Making Stewed Strawberries
I like to finish our evening meal with something sweet, not much, just a little. Never one for elaborate or heavily sweetened desserts, I tend to favor fruit to finish our meals. We enjoy fruit mostly fresh, but often cooked. Roasting, stewing, sauteing fruits enhances and deepens their flavors, making everyday foods seem somehow more special. As these strawberries stew, and release their juices, their sweet and floral perfume fills the kitchen and emanates into the living room, welcoming my husband and my little boy to the table.
Sweetening the Stewed Strawberries
I favor pairing strawberries with jaggery, a traditional Indian sweetener, made of whole, unrefined cane sugar. Jaggery's flavor is sweet, to be sure, but also complex and slightly acidic. Unlike white sugar with its single dimension of sweetness, jaggery offers notes of berry and fruit which further enhance the flavor of strawberries.
Serving the Stewed Strawberries
I serve stewed strawberries, and other stewed fruits, over sourdough pancakes, spooned over toasted bread as though it were a sort of jam, or ladled into small bowls, and topped with cream. You can also store the stewed strawberries in a glass jar in your refrigerator for about 5 days.
Justsippintea says
Can you can this recipe ? Or will the fresh mint get funny?
Joc says
This would be delicious stirred into homemade yogurt which is a staple at my house! Definitely going to make some. Thanks for sharing!
Vanessa - Natural Family Today says
These look amazing. Definitely puts me in the mood for strawberry shortcake (with homemade shortcake of course!)
Nadia says
These were a huge hit in my house last week. I served them over vanilla ice cream and the kids have been begging me to make more ever since!
Laura says
mmmm I would love this over a nice warm biscuit with whipped cream 🙂
Emily says
I love stewed strawberries! In fact I've made 2 batches this week, but didn't think to add mint or vanilla to them. Looks like I'll have to make another batch!
I just wanted to add, you don't really need to add any sweetener to these if you don't want. What I tend to do is leave the strawberries for a few days to ripen, and just when they're starting to look a bit softer, I stew them. Just simply, by themselves. However this technique does rely on not eating the strawberries while they are ripening!
Maureen Uebelhoer says
The mint is it peppermint or spearmint? I thought mint was mint until I went to purchase some for a jam I was making and the package said mint (spearmint). I didn't purchase because I wasn't sure what type I should get.
Jenny says
It doesn't matter. Any mint will work fine in this recipe. I've used peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint and apple mint with good effect.
Sara says
I had never heard of jaggery before this - very interesting! This recipe has my mouth watering...love the blog!
Donalyn@The Creekside Cook says
This looks so delicious - I love the addition of mint!
Roberta says
Can frozen strawberries be used so this can be enjoyed all year?
beth says
That sounds delicious!
:D says
How long can this be stored in the fridge?
:D says
Oops sorry, I just found the answer!