FRESH STRAWBERRIES ARE HERE

I’m from Southern New Jersey, which considers itself the ‘garden’ part of the Garden State.  Whether you’re an urban, suburban or country dweller there’s always a ‘Pick Your Own’ farm nearby. The definitive announcement that school was ending and summer had begun were the notices ‘Strawberry fields now open’.  Picking them was a rite of passage in grade school and every household had a t least 2 pails. Needless to say, strawberry recipes became a major topic of conversation. I’ve written several posts on this subject   June 11, 2014,      May 6,2015,      May 12,2016,   May 18, 2017,   April 12, 2018,   April 9, 2020    If you want more information on and recipes for strawberries, check them out .

Fresh strawberries are available all year now but even in buying a couple of quarts from the market, there will be a difference in size and condition. They bruise easily, even from their own weight. The ones on the bottom are usually smaller and blemished, no matter the quantity. The question becomes how to best use and/or showcase them in that condition.

The recipes below are arranged to solve that problem. The first are for the best berries and the following ones for the less presentable. First a few tips on handling strawberries.  

• Sort the berries and lay them out flat on one or more cookie sheets or similar containers and store chilled
• Don’t wash or hull the berries until ready to use them
• If you’re dealing with berries in bulk and short on space, or buying in small quantities and want to save excess for later use, over a period of time, you can slice or chop them for a recipe below and refrigerate or freeze them in containers until ready to use.  Strawberries are too high in water content to freeze well whole. They become a pulpy mass when thawed.

RECIPES

For Large Whole or Sliced Strawberries

Strawberries Romanoff: Serves 6-8 A traditional, elegant dessert, but so easy it seems like cheating.
2 pts. Ripe strawberries
2 cups + 2 Tbs. sugar
1/3cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Peel of 1 orange- with no pith attached, in thin 1 inch long strips
¾ cup heavy cream
Wash, hull and dry the berries; place in a bowl with 2 cups sugar, orange peel and liqueur. Stir gently and refrigerate for several hours. Whip the cream with the 2 Tbs. sugar and chill. Serve berries in individual dessert dishes and pass the cream on the side.

Berry Napoleons: Serves 4
1 sheet puff pastry – rolled out to 9 x 12 inches
1 pint fresh berries of choice
1 ½ cup heavy cream or 2 cups whipped topping, or ice cream
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the dough into (12) 3 x 3 inch squares. Bake on the paper in a preheated 400deg oven for 15 min. or until golden. Cool and store air-tight if not to be used at once.
TO SERVE: Whip cream if using. Lay a square of pastry on a plate, place a portion of the cream then berries on top. Place the next piece of pastry on an angle on top. If serving 6, garnish with powdered sugar. If serving 4, repeat layers, placing the top piece of pastry at another angle, garnish with powdered sugar

Angel Nests: Serves 6-8
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla or almond flavoring.
2 drops of white or cider vinegar
Beat the egg whites into peaks, adding the vinegar to temper them half way through, then the
flour and the cornstarch, finally the sugar in 3 parts while beating until stiff glossy peaks form.  Draw an 8 or 9 inch circle on parchment or waxed paper. Put the paper on a cookie sheet and fill
the circle, with the beaten whites, using the back of a fork to indent the center and raise the sides to form a nest.  Bake at 250 deg. for 60 min. Leave in oven for 30 min. then cool on a wire rack and store airtight. To serve, fill the center with fresh berries.
* The Nests can also be made in single serving size and filled with sliced berries. Or simply cook the meringue in 6-8 inch circles and layer with sliced or whole berries and whipped cream or ice cream.
**To learn more uses for Meringues go to the post for May 16, 2019

Strawberry  Pizza; Serves 14-16
7 cups fresh strawberries – washed and hulled
1 roll shortbread cookie dough
¾ cup apricot jelly + 3 Tbs. water
2 cans whipped cream
(1) 12 inch pizza tin
Roll out the cookie dough to fit the pizza tin, leaving a bit of an edge to fold over making a rim, if possible. Prick a few times with a fork, cover with waxed paper and pie weights (raw rice will do), and bake according to package directions. When cool, place the fruit decoratively over the top, slicing any large strawberries so they appear of even size. Melt the jelly in the water over low heat until it’s a smooth liquid. While still hot, spoon evenly over the fruit to give a glazed appearance. Chill well and serve with whipped cream topping.

