Strawberries add a punch of sweet flavor

Strawberry season is here, providing people with a taste of summer.

And 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’re also a versatile fruit, delicious on their own but also a delightful ingredient in all types of savory and sweet foods, from appetizers to entrees, and from drinks to desserts.

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

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.

Or flavor water — still or sparkling — with an infusion of strawberries, mint and whatever other berries or herbs you prefer. It’s a lot more tasty than plain water, and hydration is important in summer.

You could even create drunken strawberries to give a drink or dessert an adult flair. Just rinse two pounds of fresh strawberries and place them in a bowl. Pour a bottle of sparkling wine or champaign in the bowl — enough to submerge the berries  and soak them for one to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the strawberries, dry them and coat with cane sugar.  You can enjoy the berries on their own, add them to glasses of champagne, blend them into a boozy slushie or use them to top a dessert.

But you should use these berries within a few hours or they will get soggy. Or you can freeze them for as long as three months, removing them whenever you get a hankering.

Strawberries are widely available in the supermarket, but there are a few local pick-your-own operations that 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 californiastrawberries.com.

 

Farmer’s Wife Strawberry Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup cashew pieces

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup honey

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup assorted dehydrated strawberries and mango

Mix oats, almonds, cashew pieces, coconut, cinnamon, ginger and salt in large bowl.

Stir honey, oil and brown sugar in saucepan over low heat until smooth and not grainy. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and toss. Spread on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a 300-degree oven about 40 minutes, until golden, stirring every 10 minutes. Place sheet on cooling rack.

Stir granola and cool. Mix in fruit. Can be stored in airtight container for two weeks.

 

 

Strawberry Lemonade Sugar Cookies

For cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons lemon zest

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 egg

2-3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

For frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/8 cup strawberry puree

Vanilla extract

Salt

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Add egg, lemon zest and lemon juice. Continue to beat on high until egg is fully incorporated. Turn mixer to low and add the dry ingredients. Beat on low until well-blended.

Roll dough into one-inch cookie balls, then roll in 1/2 cup sugar.

Place cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Cool cookies on a wire rack.

To make the frosting, slice the stems off 8 fresh strawberries. Place berries in a blender or food processor and puree.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, strawberry puree, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract until soft and creamy.

Spread a dollop of frosting over each cookie. Add a sliced strawberry to the top.

 

 

 

Strawberry Mezcal Margarita

For margarita:

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 medium limes, juiced

8 ounces mezcal

8 ounces orange liqueur

4 ounces simple syrup

2 cups strawberries, chopped

4 cups ice

For garnish:

3 strawberries, thinly sliced

1/2 cup basil leaves

Mix salt and sugar on a small plate. Place a little lime juice in a second small, flat plate. Dip rim of the glasses in the lime juice, then in the salt and sugar mixture. Let dry.

Blend ice, strawberries, mezcal, orange liqueur, simple syrup and remaining lime juice until smooth. Serve in rimmed glasses and garnish with strawberry slices and basil.

 

 

 

Strawberry Paloma

Salt for rim

Juice of 1 grapefruit

4 ounces tequila

1 to 2 tablespoons honey

6 sliced strawberries

Crushed ice

Sparkling water

Extra strawberries for garnish

Spread salt in a small dish and salt the rims of two glasses, if desired.

Mix together grapefruit juice, tequila and honey in a cocktail shaker or bowl. Add strawberries and lightly muddle them with the grapefruit juice mixture, then add a handful of ice. Shake in a cocktail shaker until cold, then strain into two glasses over crushed ice.

Fill the glasses with sparkling water and garnish with fresh strawberries.

 

 

 

Strawberry Breakfast Brûlée

1-1/2 pounds strawberries, quartered

1-1/2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 cups plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons sugar

Combine two cups quartered strawberries, one tablespoon water, and one tablespoon honey in a small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat about five minutes, until berries begin to soften and release their juice. The strawberries will still remain intact, but be very soft.

Whisk together the cornstarch and remaining water to make a smooth slurry. Pour into the cooked strawberries and cook one to two minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly. Transfer jam to a heat-proof bowl and stir in another 1/2 cup quartered strawberries, saving the rest for topping. Chill until completely cool.

Stir yogurt, remaining honey and vanilla until smooth. Chill.

Divide jam into four six-ounce ramekins. Top with vanilla yogurt, smoothing out the top. Working on one ramekin at a time, sprinkle yogurt with about one teaspoon sugar to create a thin, even layer.

