Strawberry Sauce

Happy second day of summer!

Along with 2 1/2 months off from work, I have been eagerly anticipating the return of farmer’s markets. This time of year, various locations throughout Boston showcase vibrant, fresh, and aromatic produce ripe for the picking. Last Friday I walked to Copley Square with visions of lush fruit, sweet corn, and perfectly ripe tomatoes growing more vivid with each step. Along with other farm-fresh goodies, I arrived home with a carton of ruby-hued strawberries, picked just that morning.  I wasted no time gently rinsing the still-warm berries in preparation for that first blissful bite.

Oh boy, was I disappointed. The deceivingly gorgeous strawberries were watery and seriously lacking in the flavor department. Not to be deterred from enjoying these rather expensive berries, I brainstormed an easy way to “dress them up”. I initially thought of making strawberry jam, but a) didn’t have pectin on hand and b) didn’t want to add a ton of sugar to the lackluster berries. A simple strawberry sauce lightly kissed with agave nectar came to mind, and it came together in little time with minimal effort.

Use this luscious sauce as a…

topping for waffles, pancakes, or french toast
mix-in for plain yogurt (think homemade “fruit on the bottom” yogurt):

layer in a fruit/yogurt/granola parfait
topping for vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
dipping sauce for a peanut butter & banana sandwich/panini
layer in a whipped cottage cheese & graham cracker crumb “strawberry cheesecake” parfait
treat straight from the container!

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb freshly picked strawberries, preferably organic (even better if local!), washed, hulled & sliced in half
1-2 Tbsp agave nectar, (I used Madhava Pure Organic Vanilla Agave Nectar), or more or less depending on sweetness of the berries

Directions:

Combine prepared strawberries and agave nectar in a medium saucepan over high heat.
When the agave begins to bubble, decrease heat to low and simmer until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens slightly – about 40 minutes – stirring often.
Allow to cool before coarsely mashing with a spoon.
Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.