Strawberries with Campari, Mandarin, Basil and Sansho

By corlear

Note: This recipe should be made just before serving or the strawberry will loose its firmness.

Ingredients

• For the strawberries:
• 5 strawberries (each weighing 11/2 to 13/4 oz and 13/4 or 2" long)
• For the Campari gelatin:
• 1/2 cup Campari
• 2 tsp powdered agar-agar
• For the strawberries with Campari:
• 5 strawberries (see previous step)
• Campari gelatin (see previous step)
• To finish:
• the grated rind of a mandarin
• 10 small basil leaves
• sansho

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

For the strawberries:
1. Wash the strawberries and remove the stalks.
2. Use a small scoop (½" diameter) to make a strawberry ball from the area by the stalk. Make sure you do not break the strawberry.
3. Arrange the strawberries upright over a rack with the tip downwards.

For the Campari gelatin:
1. Heat a ¼ of the Campari with the powdered agar-agar.
2. Stirring continuously, bring to the boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk. Add the rest of the Campari.
3. Leave to rest at room temperature. Make sure that the mixture is not too hot or it will cook the strawberries when it is used to fill them.

For the strawberries with Campari:
1. Fill the strawberry with the Campari gelatin and leave to set in the fridge. Fill the strawberry again with the Campari gelatin, as the gelatin tends to shrink and the strawberry becomes half empty.
2. Leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour.

Final Steps & Preparation:
1. Use a damp knife to cut the strawberry vertically down the middle. Make sure that the two sides are symmetrical.
2. On one half, place a small basil leaf and some grated mandarin rind. Arrange a small heap of sansho on the other half.
3. Arrange on a dessert spoon and serve.