Roasted Balsamic Strawberries

Coincidentally, my first two gourmet posts fall into the dessert category although I hardly make dessert despite the presence of a very sweet, sweet tooth.  Eitherway, the Roasted Balsamic Strawberries recipe below is something I first made a few months ago, but I fell in love with it all over again last night.

We had some strawberries in our fridge that were going to go bad and after a long day of homebrewing and rearranging the kitchen, a light and creamy dessert sounded amazing (plus, it is VERY simple).  This is the perfect dessert for a hot summer evening.

This recipe comes from the The World Kitchen cookbook from Williams-Sonoma and it has wonderful meals arranged by region of the world...French, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, and so on.  Since Italians know a thing or two about good food, it is no surprise that this dessert is included in the Italian section of the cookbook.  Enjoy!

Roasted Balsamic Strawberries
- 1 lb. ripe strawberries (quartered with stems removed)
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 T Balsamic Vinegar (*next time I think I would add a bit more balsamic)
- 2 T butter or margarine (*I only used half the butter and it was still incredible...)
- 2 T Brown Sugar (*I used about 1/2 T sprinkled on top and it was plenty delicious and sweet)
- Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt, or vanilla frozen yogurt, gelato or ice cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine the strawberries, pepper (about 1/2 tsp), and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and toss to coat.  Let sit 20 minutes so the strawberries can soak in the sweet and spicy flavors of balsamic and pepper.
3. Place the butter in a small shallow baking dish (but large enough that the strawberries can fit in a single layer) and place the baking dish in the oven.  Watch closely to prevent burning and remove the dish from the oven once the butter is completely melted.  Tilt dish to coat with butter.
4. Scoop the strawberries (with remaining juices) into the baking dish and top with a sprinkling of brown sugar.  The recipe calls for 2T, but with sugar toppings I feel like the cook should decide the appropriate amount!  Toss gently to coat and then place in oven.
5. Roast strawberries for 25 minutes or until the strawberries are soft and the liquid is syrupy.
6. Let berries cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and serve over yogurt or ice cream.  Enjoy immediately so the ice cream doesn't completely melt!

The sweetness of the strawberries, the tart taste of the balsamic and the spiciness of the pepper creates a flavor that will have your taste buds screaming for more!  Plus, the combination of a sweet warm sauce over a cold creamy texture makes the dish perfect!

I was so excited I took a few bites before snapping this photo...

Heaven in a bowl!

I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as I do!

Bon Appetit!