Seeing (RED) with Fresh Direct


EAT (RED) DRINK (RED) SAVE LIVES is a month-long, worldwide campaign whereby anyone and everyone in the culinary world – from Michelin starred restaurants to food chains, food trucks, bars, cafes, food media, world-renowned food personalities, brands and more – unite with one shared goal: to turn up the heat on the AIDS fight and raise a lot of dough to #86AIDS.

FreshDirect is among the list of companies turning (RED) this month and is encouraging shoppers to add $5 or $20 donations to their cart as they peruse red themed recipes and shop for suggested red produce.

This of course got us thinking up red recipes of our own and eventually led to a red themed afternoon soirée with all the ingredients sourced from none other than FreshDirect (thanks for the inspo guys!). Our red menu consists of: strawberry sangria, watermelon salad, our take on tomato x mozzarella, and beet carpaccio. We’ll be sharing one of these simple summer recipes per week for the rest of June so keep checking back, donate, and enjoy!

 


 Strawberry Sangria

 

The Goods:

Landskov -9570Strawberries (20ish)

Sugar (1/2 cup)

Water (1 cup)

Fresh Thyme Sprigs (lots)

Fresh Mint (10-20 leaves depending on how minty you like it)

Lime Juice (1/2 cup)

Triple sec (1/2 cup)

Dry White Wine (1 ½ – 2 bottles depending on how boozy you like it)

Ice (lots)

The Steps:

1. Wash, clean, and halve the strawberries. Save a couple for garnishing, throw the rest in the blender.

2. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat on high until boiling and all sugar is dissolved. FYI: simple syrup is usually a one to one ratio but you don’t need all that sweetness here.

Pro Tip: add thyme sprigs, or any other fresh herb (rosemary is great here Landskov%20-9615too) to infuse the simple syrup and add an additional flavor to the Sangria.

Dummy Tip: toss the sprigs out before pouring the syrup mixture into the blender.

3. While the herb infused simple syrup is heating up, juice your limes (save some extra slices to use as garnish), measure out your Triple sec, and open up your wine bottles (or boxes!).

Landskov -96554. Pinch the baby mint leaves from the very top of each sprig and save for garnishing (these look the sexiest) then chiffonade the mint leaves you’re going to use in the sangria. Laymen’s terms: layer several leaves on top of each other and roll them up [insert obvious joke here], then cut thinly across so you have ribbons. Still unclear? Let Martha show you the way.

5. Add syrup, lime juice, Triple sec, mint ribbons, and several ice cubes to the strawberries in the blender and blend until blended.

6. Pour the blended mixture into your vessel of choice, pour in the wine, and stir.

7. Put ice into each glass, pour in the finished Sangria, and garnish with lime and strawberry slices and fresh mint.

Pro Tip: Chill the glasses in the freezer while you’re making the Sangria. Your friends will be impressed, trust us.

8. Enjoy Responsibly!


Original Photography by Sasha Landskov.