Thursday, July 1, 2010

Strawberries. Balsamic. Cacao Nibs.

-Delicious with vanilla ice cream or some barely sweet, freshly whipped cream.-

It's the week's obsession. A simple dish that's easy to prepare and pleases everyone. Now, strawberries with balsamic vinegar and black pepper is a popular dessert salad that every responsible and well-versed food lover has tried at least once. Variations of it have led to jams, ice creams, even pies pairing this summer-time trinity.

Yet, it's a bit old hat now, don't you think? (About a hundred years so in parts of Europe.) We've tried it, loved it, and still love it, but sometimes you need to just switch it up a bit. That's all this recipe - if you can even call it that - is. I was absent of any peppercorns so I just tossed some cacao nibs in the pepper grinder and let a cocoa flurry fly across the strawberries. I tossed in a few whole ones as well for a bit of crunch and contrast. The nibs add a hint of peppery chocolate; a slight bitterness to compete with all the sweet and tang from the other two ingredients.

Simple, surprising, satisfying. So far it's quite the crown pleaser. No recipe to really dictate; toss hulled and halved strawberries into a bowl, add a few glugs of balsamic and maybe a spoonful of sugar if you're feeling a bit jaunty, then some crushed up cacao nibs. Toss and let sit for a few minutes, then serve. Allow guests to add more cacao nibs if desired.

-Simple and clean. As a summer dessert should be.-

5 comments:

  1. Ah, I wouldn't have thought of this but I'm pretty sure I will love it. Thanks so much for the idea!

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  2. Um...holy shizz.
    I need to get my hands on some cacao nibs pronto.

    Where exactly does one go to procure cacao nibs?

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  3. Most grocery stores will have them For sure, Whole Foods or a Co-Op.

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  4. And now I want marscapone to drizzle this with.

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  5. What a fabulously simple idea - and another awesome way to incorporate raw cacao into a dessert!

    Thanks so much for sharing,

    H :)

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Hey, you're leaving a comment! That's pretty darn cool, so thanks. If you have any questions or have found an error on the site or with a recipe, please e-mail me and I will reply as soon as possible.
~Garrett