Tasty to the berry end

Strawberry season will be over before we know it, so best scoff as many of these beauties as you can while the going’s still good.

Vanilla & maple syrup dressing

Drizzle this simple, delicious sweet dressing over fresh strawberries and grilled pineapple that has been sprinkled with a little flaky sea salt. It’s also perfect to toss gently through a fresh fruit salad. The pinch of pepper gives it a nice little zing.

3 tbsp maple syrup 1⁄2 vanilla bean

2 limes, juiced 1⁄2 orange Pinch of cracked black pepper

In a bowl whisk together maple syrup, the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean, the lime juice, orange juice to taste and the cracked pepper. Makes about 1⁄3 cup, serves 4

Grilled strawberries with barbecued ginger cake & brie

Here’s something a bit different and rather classy, yet dead easy, to round off a great barbecue meal. Quantities are entirely flexible.

Strawberries Neutral-tasting oil for basting Ginger cake (bought or homemade) Brie

Honey

Balsamic vinegar

Thread strawberries onto skewers (pre-soaked if wooden), brush with a little oil and cook over a high heat until starting to char – this will only take a minute or two – then turn and repeat.

Grill slices of ginger cake until toasted.

Serve the strawberries and cake while still warm with brie that has been softened in a pan on the barbecue, and a drizzle of honey and balsamic vinegar.