Fresh Strawberries With Almond Crème Anglaise

Time: 15 minutes

The Minimalist: Strawberries, Coddled (June 3, 2009)

3/4 cup chopped almonds plus

1/2 cup lightly toasted slivered almonds

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

1/2 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

6 to 8 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered.

1. Put chopped almonds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to toast, about 3 minutes.

2. Add milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.

3. While sauce is still hot, strain it through a sieve and let cool a bit. To serve, put a cup of strawberries in each dish, drizzle with warm sauce and garnish with slivered almonds. Sauce will keep, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.