Lots of ideas for using this quintessential summer fruit in a range of strawberry
recipes.
The first local strawberries arrive in my local shop around the middle of June, and it's
a moment worth waiting for. Heart-shaped strawberries look so beautiful, and when
they're freshly picked and fully ripened, they taste wonderful. We eat fresh local strawberries almost every day during the couple of months when they're in season. Now that strawberries are widely grown in polytunnels, the season has extended - but I still think the flavour has that special edge during the traditional season of June-early August.
ALL ABOUT STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries are in season from June to August. At the height of the season
they're widely available. Look for them at local greengrocers, farmers' markets or
pick-your-own farms.
Strawberries don't freeze well, because they collapse as they thaw. You can use
thawed berries to make a puree that can be used in strawberry recipes later in the
year.
Nutritional experts believe that strawberries are as close as you can get to a
perfect fruit. They're low in calories (27 in 100g), fat-free, but packed with nutrients, including vitamins and antioxidants which bring
numerous health benefits. Eating just 5 strawberries gives you more vitamin C than
an orange.
Eat strawberries as soon as you can after they've been picked. The vitamin
content drops quickly.
Don't wash strawberries unless you absolutely have to. If they do need it, give
them a brief rinse just before serving.
When buying, or picking your own, look for berries that are ripe, but without soft
or brown patches. They should look shiny and brilliantly coloured. Avoid any that are
green or hard, or that look dry, dull or wrinkled. Check the underside of the punnet. If
it has a tell-tale juice stain, then the strawberries at the bottom are crushed.
Pick strawberries over and throw out any that are mildewy or rotten, as they'll
contaminate the rest. Refrigerating ruins the flavour, and the strawberry aroma is
easily picked up by other foods in the fridge. Store them somewhere cool, and eat as
soon as possible.
STRAWBERRY RECIPES
Strawberries are at their simplest served, raw with cream or crème fraiche.
You
can leave them whole, or slice them. The sweetest will need no extra sugar, but if
they're slightly tart, add a sprinkling of caster sugar or drizzle with honey. They also
marry well with other summer berries, especially raspberries. A squeezing of orange
of lime juice is also good.
Strawberry recipes: salads. Add a few sliced berries to a green salad, for flavour
and colour. Dress with oil
and balsamic vinegar. Or use a few sliced berries to decorate a wholegrain or rice
salad.
Use raw berries in these strawberry recipes for
simple desserts. Use sliced strawberries in open tarts, or meringue
nests, on top of whipped cream or thick yogurt. Sandwich them in cakes or
shortbreads, again with cream or yogurt. Use them in a summer trifle.
For a real taste of summer, use strawberries in a Summer Pudding. Use a mixture of summer
berries as available: strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants are all good. Prepare
the fruit, and cook over a low heat with 85g (1/3 cup) sugar to 450g (2 cups) fruit for a
few minutes until plenty of juice runs. Line a bowl with slices from a day-old white
loaf, pour in the cooked fruit, top with more slices. Place a weight on top and
refrigerate overnight.
Strawberry puree is very versatile and
quickly made. Simply whizz ripe berries in a food processor. You can use the puree
to
make sorbets, ice creams, mousses and fools. It's also good as a simple sauce,
served over other sliced summer fruits, like peaches or apricots.
Strawberries are wonderful in a Strawberry
Smoothie. Whizz together 250g (2 cups) strawberries with 2 sliced bananas
and 500g (2 ½ cups) live yogurt. Serve immediately.
