Deborah Madison's new book contains more than 175 recipes for seasonal fruits, from simple fruits in syrups to baking classics.

When it comes to dessert, we’re not among those women who demurely protest, “Oh, but I shouldn’t!” Firmly in the “I’d love some!” dessert camp, we were delighted to discover Deborah Madison’s Seasonal Fruit Desserts (Broadway, 2010), which contains more than 175 recipes for fresh, seasonal fruit dishes — such as pies, cakes, tarts and puddings — as well as tips for the perfect fruit plate.

Madison is an expert in the vegetable department as well — her book, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (Broadway, 2007) is recommended in the latest issue of VIVmag, in the “Who Needs Meat?” feature. “In addition to my long and well-documented romance with garden vegetables, I’ve had a long-standing love affair with fruit,” Madison says.

A warm kitchen on a sweltering summer day can dampen our brow and spirits, so we welcome the sight of easy, refreshing, no-oven-required recipes. Below is Madison’s recipe for a simple, elegant dessert using fresh strawberries, available in many regions throughout June. Strawberries, however, are among the top three most pesticide-laden produce items on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list. And since pesticides don’t wash off — Madison notes in the book that they’re designed to stick to fruit in rainy weather — we’ll opt for organic berries from our local farmers market.

“The wine turns these berries an electric shade of red, at least for four to six hours or so, after which they lose that luster but remain good to eat,” Madison says. Though a lighter wine is suggested, she notes that most red wines can work in this recipe.

Strawberries in Red Wine Syrup
1 cup red wine, such as Beaujolais, Valpolicella or Pinot Noir
1/3 to 1/2 cup organic sugar
1/8 teaspoon toasted peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 heaping pint basket of ripe strawberries (about 2½ cups)
Orange sections or a teaspoon of cream (optional)

Put the wine, sugar and peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer just until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan, but don’t let them cover the entire surface, or the syrup will be too thick. This should take 15 minutes. While the wine is reducing, rinse the berries and set them on a clean dishtowel to wick up the moisture. If they’re large, slice them into quarters or eighths; smaller berries can be sliced in half. When the syrup is cooked, pour it through a strainer over the fruit. Cover and let it stand for at least an hour so that the strawberries yield their juices. Give them an occasional turn with a soft spatula so that all the berries come in contact with the wine, then divide the berries among small glasses and pour the syrup over them. Serve chilled with orange sections or a spoonful of cream if desired.

Serves 4

NUTRITION SCORE (per serving)
123 calories
2% fat
Fat 0.3 g
Carbs 30 g
Protein 0.6 g
Fiber 1.8 g
Calcium 19 mg
Iron 0.7 mg
Sodium 3.5 mg

We think this is a delicious way to get in a serving of fruit — though, of course, we know it can’t all be from desserts. How do you incorporate seasonal fruit into your diet?

Tags: Botany, Deborah Madison, Desserts, Environmental Working Group, Food and drink, Fruit, Fruit salad, Garden strawberry, Hospitality/Recreation, Sugar, Wine