STRAWBERRIES MACERATED IN BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND ORANGE LIQUEUR WITH CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ALMOND BISCOTTI

SERVES 4

Don't let the long titile fool you. This dessert recipe is very easy, thanks to store-bought biscotti. Everything about the creation of this recipe purely coincidental. One year, I had received a gift bag at Christmas with the best biscotti I had ever tasted. They were almond-based, and lightly dipped in dark chocolate. I took a chance and looked for the same brand at my local grocery store and found them. So I started to buy them now and then for a light and relatively healthy dessert snack. That same year, starting in February, my store had the best fresh strawberries. They weren't local, but every bit as good, if not better, than what we get from the local farms. (Sorry, but it is the truth. I sometimes think that they are trying to grow larger, more beautiful berries, and the flavor isn’t as good.) Anyhow, the first week I bought the strawberries, I decided to macerate them in balsamic vinegar, which I have done before. After tasting, I wasn’t totally satisfied. So, as I had also done before, I added some orange liqueur. Oh my, the combination of the vinegar and liqueur was awesome. All it needed was a little sugar, since the berries were fairly sweet on their own. When I served them, I thought something in the form of cake or cookie would be a nice addition. So I added a biscotti on the side. The almond and the little bit of chocolate were perfect with the strawberries. And there was enough juice in the bottom of the serving bowls in which to dip the biscotti. I now serve this often for a quick, easy, elegant and healthy dessert.

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, rinsed, drained and hulled
• Sugar or sugar substitute to taste, about 1 tablespoon (depending on sweetness of berries)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• 4 chocolate-dipped almond biscotti

Cut the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on the size. Place about one-half cup into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork to release some of the juices. Add the remaining berries, then the sugar, vinegar and liqueur. Stir well to combine. Taste for sweetness and, if needed, add more sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or as much as 8 hours. Place in individual serving bowls, adding some of the juices to each. Place one biscotti vertically inside each bowl. Serve immediately.

Notes: These strawberries are equally good leftover for the next day. They will be just a little softer. They would also be very good over pound cake or traditional shortcake, with a little whipped cream.