Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved (mine were actually frozen, left over from picking at Red Fire Farm earlier in the summer)
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • a pinch of salt
  • fresh basil for garnish, optional

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan heat the berries with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
  2. Mash the berries with a potato masher. Strain a small amount (about 1/8 cup) of the macerated berries out and set aside in a bowl.
  3. Puree the rest of the cooked berries and liquid in a blender. Set in the fridge to cool.
  4. Mix milk, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cream in a saucepan and heat until warm but not boiling.
  5. Whisk together egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking the entire time so the yolks don’t cook.
  6. Transfer the entire mixture back to the saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring the entire time, until the mixture is thick, about 7-10 minutes.
  7. Pour the remaining cup of cream into a glass bowl and set the bowl on ice over a larger bowl.
  8. Pour the milk/egg mixture into the bowl of cream, stirring often.
  9. Stir the vanilla and macerated strawberries into the mixture.
  10. Add the strawberry puree and keep stirring the mixture in the bowl over the ice bath until cooled down.
  11. Chill the mixture in the fridge until completely cool. May take up to four hours. Can be chilled in the fridge for up to a few days before making ice cream.
  12. Pour mixture into cold ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, usually about 25 minutes.
  13. Pour into an airtight container and freeze until firm.
  14. Served garnished with basil if desired.

Note: I think serving this with a small lump of gorgonzola cheese and a drizzle of balsamic (and maybe even some pine nuts toasted with salt) would do it perfect justice. I just didn’t have those ingredients the first time around.

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