Wine-Poached Strawberries and Apricots

Name: Wine-Poached Strawberries and Apricots
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 (750-ml) bottle semi-dry Riesling; 1/3 cup granulated sugar, or more to taste; 1 tarragon sprig; 1/2 cup dried apricots (preferably California) (about 4 ounces); 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled (halved lengthwise if large); Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving; Fresh tarragon leaves, for garnish

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Cooking with wine is an awesome thing. It adds balance, depth of flavor, and accents the aroma of food. But popping open an entire bottle of wine for one recipe often leaves you with just a glass or two to pour—certainly not enough to last through dinner! So you open another bottle, and unless you drink that entire bottle, you're back to where you started. This makes me wonder: Is using an entire bottle in one recipe—even in beef bourguignon—downright ridiculous? To prove that it's not, Justin Chapple developed this Mad Genius recipe for whole-bottle cooking. Semi-dry Riesling, which is refreshing and not too sweet, is the secret to this impressive, balanced dessert. Dried apricots lend a gentle bitterness while the strawberries add sweetness and impart the rosiest color. Unsweetened whipped cream make you nervous? Trust us—the boozy berries provide all the sweetness this dessert needs.

Justin Chapple

Updated on April 1, 2019

Wine Poached Strawberries and Apricot — Photo: Victor Protasio

Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Yield:

Ingredients

1 (750-ml) bottle semi-dry Riesling
1/3 cup granulated sugar, or more to taste
1 tarragon sprig
1/2 cup dried apricots (preferably California) (about 4 ounces)
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled (halved lengthwise if large)
Unsweetened whipped cream, for serving
Fresh tarragon leaves, for garnish

Directions

Fill a large bowl with ice and water; place a large heatproof bowl on top. Stir together wine, sugar, and tarragon sprig in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium. Add apricots, and cook 2 minutes. Add strawberries; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until fruit just softens, about 3 minutes. Transfer fruit mixture to bowl set over ice-water bath, and let stand until cool, about 45 minutes.
Serve fruit and wine mixture in glasses topped with unsweetened whipped cream and garnished with tarragon leaves.