Cooking with Fresh Strawberries

comments (3) July 31st, 2008

Pin It

KitchenGardener Magazine, archive

no recommendations

Strawberry Watermelon Soup.

Photo: Boyd Hagen

Add Comment
Print

by Ken Haedrich
February 1997
from issue #7

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry,” wrote William Butler, “but doubtless God never did.” Now there’s a fellow, it seems to me, who must have made a mean strawberry shortcake.

My own corollary to Butler’s is that nothing inspires a cook like a quart of dead-ripe, juicy, freshly picked strawberries. They beg for the cook’s creative expression. If you’ve forgotten what a real shortcake tastes like—crusty on the outside, tender and buttery on the inside—it’s time to dig through your recipe files and find one. I love to make a warm mixed-berry shortcake by heating handfuls of frozen blueberries with a bit of sugar and the juice of half a lemon or orange. I heat the berries gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is juicy. I use vanilla ice cream instead of whipped cream, then spoon on the blueberry sauce, and scatter fresh, sliced strawberries all around.

Beyond that, fresh strawberries are wonderful folded into whipped cream and rolled in crêpes. Perfectly shaped ones can adorn a cheesecake, bottoms up and glazed with warm currant jelly. Toss sliced berries with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Or put small whole berries in wine glasses and pour cold pink champagne over them for a festive, sparkling summer dessert. Generally speaking, handle your berries as close as possible to serving time so they don’t take on a tired appearance or turn mushy when they shouldn’t.

For more strawberry treats, check out my recipes for Strawberry Watermelon Soup, Strawberry Mascarpone Trifle, and Strawberry "Soft Serve" Yogurt.