SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!

IT’S STRAWBERRY PICKING TIME

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did,” William Butler 1600.

The strawberry, without question, is the most popular but the most perishable of fruits. New technology has extended the growing season and dramatically increased crop yields. The spoilage of the fruit was an important problem to be addressed by researchers in their quest to build a better berry. Strawberries now come within everyone’s reach via refrigerated rail and truck transportation. However, success often comes with a price. The sweetness and flavor of the fruit is sometimes sacrificed in the long journey. California supplies 55% of the commercial crop but when spring arrives in North Carolina, no berry can compare with our own local farm-grown Carolina strawberry.

According to Waverly Root, the most faithful customer for strawberries in history was probably Mme. Tallien, who in Napoleonic times added strawberry juice to her bath water to keep her skin soft and satiny. Every time she took a bath, twenty-two pounds of strawberries were crushed for it. A valuable customer, indeed!

Strawberry Napoleons Serves 6

Adapted from David’s restaurant in Salisbury, Maryland

Strawberry Sauce:

1 10-oz. pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
1 c. sugar

Simmer the strawberries in syrup until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature then puree in a blender.

Almond Lace Cookies yield: about 18 cookies

Be sure to cool the cookies before transferring to a rack.

1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 c. light corn syrup
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 2 large baking sheets.
In a 2-qt. saucepan, cook the sugar, butter and corn syrup together, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour and nuts.
Spoon scant tablespoons of batter 6-inches apart on baking sheets (4 cookies per sheet) and bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the oven until golden brown and bubbling, 6 to 8 minutes. Cookies will spread 5 to 6 inches. Cool cookies on sheet 1 to 2 minutes.
Quickly but carefully remove the cookies from the sheet with a metal spatula and transfer to a rack to cool completely. (If they become too brittle to transfer, return to the oven for about a minute to soften.)

Filling:

1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries. Trim and quarter to measure 3 cups.
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream, beaten to hold stiff peaks

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Assembly:

Put 1 cookie on a plate and spread 1/2 c. whipped cream over it. Top with 1/2 c. quartered strawberries and drizzle about 3 T. sauce over them.

Lean a second cookie at an angle over the berries and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Make 5 more Napoleons the same way.


Jaques Pepin’s Strawberry Clafoutis 4 servings - 182 calories

Clafoutis is a type of thickened custard usually reserved for cherries, but strawberries work just as well in this recipe. A conventional clafoutis is usually cooked in a double boiler, but this clafoutis is cooked in a gratin dish. It is best served at room temperature.

1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
1-pint strawberries hulled
1 t. Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well with a fork. Add the milk and mix thoroughly.

Quarter the berries and distribute them evenly in a 4 to 6 cup gratin dish.

Pour the egg mixture over the berries and place the gratin dish on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes or until just set.

Cool to room temperature. Sprinkle the confectioners’ sugar over the top and serve at room temperature.


Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Flaky Pie Pastry Enough dough for 1 double crust pie or 1 single

2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 c. cold vegetable shortening
1/4 c. ice water, more if needed

In a bowl combine the flour and salt, add the butter and blend with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal.

Add the shortening and mix to a coarse meal. Add the ice water and blend with a fork until it forms a soft dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and refrigerate until ready to use, chill up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.

Filling:

1 pt. hulled and sliced strawberries
1 c. sugar
2-T. cornstarch dissolved in 1-T. cold water
8-oz. rhubarb trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces to measure 2 cups
1/2 t. grated lemon rind
1 t. fresh lemon juice
2 T. unsalted butter cut into bits

Divide the dough into 2 parts, one slightly larger than the other and chill for 1 hour. Roll the larger ball to an 11-inch circle. Fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Keep the second piece in the refrigerator.
In a bowl combine the strawberries and 1 cup sugar. Let the mixture stand for 20 minutes to macerate. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Add the rhubarb, lemon rind and lemon juice and spoon the mixture into the shell. Dot with butter.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the reserved ball of dough into a 10-inch round and drape the top crust over the filling. Trim and crimp. Make decorative slits in the crust for steam vents.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is golden. Let the pie cool on a rack.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar Serves 6-8

In Modena, Italy, the home of balsamic vinegar and Luciano Pavarotti, this versatile substance is used in many different dishes. Very good quality balsamic, which is sweet and acidic at the same time should be used in this recipe.

3 pints ripe strawberries, washed and hulled
2 T. aged balsamic vinegar
2 T. superfine sugar

Slice the strawberries into a bowl. Add the balsamic, mix well and marinate 15-20 minutes. Add the sugar, mix thoroughly and serve.