Strawberries in Spiced Red Wine Syrup

Apple season is about to begin in North America. And you know what that means: we've officially entered a period in which strawberries become mediocre. I wouldn't recommend that you do anything to strawberries when they're at their peak, but at a time like this, I think this kind of intervention is appropriate.

This makes a great topping for ice cream, pancakes and waffles, cake, plain panna cotta, etc. The mixture keeps for a week, refrigerated and in an airtight container.

Strawberries in Spiced Red Wine Syrup
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2 pounds fresh strawberries, cleaned, dried thoroughly, and hulled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups dessert red wine such as port or madeira
3-4 cinnamon sticks
4-5 whole cloves
3 pieces of star anise
5-6 whole chiles de árbol

Add all the ingredients, except the strawberries, to a large pot; bring to a boil.

Add the strawberries to the wine mixture; let the mixture come back to a boil for one minute. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool, covered.

Once the mixture has cooled, transfer the whole pot to the refrigerator and let the strawberries macerate overnight.