Savory meets sweet as summer fruit transforms into stellar ice cream toppings.
Strawberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, blueberries — the confluence of summer fruit seasons creates one of the most magical culinary moments of the year.
Here we've given them a stage worthy of their glory: as magical toppings for ice cream, that other summer star. With complementary flavors — chocolate for cherries, ginger and cardamom with apricots — and techniques borrowed from many disciplines — a shrub, a chutney, a compote — the gems of orchards and berry patches take on savory elements to transform into something even better, if that's possible. It is.
Each recipe is simple enough to throw together for a last-minute party dessert and can be made with ingredients on hand. Serve over vanilla ice cream, or experiment with other flavor pairings. Break them out all summer long, while the harvest lasts.
Strawberries in Balsamic Syrup
Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 20 minutes
Makes about 2 cups
¾ cup balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest 2 cups hulled, chopped strawberries Freshly ground black pepper Fresh basil leaves, slivered
Instructions: Heat the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil; lower heat, so that vinegar gently boils. Cook until reduced to ¼ cup, about 20 minutes. It should be thickened but not all the way to a syrup. Stir in the orange zest.
Allow to cool a few minutes; it should retain some heat but no longer be very hot. Pour over the strawberries in a bowl. Stir to coat the berries. Season generously with pepper. Stir in the basil. Serve over ice cream warm or at room temperature; keeps covered in the refrigerator up to a week.