Strawberry Lapsang Souchong Compote
I knew that this recipe was going to be good before I put the first bite in my mouth. The smell alone was worthy of being worn as a perfume.
Strawberries are a crowd-pleaser. Partly because they are simply delicious and partly because they are one of the first fruits of spring here in the Bay Area. Strawberries are the harbingers of longer days, moderate temperatures and more time outside. In this compote the friendly sweetness of strawberries pairs well with the caramelized honey notes of the Baked Lapsang Souchong and the mild astringency offers a bit of lift.
Enjoy on toast with either salted butter or cream cheese or dollop into yogurt or a bowl of oatmeal.
INGREDIENTS
1 pint of strawberries, de-stemmed and sliced
½ c (120 ml) strongly brewed Baked Lapsang Souchong from Tap Twice Tea
1-3 tsp sugar (optional)
½ tsp white wine vinegar (optional)
Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS
Add all compote ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until the strawberries have lost much of their structure, and the majority of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
Taste and add sugar and/or vinegar if needed.
Yield: ~1 c
NOTES
This recipe was developed using a baked lapsang souchong. Most of lapsang souchongs on the market are smoked and not suited for this recipe. The best substitute would be a strong black tea or a standard lapsang souchong that has been brewed a couple times until is much milder.
The amount of sugar that you need will vary according to the inherent sweetness of the strawberries and your own personal preference. Keep in mind that as the compote reduces it will get more concentrated so it’s best to be conservative with your addition of sugar initially. You can always add more at the end. The same holds true for the addition of vinegar.
This would also work well with fruits like plums and cherries.