla and mascarpone; sweeten to taste with sugar.
Place a dollop of mascarpone on a plate or in a bowl and heap over strawberries with the juice. Garnish with mint or basil.