This Girl Cooks

It’s strawberry time! Even though I can always find them year round, they taste so much better from April - June because they are taken from local sources. Strawberries need to ripen on the plant. If they’re picked when green, they’ll still turn red eventually, but the sugars don’t develop properly.

So I wait until they’re in season to enjoy them. When they first start appearing I eat them fresh and whole. No sugar. No cream. And I definitely don’t put them in my desserts or turn them into sauces. But once I get my fill from eating them fresh, I want to enjoy them in other ways. And since I’m often pressed for time, I like to keep my preparations simple. Here are some ideas:

Fresh berry salad. I started eating fruit salad this way after a visit to the UK. I was at a function and they served the salad with a touch of fresh cream, unsweetened and unwhipped. I like to take blueberries, raspberries, and halved strawberries and place them in a dessert dish. Two tablespoons of fresh cream poured right over the fruit finishes it off nicely. A glass of Proseco and a patio filled with flowers and the mood is complete.

Simple Strawberry Sauce. About a year ago, my hungry house guests were scrounging around the kitchen looking for breakfast. So, I made crepes - but I didn’t have anything to put on them. I found some strawberries (about 10), threw them in a saucepan, added about 1/2 cup of water and a handful of sugar. I used a potato masher to mash the strawberries. I brought the sauce to a boil and let it simmer for about five minutes. This was the perfect accompaniment. The sauce is also great with pancakes, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Strawberry shortcake. This is one of the easiest desserts to make because you can buy all the components. You can either use biscuits or those individual sponge cakes you find in the store. All you need to do is quarter some strawberries, place them over a halved biscuit or small sponge cake, and top with whipped cream. I’ve also used slices of angel food cake.

What are your favorite, simple ideas for using strawberries?

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