Strawberry Shortcake
Biscuits: Yield 12
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 ½ Tbs. softened butter
4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
Cinnamon
Mix first 5 ingredients well with a spoon. The dough will be moist and sticky. Drop by soup spoons onto a lightly greased baking sheet in 12 well separated mounds. Sprinkle top with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven 15-17 min. until bottoms have tanned edges. Remove from pan with a spatula and allow to cool completely on a rack. Store covered.
Filling
Strawberry: Allow 1>1 ½ cups berries per serving. If serving soon, reserve a few berries for decoration. Slice berries in a bowl, add enough sugar to sweeten and leave to marinate at room temperature until juices form syrup, then chill until serving. If making ahead, per 2 cups berries, combine berries with ½ cup apple juice, 3 Tbs. lime juice and just enough sugar to sweeten in a saucepan. Stir over to low heat just until berries soften, cool and chill until serving.

Tartlets: Makes 12

1 box Puff Pastry- -2 sheets (2) 6 cup muffin tins Roll the pastry out to the point where (6) 5 inch circles can be cut from each. Place a circle in each muffin hole. Cut (12) 5 inch circles of parchment or waxed paper and place on top of the pastry. Weigh them down with dried beans or rice. This is the way to maintain the cup shape as the pastry cooks and rises. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven 10 – 15 min. until pastry is golden. Remove paper and weights and cool pastry cups on a rack.
Fill with fresh berries mixed with a bit of sugar and topped with whipped cream

Other Shell Choices-To learn how to make and/or use these suggestions go to   May 24, 2018.
1) Wonton Cups
2) Puff pastry shells or phyllo cups
3) Tortillas:
4) Cake Cups: Found in most supermarkets.
5) Pastry Dough: Make or buy dough for a 2 crust pie, which should be enough for 6 individual
Tart Shells

Glazed Strawberry Tart:
(1) 9 inch cooked tart shell or (6) 2 ½ inch tart shells
6 cups washed and hulled strawberries—divided in 2 parts= 3cups of the best berries and 3 cups regular
1/3 cup sugar
1Tbs . lemon juice
1Tbs.cornstarch
Drop+ red food coloring—as needed to give a rich color
Arrange the 3 cups of the best berries in the pastry shells and mash the others well. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down to release juice. Cook the juice with the other ingredients over low heat until they form a thick, clear sauce. When slightly cool, pour the sauce over the berries in the shells. Serve chilled, optionally with whipped cream.
NOTE: See tip above for using this recipe all year

For Mixed Strawberries

Strawberry-Cream Cheese Pie; Serves 6-8
9 inch baked pie shell—commercial is fine
(1)3 oz. pkg. cream cheese
2 pts. Strawberries- washed and hulled
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbs. cream
2 Tbs. cornstarch
Pineapple juice
Blend the cheese and cream until smooth and spread over the pie shell. Select the best berries and slice them. Chop the rest and let stand with the sugar until juicy, then mash and rub through a sieve. Mix the mashed berries with the cornstarch to a paste and add enough pineapple juice to equal 1 ½ cups. Cook stirring constantly over medium heat, until thick and transparent. Cool and pour ½ the mixture into the pie shell. Cover with the sliced berries and pour on the rest of the cornstarch mixture. Chill well.

For Smaller or Bruised Strawberries

Strawberry Mousse; Serves 6
1 pkg. frozen sliced strawberries**
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup sugar**
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs.  Curacao – optional
Thaw berries and drain, measuring liquid. Add Curacao, if using and enough water to equal 1 cup. Add gelatin and soften for 5 min. then add 1 cup boiling water and stir to dissolve. Add berries and cool the mixture for 30 min. until slightly thickened. Beat the cream until slightly thickened; add vanilla and gradually add the sugar beating ‘til thick. Fold the cream into the berry mix and pour into a fancy mold*. Freeze until firm. Kept frozen this mousse lasts as long as ice cream.

