Pickled Strawberries

Pickled strawberries. Pretty, no? Yeah, pretty weird. But like any pickles, they make a nice accompaniment to sandwiches or paté. They're not as sweet as you'd think they would be - certainly not as sweet as a gherkin or bread-and-butter pickle. They might also, possibly, be good in a cocktail. You know, like an olive? I'm thinking maybe muddled with mint and maybe some bourbon. I haven't really experimented with it yet, but maybe soon.

Pickled Strawberries (adapted from Richard Blais' Try This at Home)

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4" thick

Mix everything but the vinegar and berries in a medium saucepan and heat only until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add cider vinegar.

Place berries in a non-reactive bowl or, even better, a jar with a lid (love these). Pour over enough of the vinegar mixture to cover fruit. Cover container and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Drain berries and use immediately (according to the recipe) but they're fine for a week or more in a tightly covered jar.

Posted on Minxeats.com.