In college, one of the first cookbooks I owned was Mark Bittman's iconicHow to Cook Everything.My favorite recipe was barely a recipe at all, just a simple bowl of macerated strawberries with balsamic vinegar that I served over vanilla ice cream. One taste and I felt like I could actually do this whole cooking thing. It was easy. Almosttoo一件容易的事。
But it wasn't simply the splash of balsamic vinegar that made this dish magically easy and delicious. It was theotherunexpected ingredient: black pepper. Hitting the berries with just a couple of grinds of fresh pepper when I tossed them with the sugar and vinegar elevated them, bringing out their sweetness while giving them the mildest punch of spice.
And as I found out, black pepper isn't just great with strawberries—pretty much all summer fruit is better with a grind or two. "I love adding a hit of black pepper to fruit desserts," saysJennifer Yee, pastry chef atLafayette Grand Café & Bakeryin New York City. "It pairs especially well with acidic fruits like pineapple and tart plums. One of our current desserts on the menu is a pineapplepavlovausing a black pepper-flecked meringue as the base. The sweet meringue, the acidic pineapple...it's all rounded out by that undertone of black pepper."
The easiest way to experience the power couple that is black pepper and fruit is to grab some berries, sprinkle with vanilla sugar, top with pepper, and eat. Or do that and add a scoop of ice cream. Or, if you really feel like putting in some kitchen time, try one of the sweet and spicy desserts below.
Plum Tarts with Honey and Black Pepper
Here, black pepper mellows as it gets baked into juicy, caramelized fruit. And because it relies on frozen puff pastry, this tart can be whipped up in no time.
Strawberry Shortcakes with Balsamic and Black Pepper Syrup
Think it's impossible to improve on classic strawberry shortcake? This twist takes those macerated strawberries I love and stuffs them between a split biscuit.
Grilled Peaches with Black Pepper and Basil-Lime Syrup
Peaches get extra sweet when grilled; a sprinkle of black pepper when they come off the grill adds just the right amount of contrasting spice.
Balsamic-Strawberry Pops
Ice pops have always been the ultimate way to beat the summer heat. Here, a pinch of black pepper in the strawberry purée makes them more than just kid stuff.