Use a kitchen torch to create the brûlée shell. Hold the torch a few inches away from the sugar to gently caramelize, using a swirling motion to keep it from getting too dark. Repeat with second layer of sugar over the first to create a thick caramelized sugar lid.

Chill 10 to 15 minutes to harden the sugar on top and cool the yogurt. Top with the remaining fresh strawberries and serve immediately.

 

 

 

Strawberry S’mores Skillet

One sleeve of graham crackers

2 cups mini-marshmallows

1 cup chocolate chips

6 to 8 strawberries, sliced

Place a layer of graham crackers in a 12-inch skillet, then layer on marshmallows followed by chocolate chips and strawberries.

Broil on high for five minutes, until the marshmallows start to turn golden brown. Serve immediately

 

 

 

Fish Tacos With Strawberry-Cucumber Salsa

For tacos:

1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice

4 tablespoons avocado oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound white fish fillets, such as tilapia cod, halibut or sole

8 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cabbage

For salsa:

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and diced

1 English cucumber or two regular cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

2/3 cup chopped red onion, shallot or green onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, optional

Combine citrus juice, two tablespoons oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish or zipper-top bag. Add fish, skin side up, and marinate, chilled, for 30 minutes to two hours.

Discard marinade. Grill or saute fish in a skillet, using the remaining oil as needed. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish, but it should take six to 10 minutes. Fish should flake easily with a fork but not be too dry.

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Store in an airtight container, chilled, until ready to use but no longer than 24 hours.

Slice fish into large pieces. Place a little cabbage on a tortilla with a couple slices of fish and a spoonful or two of salsa. Garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro, if desired.

 

 

 

Strawberry Shrimp Lettuce Cups

1 cup cooked quinoa

36 large shrimp thawed, deveined, tails removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup strawberries, chopped

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped

1 cup cucumber, chopped

12 leaves of bibb, butter or romaine lettuce

Black pepper

Chopped green onion, optional

For peanut sauce:

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons water

Make peanut sauce by whisking sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add more water, if needed, until sauce is desired consistency.

Toss shrimp in olive oil. Heat a pan to medium-high and cook shrimp for one to two minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa with chopped strawberries, tomatoes and cucumber.

Place individual leaves of lettuce on a plate. Top with a small amount of strawberry-quinoa mixture and three shrimp per cup. Top each cup with a drizzle of peanut sauce, freshly cracked black pepper and chopped green onion.

 

 

 

Balsamic and Parmesan Strawberry Bites

18 to 20 medium-sized fresh strawberries

1/2 cup softened low-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

For Parmesan crisp:

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Black pepper

Trim the leafy stem end from a strawberry and stand them on cut end. Starting at the tip of each strawberry, make two cuts in a cross pattern, extending two-thirds of the way down. Gently open up the four sections wide enough to fit a large star piping tip in center.

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle Parmesan in an even 1/8-inch-thick layer. Top with thyme leaves and cracked black pepper. Bake in a 400-degree oven for three to four minutes, until light golden. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta, grated Parmesan, balsamic vinegar, thyme and pepper. Scrape mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Pipe about 1-1/2 tablespoons into each strawberry.

Gently break Parmesan-thyme crisp into small pieces and top each strawberry with pieces to garnish.

 

 

Spicy Strawberry Chutney With Baked Brie

1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 tablespoon sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 jalapeños, cored and diced

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4 cardamom pods, partly cracked

4 whole cloves

Red pepper flakes, optional

Wheel of brie sized to fit a brie baker

Mix strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside for as long as three hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

In a cast iron pan over medium-high heat, dissolve brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add jalapeños, red onion, ginger, cardamom and cloves and continue cooking, stir constantly, for five to six minutes, until onions start browning.

Add strawberry mixture, including juice, then reduce heat to medium or medium-low Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired, and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Scrape off the top rind of the brie, place in brie baker and bake in a 350-degree oven, uncovered, for 15 to 17 minutes.

Carefully remove cardamom pods and cloves from chutney. Serve chutney spooned over top of cooked brie with crostini.

 

 

 

Strawberry Bruschetta

1 cup diced strawberries

1 tablespoon diced fresh basil

3/4 cup goat cheese

Baguette

Balsamic glaze

Olive oil

Place finely diced strawberries in a small bowl, then add finely diced basil and gently stir.

Slice baguette and put on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top and toast both sides of the baguette.

Once baguette is slightly cooled, spread with goat cheese and top with strawberry-basil mixture. Lightly drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.