Pickled Green Strawberries

I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but I seemed to have developed an obsession with 'root to tip' style eating and recipes. The concept of using all parts of produce just makes sense! And sadly it's just not a cultural norm. The posts on making strawberry syrup from strawberry tops, zucchini patties from zucchini cocktail prep, week nights where I'm making chicken stock from the rotisserie bird from dinner, and even using bacon pan drippings to start soups all play to that concept of conserving and utilizing, and I suppose respecting the produce. You are one with the produce. 

After watching Mind of a Chef, there's a specific segment that talks about using all flavor elements of a food. And to this chef from Denmark, that included green strawberries. Most of us know strawberries as very sweet and very red. Unripe strawberries that are white green in color are something completely new to me (and the HEA team had to seek out a farmer for a special request!). On their own, they taste like a kiwi! Pickled, they taste even better. Break out the vinegar guys.

Pickled Green Strawberries

adapted from Martha Stewart 

/// Ingredients ///

• 2 cups green (unripe) strawberries, washed, tops removed
• few cranks black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons honey (I replaced with honeysuckle simple syrup!)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

/// Directions /// Place strawberries in a clean jar with spices and sweetener. On the stove bring vinegar and water to a boil. Pour over strawberries in jar and seal. Store in the fridge for at least 24 hours before consuming. 

These are sweet and a touch tart with a nice acidic overtone from the pickling. The bay leaf and mustard adds just the right amount of 'savory' and the final result is PERFECT for the alfresco spread dinners I love so much. Pair with cheese, a good bread, fruit, nuts and a side salad.