Strawberries matched with Lemon Verbena
Place your Nets for a Wimbledon final
In a previous blog post, we told a story involving Official Wimbledon Net Curtains – today we face a Wimbledon Final where protagonists involved in that story (Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner) face off once again on either side of a tennis net, the twin of which we are still sporting in our window (last chance to view in person!).
As we wait with bated breath for the match, we have a last minute Strawberry treat ready to serve, during what we hope will be a classic Mens’ Final. We tossed up the idea of following a found recipe or figuring out a method of our own – using sous-vide techniques and a combi-steam oven – but, in the end, decided to pit them against each other and see who comes out the winner.
The two different recipes are shared below. The result is probably a foregone conclusion, but place your bets now if you want to feel the sense of “triumph or disaster” was all yours to call ahead of play.
Stove Top (traditional)
Ingredients:
- 500g strawberries
- 75g sugar
- 500ml water
- Lemon verbena leaves
- ½ lemon (juice)
Method:
- Dissolve sugar in the water over a gentle heat, then bring to a boil for at least a minute.
- Turn off the heat, add the verbena leaves, leave to infuse (10 minutes approx) while you prepare the strawberries.
- Wash, hull and quarter the strawberries – sprinkle with the lemon juice.
- Add to the (still hot) sugar syrup, and leave to chill for approx. one hour.
Sous Vide (a relative newcomer)
Ingredients:
- 500g strawberries
- 100g sugar (calculated as 20% of weight of fruit)
- Lemon Verbena leaves
Method:
- Wash and hull strawberries, slice into approx. 1cm slices. Toss with the sugar and verbena leaves.
- Place in an appropriately sized sous-vide bag, and seal at minimum pressure.
- Pre-heat a steam oven to 65ºC Steam – cook the strawberries for 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and chill immediately.
Service (both Methods):
Serve, on their own, with cake, pancakes, ice-cream, in drinks, … – your strawberries, your rules.
Game, Set, Match
Results are in and they are unequivocal. The Sous-Vide Method rendered a distinctly enhanced strawberry flavour, and a deliciously perfect syrup. The stove-top contender (well seeded), was a textural triumph – the strawberries finished with better body – but were a flavour disappointment in a too-thin syrup.
Umpire’s Final Call
Ultimately, we found a winning combination when we put the two together in a mixed-doubles match – and it was a pretty perfect pairing – textural differences put aside, and with flavours enabled to bring out the best in each other, they were a match made in heaven.
