Strawberries add a taste of summer to foods

 

Strawberries are one of the quintessential tastes of summer.

Strawberries are a versatile fruit, delicious on their own but also a delightful ingredient in all types of food, from appetizers to entrees, and from drinks to desserts.

For a simple but delicious dessert,  dip berries in melted chocolate. Or try dipping berries in balsamic vinegar and then powdered sugar.

To quench your thirst, you can go with a traditional shake or malt or just throw a few strawberries in a blender with lemonade and ice to create a frosty drink.

Fresh strawberries are a welcome addition to a summer fruit salad. Or you can dress fresh berries with a mixture of one cup honey and 1/4 cup lime juice, then sprinkle them with toasted coconut.

Strawberries — the first fruit of the summer — are a healthy snack, packed with folic acid, potassium and fiber. Fat-free and low in calories, just eight medium-sized strawberries contain 160% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.

They are widely available in the supermarket, but pick-your-own operations give families a first-hand experience in growing berries.

When picking your own, it’s recommended that you select firm berries that are evenly shaped and medium to large in size. The coloring should be even and bright red.

Following are strawberry recipes from www.homemadehome.com.

 

Deep Dish Strawberry Crumble Pie

1 frozen pie crust, thawed

8 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced into halves and quarters

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup instant tapioca

1 tablespoon cornstarch or ClearJel

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

For crumble topping:

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup oats

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional

1/4 tsp salt

6 to 8 tablespoons butter, cubed

Thaw and roll out pie crust into a 14 to 15-inch round on a lightly floured surface. (If using a standard pie pan, the standard crust should be fine.) Place pie crust into the pan and crimp the edges with your thumb and forefinger. Place plastic wrap over the crust and refrigerate.

Toss cut strawberries, sugar, brown sugar, tapioca, cornstarch, lemon juice, ginger and nutmeg until most of the tapioca and cornstarch is sticking to the berries. Refrigerate.

Blend topping ingredients in a stand mixer or a large bowl using a pastry cutter until large pea-sized crumbles form. You can also use your hands to squeeze larger pieces together to create larger crumbles. Set aside.

Pour strawberry mixture into the crust, spreading strawberries out evenly and making sure to get all of the juice into the pan. Top evenly with crumble topping. Brush edges of the crust with egg and water mixture.

Place pie onto a baking sheet. Bake on the second-lowest rack of a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the pie is rapidly bubbling and crust is deep golden brown.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate at least two hours. Serve chilled.

 

 

Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

1/2 pound strawberries pieces, hulled and chopped

1 pound rhubarb pieces, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup shredded Granny Smith apple, peeled

1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice

Clean and prepare four half-pint jars, lids and rings. Bring a stock pot of water to a simmer, and place jars in pot.

Place strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, apples and lemon juice in a large stock pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Use a potato masher to crush the fruit.

Once sugar is dissolved, bring jam to a boil, stirring often. Use a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer and when jam reaches 217 to 220 degrees turn heat off and remove from the heat. Scoop off any foam from the top of the jam.

Drain water from the jars, then fill jars with jam until they are 1/4-inch from the top of the jar. Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp paper towel, then  place a lid and ring on top and tighten.

Fill remaining jars. Place the jars in the stock pot and ensure jars are covered completely with at least one inch water. Bring water to a boil, cover pot with a lid and process 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Remove jars from the water bath and place on a towel or wire cooling rack. Allow them to rest about 24 hours.

 

 

Strawberry Grand Marnier Shortcake

For topping:

2  pounds strawberries, cored and diced

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1 tablespoon orange zest

For shortcake:

2 cups flour, plus extra

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons coarse sugar

For whipped topping:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

3 tablespoons sugar

In a large bowl, combine strawberries  with sugar, orange zest and Grand Marnier. Using a spoon or spatula, stir until sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate.

In a food processor with a blade attachment or in a large bowl with a pastry cutter, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until fluffy. Add the cubed butter and pulse or cut in the butter until large pea-sized crumbles form.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs and orange zest.  Pour in flour mixture and fold in using a spatula or rubber scraper until dough just begins to clump together. Do not overmix.

