Strawberries
The Taste & Color of June!
Our local strawberry season lasts only about 3 or 4 weeks, so take advantage of the timing and visit a nearby farmer’s market or strawberry field and pick a taste of summer! I always felt a bit guilty when I took my children to a pick-your-own field, as they consumed many more berries than they put in the baskets – I was sure the farmer would soon institute a weigh-in, weigh-out, option and add considerably to the final bill!
Strawberries don’t continue to ripen after they’ve been harvested, so be sure to choose strawberries that are fully ripe, with a bright shiny red color and fresh green caps. The garden strawberries that we are so familiar with were first bred in Brittany, in Northern France, in the 1750s. Strawberry cultivation is now common across the world. In the Berkshires, you might be lucky enough to also come across some of our native woodland strawberries growing along trails and woodland clearings. These tiny wild strawberries are delicious to eat and look beautiful scattered on your morning yogurt.
ZABAGLIONE With FRESH STRAWBERRIES
Zabaglione, the famous Italian custard dessert, is easy to make and works as the perfect base for this season’s finest strawberries. You can serve the Zabaglione either warm or chilled, but for the best effect be sure to serve it in your most beautiful glasses. Coupe-style martini glasses would be perfect!
Ingredients
4 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons Marsala wine
Small pinch each of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
Strawberries sliced and tossed with a little sugar
Directions
Bring 1 inch of water to boil in a saucepan set over high heat – or preferably use a double-boiler.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl on the highest speed until the mixture is a thick, pale yellow, and the sugar completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Add the Marsala wine and spices and beat on low until well-combined.
Decrease the heat to simmer and put the bowl on top of the saucepan with the boiling water (or into the top of your double boiler). Be extremely careful to make sure that the bottom of the bowl is NOT touching the water.
As the water simmers, continue to beat the mixture on medium speed (or use a whisk if you prefer) until it is light and fluffy and the mixture leaves a thick trail, or “ribbon” when allowed to drip from the whisk. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature should reach 145 to 150 degrees F.
Let the Zabaglione custard cool slightly then pour the mixture into beautiful serving glasses. Top with sliced strawberries.
STRAWBERRY CHUTNEY
Strawberries commonly star in traditional New England favorites such as Strawberry Shortcakes or Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, but they can also play a role alongside some of our more savory dishes - as a chutney for grilled meats. Some of your less-perfect strawberries can be trimmed and cut up to make this easy side!
In a saucepan, combine:
¼ cup golden, or black, raisins
¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¼ fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey (preferably local honey from Berkshire bees!)
Carefully bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly thick.
Stir in 2 cups fresh strawberries, that have been sliced in half. Simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring often to ensure the chutney doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
You may serve the warm chutney alongside grilled lamb, pork, or sausages, or store in a glass container in the fridge until ready to use. The recipe is delicious either warm or cold!
CHOCOLATE-STUFFED STRAWBERRIES
Yum! Even the mane of this simple recipe sounds delicious! Sometimes you want a quick, easy dessert that’s a bit different from just offering sliced strawberries on ice cream.
Ingredients
Vanilla ice cream
Big, fresh strawberries (3 per person)
Chocolate candy bar, such as Hershey’s
Directions
Carefully clean and hull fresh strawberries (about 3 per person) and insert a small piece of chocolate into the cavity. I like to use Hershey’s chocolate because of its delicious chocolate flavor and great melting point.
Put a mound of vanilla ice cream in each bowl. Use the handle of a spoon to hollow out 3 places where you will insert the strawberries. I like to use a small bowl as a “mold” for the ice cream – giving you a perfect half-sphere of dessert.
Put the strawberries, chocolate-filled cavity facing up - into a square microwave proof container. Be careful to have the strawberries standing straight up so that the chocolate doesn’t drip out as it melts. You can place wax paper between the berries to stabilize them.
Microwave on low for 8 seconds – then check to see if the chocolate has melted. If not, repeat for another few seconds until the chocolate and strawberries are soft, but not mushy.
Carefully place the chocolate-filled strawberries into the ice cream and serve immediately.