Six Simple Strawberry Dishes

Inspired by this gorgeous photo of my daughter's first strawberry crop this year- I thought it was time to think about ways of using up all those luscious red summer fruits that are starting to fill the shops, roadside stalls and PYOs.

After all, it is the Chelsea Flower Show this week, Wimbledon is just around the corner and all those other milestones of an English summer are appearing on the horizon. (Even if the central heating is still on and the rain is lashing down outside!)

So, I've put together 6 recipes to make the most of a punnet of strawberries.






With strawberries, just fresh as they are with some cream is usually the best way- but to pretty them up a bit ( and make them go a bit further ) try making a tartare.

Strawberry and Basil Tartare

 Strawberries are combined here with some shredded basil, creme de cassis and a drop of olive oil to make a colourful and tasty pud.

Ingredients:

a punnet of strawberries

1/2 tsp good olive oil

2 tsp creme de cassis liqueur

3-4 basil leaves (shredded with a sharp knife or scissors)

1. Wash, trim and dice the strawberries (reserving some to garnish the finished tartares)

2. Mix the dice with the basil, olive oil and creme de cassis

3. Fill a chef's ring with a spoonful or two of the dice and press down firmly to slightly squish the strawberries

Strawberry and Basil Tartare

4. Unmould, decorate with a sliced strawberry and serve with cream.

Eton Mess Cornets

As served to the stars at the Cannes Film Festival this year (according to my latest Journal des Femmes)- traditional desserts like Tiramisu, Chocolate Mousse and even Apple Crumble are served up as finger food in little ice cream cornets and are le dernier cri!

I've chosen an Eton Mess as the quickest of the bunch- and I think it's ready for its close-up.

Ingredients:

a punnet of strawberries

3 meringue nests (crushed)

2 tsp creme de cassis liqueur

200 ml whipping cream

ice cream cornets

1. Wash, trim and dice the strawberries and mix with the creme de cassis

2. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks

3. Combine the crushed meringues, cream and strawberries

4. Pile into ice cream cornets and serve

Eton Mess Cornets

Some more strawberry ideas for you- a lemonade, an ice cream cake (which looks really special but is very easy to make), sticky strawberries and a fondue.

Chocolate and Strawberry Fondue

The quickest way to do this is using Nutella (which you melt in the microwave, stir and serve with fresh strawberries and forks for dipping) . This version however is really very sweet and a bitter chocolate sauce is much nicer. 

Melt 100g of dark chocolate together with 1 tsp of creme de cassis or kirsch, a knob of butter and 1 tsp icing sugar either for 1 minute in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Serve in pretty cups, with your strawberries and long forks.

Strawberry and Chocolate Fondue

For the next recipe I am grateful to Gillian Walkinshaw for her version which I spotted on the Guardian Witness website.

Sticky Strawberries

1 punnet of strawberries

2 drops of rose water

1 tsp runny honey

Chopped  toasted hazelnuts or pistachios

1. Wash and slice the strawberries

2. Mix them with the honey, nuts and rosewater

3. Serve with greek yoghurt or better still hazelnut yoghurt.

Sticky Strawberries

Plenty more good ideas (with or without strawberrries) on that page by the way
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/55535616e4b03e21263ee5c4

Now- the piece de resistance! The ice cream cake. Or to give it its posh name:

Ice Cream Fraisier

You will need:

1 punnet of strawberries
1 tub of strawberry ice cream
1 madeira cake

1. Line a loose bottomed cake tin with cling film
2. Cut 2 cm thick slices of madeira cake to fit snugly around the bottom of the tin. Press down firmly

3. Halve your strawberries and arrange them cut side out in a little guard of honour around the tin.

4. Take out your ice cream and allow to soften for a few minutes before spooning into the tin and spreading out smoothly until it reaches at least to the height of the strawberries or may be a cm higher.

5. Smooth the top with a wet spoon or palette knife.
6. Place back into the freezer to firm up again. (Don;t leave it more than 10-15 minutes though- or your strawberries will freeze rock hard- belive me!)
7. When you are ready to serve, take out of the freezer, unmould from the tin, peel off the clingfilm and decorate the top with more strawberries, dusted with icing sugar.

Ice cream Fraisier

Doesn't that look smashing?

Finally, if you have a few squished strawberries left that don't look good enough to serve on their own- try this Strawberry Lemonade:

100g of strawberries

juice of 2 lemons

75 cl of cloudy lemonade or ginger beer (chilled)

mint to decorate

1. Pass the strawberries through a sieve to take out the seeds

2. Mix the pulp/juice with the lemonade and lemon juice

3. Serve in cocktail glasses with a sprig of mint or a twist of lemon for garnish.

Strawberry Lemonade

Now all we need is some sunshine and summer will officially have started!