Taste Restaurant, Café & Events Featured Recipe

 

Summer Berries
With Balsamic, Vanilla, Orange, and Thai Basil

Makes 4 servings

Try to use unsprayed berries—the strawberries and raspberries at your local farmers’ market are especially good—to keep washing to a minimum. Blueberries are the sturdiest of all, so can be washed well. If Thai basil is not available, use a combination of regular fresh basil and fresh mint. This compote also makes a very good topping for pound cake, waffles or Swedish pancakes.

2 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
½ vanilla bean “seeds” scraped from the pod
Partial pinch of ground clove
1 tablespoon freshly chopped Thai basil leaves
Thai basil tips for garnish
Freshly whipped sweetened cream or crème fraiche or 4 scoops good quality vanilla ice cream

Quarter the strawberries and cut the blueberries in half (crosswise, not through the stem ends). Mix the strawberries, blueberries and whole raspberries gently together in a bowl and reserve.

In a small bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, sugar, clove and vanilla bean seeds. Pour over the berries. Fold in the basil carefully. Let the mixture stand to steep about 10-15 minutes.

Divide the berries into chilled or frosted martini glasses. Drizzle any remaining juice over the berries. Top each glass with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and garnish with a small sprig of basil.

Recipe by Danielle Custer, General Manager, Taste

Photo credit: Warren H.W. White

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