Strawberries with Mint Whipped Cream
Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food - May 2007
adapted by http://theresalwaysthyme.blogspot.com/
1/4 cup sugar
1 packed cup fresh mint leaves and stems, coarsely chopped (recipe called for 2 cups, but we found it fine with one)
1 cup heavy cream (1/2 pint)
1 quart strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
mint sprigs for garnish
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, mint, and 2 tablespoons of water to a boil. Remove from heat; steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a cup, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Let cool (makes about cup).
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in one cup syrup (store any remaining syrup, really good in lemonade!) You can re-whip the cream to stiffen, if necessary.
Starting with strawberries, spoon alternating layers of strawberries and mint cream into four serving glasses. Garnish with a mint sprig.