* Rinse the mold with water first leaving a light coating on the inner surface.
**If using fresh fruit, wash, hull and slice or chop an equal size into a bowl. Try to get the pieces of comparable size. Allow to stand in 2 Tbs. sugar until juices are released and proceed as directed. Optionally deduct the extra 2 Tbs. sugar from the ½ cup listed in ingredients.

Strawberry Ice; Serves 6
2 quarts strawberries
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Dash cayenne pepper
Wash, hull and chop berries. Place in a bowl with the sugar and let stand for 3 hrs. to draw the juice. Buzz blend and drain by squeezing through a double thickness of cheese cloth. Mix in remaining ingredients and freeze in refrigerator trays until almost frozen, stirring occasionally. Pour into a chilled bowl, and beat well. Return mixture to trays, or if preferred a mold, cover with a wrap and freeze until firm. Like the mousse, this dessert keeps as long as ice cream in the freezer.

Strawberry Soufflé: Serves 6 -This is really a cinch, but very impressive.
1 pt. berries
8 eggs separated
½ cup + 1/3 cup sugar
½ lemon –juiced
1 Tbs. Cointreau – optional
Butter to grease the soufflé dishes
Powdered sugar for garnish
Wash, hull and drain the berries and process to a fine puree . Scrape the puree into a bowl. Add the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, liqueur and beat thoroughly until light and fluffy. With clean, dry beaters whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the yolk mixture. Spoon mix into 6 well-greased soufflé dishes and place on a baking sheet in a pre-heated 450 deg. oven Bake 7 min. reduce heat to 425 deg. and bake 7 min. more. Serve hot garnished with powdered sugar

Yogurt Berry Cups: Serves 6
2 pints fresh berries – frozen to make 3 cups, or 3 cups frozen
8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. powdered sugar
The important thing is that the berries be frozen to start this recipe. Place all ingredients in a processer and blend until mixed but still very chunky. Place in ¾ cup custard cups and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until serving. TO SERVE: dip cup briefly in a pot of hot water and quickly invert onto plates. Chill again to firm. Garnish with whipped cream, fruit or herbs.

Strawberry Crisp: Serves 18-20 Recipe courtesy of The Cake Doctor by Anne Bryn
6 cups fresh strawberries, or (2) 16 oz. bags whole frozen
1 box plain yellow cake mix
1 cup butter – cut in ½ inch pieces
Whipped Cream or ice Cream for topping –optional
Hull strawberries and place in the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking pan* Sprinkle ½ the cake mix over the berries and scatter ½ the butter pieces over that. Repeat the layers. Place the pan on the center rack in a preheated 350 deg. oven and bake 60-65 min. until crisp on top. Remove and cool on a wire rack for 10 min. Spoon warm into bowls and top with cream or ice cream.
* Leftovers will keep in glass, covered and refrigerated for 1 week, but only 1 day in metal. If baked in metal, transfer to a glass or ceramic container within a day.

6 Minute Preserves: Yields 5-6 cups preserves- A simple colonial recipe that still works
6 cups strawberries- hulled
6 cups sugar
4-6 Tbs. lemon juice
Wash the berries by placing in a colander and dunking up and down in a large pot of water. Do not let water run over the berries. Place the colander in a large container and cover with boiling water and let stand 1 min. then drain well. This allows the berries to absorb the sugar. Place the berries in a 6-8 quart kettle with half the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a rolling boil, one that can’t be stirred down and cook 3 min. Remove pot and skim. Add the rest of the sugar, repeat the process. Remove from the heat and allow to stand overnight, occasionally pushing the berries down into the syrup. If the growing season was rainy, or the syrup seems too thin, boil again for 1-2 min. When completely cool, seal in sterilized jars or paraffin covered jelly jars. Keeps for months in a cupboard.
NOTE: This can also be used as a compote or sauce.