New savoury recipes to try with your strawberry harvest
The strawberry is an edible of mythical proportions. The delicately juicy, heart-shaped berry has been attributed to passion, love and purity.
It’s been the subject of focus in paintings, literature and folklore for centuries.
The strawberry was associated with the goddess Venus because of the heart-shape of the fruit and its crimson colour. This ancient Roman mythological symbol seems to have carried across the centuries as we see the decadence of the Napoleonic French courtesans celebrating the strawberry.
Madame Tallien, a prominent figure at the court of the Emperor Napoleon, was famous for bathing in the juice of fresh strawberries. It was believed each of her berry baths required 22 pounds of strawberries.
Strawberries are considered part of the rose family and on average each strawberry has 200 seeds on its outer surface.
We typically enjoy strawberry in dessert preparations, but the recipes I’m sharing with you have a decidedly savoury bent. The pickled strawberries are wonderful in a salad and would also be a refreshing foil on a cheese board.
While the matcha-dipped strawberries will make for a light finish to a summer meal, the matcha tea powder has a deep, musky astringency to it that it will take the traditional chocolate dipped strawberry and turn it on its head.
SUMMERY PICKLED STRAWBERRY SALAD
Created by Chef Ilona Daniel Serves 4
Mixed Greens of your choice (about 1 1/2 large handfuls of greens per person)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 4 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1 cup sliced cucumber
Pickled Strawberries
• 1 lb strawberries, cleaned and halved if quite large
• 1 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorn
• 2 tbsp pickling/kosher salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup water
Place strawberries in sterilized jars. Heat remaining ingredients in a small pot until sugar and salt are both dissolved. Pour over berries. Place lids on jars and seal. Keeps for up to one week.
STRAWBERRY PEPPER CORN VINAIGRETTE
• 2 heaping tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pickled strawberry brine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
Place all ingredients into a pickling jar; secure lid and shake until dressing is well combined. To assemble, arrange the leaves as a base to your preference, arrange other salad components and drizzle with dressing.
MATCHA-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES
Created By Chef Ilona Daniel Makes 15 pieces
• 1/3 cup white chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp matcha tea powder
• 15 strawberries, washed and completely dried Sprinkles for garnish if desired Using a double boiler set up, melt together all of the listed ingredients except for the strawberries. Once the mixture is melted, dip the strawberries into the matcha melt going up 2/3 of the way. Garnish with sprinkles if desired. Allow to set on a parchment lined plate or cookie sheet.
Chef Ilona Daniel welcomes comments from readers by email at chef. ilona.daniel@gmail.com or on Twitter @chef_ilona.