Weddings come in all forms, but there is usually a few things that are common in all (aside from a bride and groom), and that is the food. In fact, what large celebratory gathering does not involve food? Food seems to bring people together…for good reason.
When I got married almost 17 years ago, we had a lot going on. We were moving from Denver to Seattle, with new jobs, and we had just purchased our first house. I needed something simple, somewhere my grandparents who were not extremely mobile could get to, and since we had to get married in November…someplace inside. We found the right balance, with a lot of help from my mother, and it was a spectacular night, with the food being definitely one of the highlights.
My sister got married this weekend, and her goal was not to have a wedding, but an experience. As busy as she is, she really put a lot of thought into her big day, and it was definitely a night to remember, for more reasons than just the food. The setting was overlooking LA, there were beautiful spaces around the property to sit in comfort, special cocktails created for the evening, a photo both, a dance floor over the swimming pool, and a spread of food that was unique and delicious. Of course no family function could be complete without the usual family drama, but she stayed out of it, and looked like she was having the time of her life.
The food was what I would describe as comfort food at its finest. The dessert table though was really something else. There was nothing complicated about it, just simple rustic treats – chocolate chip cookies, hand pies, and a strawberry trifle. My mother couldn’t get over how delicious everything was, and the trifle reminded me of this recipe I found in Bon Appetit last month. The roasted strawberries were something else, and I knew as I tasted them coming out of the oven, they would make the most perfect base for this sherbet. This is summertime at its finest – and hopefully you can still find some fresh strawberries around to try this one before next summer.
Here’s to my sister – who waited a long time to marry the perfect man for her. If the wedding is any indication of the rest of their lives together, they are looking forward to a lot of fun times ahead with beautiful surroundings, and simply delicious food.
Ingredients
- 4 cups strawberries (about 1 pound), hulled, halved or quartered if large
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Special equipment: An ice cream maker
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine strawberries and sugar in a 13x9x2″ baking pan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add pod; toss to combine. Roast berries, stirring occasionally, until juices are bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Let cool.
Discard pod. Purée berries, buttermilk, sour cream, and salt in a blender until smooth. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer sherbet to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.
DO AHEAD: Sherbet can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen. Let soften at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet
First Look, Then Cook 