Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I noticed that strawberries were on sale. Like many other folks who see that strawberries are on sale, I quickly think of strawberry shortcake for dessert, however not this time around. When I brought them home, and laid them on the counter, my daughter got really excited and wanted to dig into them for dinner. I told her she had to wait a little bit and wait for dessert, and a dessert it would be. First of all we know there is nothing like fresh strawberries, however be careful when buying them from the store. I say this because you want to be very careful and inspect the container for any mold. I have to laugh about this, because I am that guy in the produce department who is inspecting everything, from the smell to the the mold. My philosophy is why pay for something only to bring it home and be less than mediocre. So, don’t be afraid to open the container and move things around.

Now, like you, when I heard about strawberries being macerated in balsamic vinegar, I thought ‘really?’. Let me tell you, that this combination is so good, that the vinegar actually tastes like a really good wine with a hint of smokiness to it. A bit of the acidity with the sweetness of the strawberries is a perfect pairing, especially with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

• Roughly 20 strawberries, sliced in half, tops removed
• 4 tbsp of granulated white sugar
• 2 tbsp good, aged balsamic vinegar
• cracked black pepper
• Vanilla ice cream

This is so simple. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Mix well, and let this sit at room temperature for one hour. When you are ready to serve, get a large scoop of vanilla ice cream in a bowl and spoon over the strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Top with a bit of fresh cracked black pepper and dig in. Trust me on this one. The aged balsamic vinegar with strawberries, and the creaminess of the ice cream is a real hit. Super delicious and something different for dessert.