Strawberry Gratin

We are lucky enough to have strawberry plants in the garden and they are doing rather well. Although they taste lovely fresh off the bush with a dusting of powder sugar, a fine sprinkling of Grand Manier and a breath of cayenne pepper, this is rather nice too.

What you need

• 400 g strawberries, halved
• 1 egg, beaten
• vanilla sugar to taste
• 100 ml cream, whipped
• 1 dash of port
• 1 dash of sloe gin or Cointreau (optional)
• powdered sugar to taste
• a sprig of lemon balm, finely chopped
• a sprig of fresh mint, finely chopped

What you do

1. Lay the strawberry halves, cut side down in one layer into an flat oven-proof dish. Dust with powder sugar and sprinkle with chopped lemon balm.
2. Beat the egg with the vanilla sugar and the port (and liqueur if using). (alternatively you can separate the egg and only do this with the yolk. Whisk the egg white until it is stiff.
3. Whip the cream.
4. Fold in the cream (and the egg white) and pour over the strawberries; sprinkle with fresh mint (alternatively you can both herbs at the end).
5. Put under the (superhot) grill and allow a light-brown crust to form (should be less than 5 min). Serve immediately.