B.C. strawberries, how do I love thee?
I offer herewith my annual tribute to these little red beauties. Prime strawberry season is now upon us, so pick up a supply at your local fruit stand or farmer’s market and have a strawberry-themed dinner party.
While pheasant with strawberry sauce sounds intriguing, you might want to forego the strawberries in the main course.
Here are the recipes for your appetizer, salad and dessert.
Strawberry and Brie Crostini
12 thin slices French baguette, cut on the diagonal
4 oz brie cheese, cut into 12 slices
6 large ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
1-2 Tbsp liquid honey
4 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin shreds
Preheat oven to 350º F. Lay the baguette slices on a baking sheet and top each slice with a piece of brie.
Bake until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, about five or six minutes.
Remove from oven and drizzle about half a teaspoon of honey over the melted cheese on each piece, then top with two slices of strawberry and a few shreds of basil. Makes 12 crostini.
Strawberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed Vinaigrette
3 cups fresh baby spinach
3 cups fresh baby kale
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 firm-ripe avocado, peeled and diced
4 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese (you could substitute feta or goat cheese)
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Half of a small red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp liquid honey
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the first seven ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. To make the dressing, place all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Screw lid on and shake jar vigorously to mix dressing. Taste dressing and adjust seasoning if necessary; pour desired amount over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Makes four servings.
Fresh Strawberry Cake
6 Tbsp butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing pie plate (½ cup or ¼ lb of butter = 8 Tbsp; this might help you measure)
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup plus 1½ Tbsp granulated sugar, divided use
1 large egg
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved (if the berries are large cut them into three slices)
Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream
Preheat oven to 375º F. Grease a 10-inch pie plate generously with soft butter and set aside (if you use a nine-inch pie plate the batter may overflow, so fill it with only three quarters of the batter and bake the rest in a ramekin).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and one cup of sugar until mixture is pale and fluffy, about three minutes. Mix in the egg, milk and vanilla until just combined, then slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing just until batter is smooth. Turn batter into the greased pie plate and spread evenly.
Arrange the strawberries cut side down in a single layer on top of the batter, as close together as possible (they can overlap them a bit as you want them really crowded together).
Sprinkle the 1½ tablespoons of sugar over the berries. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325º and continue baking for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out free of wet batter. Remove cake from oven and place on a wire rack; serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Makes eight servings. The next time you make this, try substituting raspberries or sliced peaches for the strawberries.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
