Ingredients

2 pounds barely ripe strawberries, preferably wild ones

　　2 pounds sugar

　　Juice of 1/2 lemon

　　

Step 1

Hull the strawberries and wash them very briefly if necessary. Spread layers in a bowl with sugar in between, and leave them to macerate for 12 hours or overnight. The sugar will draw out their juices.

　　

Step 2

Transfer the strawberries and their juices to a large pan. Add the lemon juice and bring to the boil very slowly, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or shaking the pan lightly, and skimming off the white froth as it rises to the surface. Simmer for 5–10 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the fruit. Wild strawberries will require only 5 minutes, sometimes even less.

　　

Step 3

When the strawberries are soft, lift them out gently with a slotted spoon and pack them into clean glass jars. Let the syrup simmer for a little while longer, until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, or until it sets when tested on a cold plate. Pour over the strawberries and, when cool, close the jars tightly.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf