I really love salads. Really, really love them.  I don’t write about them often enough but I’ve got some deep salad love.  Green, pasta, grain, potato… I love them all.  You know, just spare me the mustard & blue cheese. Blech.

June canning for the Can Jam was berries, chosen by Well Preserved.  Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, mulberries, serviceberries…mmm, I also love berries.  The only berry truly in season in Seattle, however, is strawberries.

Ok, so I love salads and berries.  I also love vinegar.  That is a lot of love!

Enter: Strawberry Vinegar

True. You likely don’t need to put vinegar through the canning process. But it should last longer.  So I will.  This is easy-peasy!

Mmm, ripe deliciousness!

Peppery Strawberry Vinegar

• 4-5 cups of cut strawberries
• 4-5 cups of apple cider vinegar (you could also use white/red wine vinegar though I am guessing the red might mask the berries a bit)
• some smashed & whole peppercorns (optional if you don’t want a bit of kick)
• a bit of crushed red pepper flakes (again, optional)

all chopped up

1. Put berries and 1 cup of vinegar in a glass bowl and mash it up a bit.
2. Pour in rest of vinegar
3. Stir in pepper flakes and peppercorns.
4. Cover tightly in either the bowl (or place in large jar to cover tightly) and place it in a cool dark place for up to 4 weeks.
5. You’ll want to stir it every few days and taste it once a week or so until you like how it tastes.
6. Strain vinegar through cheesecloth without squeezing.
7. Heat vinegar to 190°F.
8. Pour hot vinegar into prepared canning jars with ¼ inch head space.
9. Follow proper canning instructions and process for 10 minutes.

Yield: approx. five 8-ounce jars.

Pretty in the sun! I can't wait to drizzle this on everything!

I haven’t processed the vinegar yet as it is still in the hanging out in the dark phase, but I’ll write more about it when it is done.

I can’t wait to try it on a spinach salad with sliced strawberries, toasted pine nuts and goat cheese.

Stay tuned in a few weeks for how it turned out!

Other Bits of Strawberry-ness:

“Grow & Resist Confiture“:  I just started this layered berry-sugar-booze loveliness with strawberries and rum and will be adding to it as berries come into season.

Strawberry liqueur: I had a bit of grain alcohol leftover from making Rhubarb Liqueur last month so I’ve now got this soaking.  Idea is the same– infuse the alcohol with fruit for several weeks, strain and add simple sugar. Store in freezer and drink straight up or mixed with club soda etc.  Like a limoncello.  Strawberry Mint Sparkler anyone?  Yes please!