Ruby-red and tangy-sweet, raspberries are a special treat.
Lamponi, (raspberries) ripe with flavor from early summer through fall’s first frost, are versatile little frutti (fruits).
I use fresh raspberries in salads, macerated in balsamic berries, transform them into a sauce, (poached pears with raspberry sauce) blend them into a frullato (Italian smoothie) and in frozen desserts like this recipe for raspberry sorbet.
Italians have been pairing balsamic vinegar and berries for a very long time. Each ingredient enhancing the flavor of the other … a perfect pairing.
Ingredients:
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 pound raspberries
- Balsamic drizzle
- Using a vegetable peeler, cut zest in 1-inch strips from the orange and lemon.
- In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, orange and lemon strips to a boil (simple syrup).
- Remove from heat, cool completely.
- Once the mixture is cool, strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Using a blender or food processor, puree the berries and the simple syrup until smooth. Chill mixture in the refrigerator until cold, about an hour.
- Transfer the raspberry mixture to an ice cream maker (follow manufacturer’s directions).
Serve with balsamic drizzle.
