Recipe of the Month – Strawberries and Milk Shaved Ice (Raspado)

Keeping it cool during summer – try this delicious Strawberries and Milk Shaved Ice (from Sunset Magazine, June 2016)

Serves 4 / 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 1 lb), divided

3 T sugar

1/4 cup condensed milk (optional)

                                               6 cups shaved ice

1.  Put 2 cups strawberries in a medium saucepan with 1 cup water and the sugar.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and strawberries are soft, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool until no longer steaming hot, about 10 minutes.
2. Pour cooked strawberries and syrup into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Let cool completely (you can put in refrigerator to speed things up).
3. For each raspado, fill a 12- to 14-ounce cup or glass halfway with shaved ice and pour in about 1/3 cup strawberry syrup.  Fill cup with more shaved ice and pour in another 1/3 cup syrup.  Top with 2 T chopped strawberries and pour on 1 T condensed milk if you like.  Serve with a spoon and/or fat straw.