Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Boiling mashed strawberries in water crates the flavorful, juicy base for this sauce. Lemon juice lends bright acidity; balsamic vinegar is a more mellow choice.

Ingredients:
1 cup ripe strawberries
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
2 cups finely chopped strawberries

Directions:
Mash 1-cup ripe strawberries with a potato masher. Combine mashed strawberries and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook five minutes, stirring occasionally. Press mixture through a sieve into a bowl, reserving one-half cup strawberry liquid (add enough water to measure one-half cup if necessary). Discard pulp.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in pan. Add strawberry liquid, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook one minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Cool slightly. Stir in chopped strawberries.

Recipe makes two cups.

Nutrition information per 2-tablespoon serving:
Calories: 25
Fat: 0.1g
Protein: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 6.2g
Fiber: 0.6g
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 0.3mg