Pour dough onto a floured surface. Knead dough five or six times, until it just all sticks together. Gently pat into a rectangle. Using a biscuit cutter, cut dough into several shortcakes. Place each shortcake onto a large, rimmed parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat scraps together and make additional biscuits, placing them on sheet.

In a small dish, whisk together egg white and water. Brush tops of shortcakes with egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake in a 425-degree oven 12 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the rack to cool.

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat heavy whipping cream until light and fluffy. Slowly add in sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. Add Grand Marnier and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Split shortcakes with a fork. Place the bottom half of the shortcake onto a plate. Top with strawberries, then dollop with whipped cream. Top with the other half of the shortcake and sprinkle with additional orange zest if desired. Serve immediately.

 

 

Strawberry Basil Sorbet Bellini

6 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped

10 leaves basil, minced

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 bottle sparkling wine or champagne, chilled

Pulse strawberries in a large food processor until smooth. Pour puree into a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Use a rubber scraper to push puree through the strainer. Stir in minced basil leaves. Discard the pith and seeds in the strainer and set puree aside.

In a small saucepan, stir water and sugar together until sugar dissolves. Over medium high heat, bring syrup to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir syrup into the strawberry-basil puree, then refrigerate one to two hours.

Prepare sorbet using an ice cream maker according to the directions. Use immediately or place in a freezer-safe container.

To prepare bellinis, place one heaping spoonful frozen sorbet into a champagne glass and pour chilled champagne over the top. Sip immediately.

 

 

Honey Roasted Strawberry Bruschetta With Goat Cheese

1 baguette, sliced on an angle

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup goat cheese, softened

1/4 cup honey

1-1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and sliced in half

3 to 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Mint, optional

Place strawberries on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with half the honey and toss to coat.

Place in the oven and bake in a 350-degree oven about 20 minutes, until berries begin to release their juice but are not totally mushy. Cool.

Place baguette slices on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and bake about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

In a bowl, whisk together goat cheese and remaining honey until smooth. Spread goat cheese on the toasted slices of baguette. Top with roasted strawberries. Drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar right before serving. Add mint if desired and serve.

 

Strawberry Chocolate Swirl No Churn Ice Cream

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 14-ounce can condensed milk

1/2 cup strawberry jam

1/2 cup chopped strawberries, optional

1/2 cup magic shell chocolate topping

1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form, adding vanilla extract and corn syrup during the last 20 seconds.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold in condensed milk. The mixture will deflate some and look slightly looser. Gently fold in the mini-chocolate chips.

Spread one-third mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 9-inch square baking dish. Dollop a few spoonfuls of strawberry jam over the top and run a knife through the mixture to create a swirl. Drizzle with 1/3 of the chocolate magic shell. Repeat two times.

Top ice cream with extra chocolate chips, strawberry jam or fresh chopped strawberries, if desired. Freeze four to six hour or overnight.

 

 

Avocado Coleslaw With Stone Fruit and Berries

6 cups red and green shredded cabbage

1 avocado

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh jalapeno

Salt

Pepper

1/2 to 1 cup cherries, pitted and halved

1/2 to 1 cup strawberries, diced

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup apricots, diced

Place cabbage in a large colander and season with two teaspoons of salt. Toss to combine, then let rest over a bowl one hour to release some of the water from the cabbage.

Place avocado, lemon, salt, pepper, and jalapeno into a food processor and process  until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Rinse cabbage well with water and drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, toss with the avocado dressing, then add fresh fruit.

Let rest at least two hours before serving.

 

 

Fresh Strawberry and Cream Cheese Danish

2 sheets puff pastry dough, thawed

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 cup strawberries, sliced

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 egg plus 2 tablespoons water, whisked

In a small bowl, mix strawberries and cornstarch. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface. roll thawed puff pastry into a 12-by-9-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise, yielding two 4-1/2-inch strips. Cut each strip crosswise into thirds. With a knife, score a half-inch border around the edge of each piece of pastry. Use a fork to prick the border five or six times. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

In a bowl, stir together softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and almond extracts. Spoon two to three tablespoons of the mixture into the middle of each piece of dough and spread evenly in the middle. Place a couple spoonfuls of strawberries into the middle of the cream cheese mixture.

Brush egg wash on the edges of each pastry.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with shaved chocolate before serving, if desired.