Strawberries are the stars of the season
Bydanielneman
Now, right now, strawberries are their strawberriest.
Ripe, luscious and dripping with juice, strawberries are nature’s way of welcoming us back to another bountiful season of planting and harvesting. They are like a little gift — an amuse bouche, if you will — to thank us for our patience during a long and barren winter.
And as is so often the case at many fine restaurants, the amuse bouche turns out to be the best part of the meal.
Inspired by the little red nuggets of culinary gold, I set out to make six recipes in which strawberries were the star. They include an hors d’oeuvre and a salad dressing, a baked good and two drinks (one boozy, one not).
If you prefer your strawberry dishes to be fast and easy, I recommend using the fruit to make drinks.
Strawberry agua fresca is just a sweetened strawberry-flavored water, and it is delightful. It doesn’t take long to make, but you do have to let it sit for a few hours. If you know it is going to be hot later in the day, or the next day, I can’t think of anything more cooling.
It’s the sort of drink that will make you want to mow the grass in the hot sun just so you can come inside and drink a tall glass of it.
If an adult beverage is more your style, nothing is more summery than a frozen strawberry daiquiri.
You just need rum, of course, and strawberries, plus an extra-sweet simple syrup (it takes perhaps two minutes to make) and a significant splash of lime juice to bring just the right slap of tart citrus to the sweet drink.
Add a handful of ice cubes, throw it all in the blender and you will have a lightly boozy slushie to remember.
The secret to Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta is that the balsamic vinegar is cooked until it is reduced by about half, which makes it extra good because it is syrupy and intense in flavor.
Thereducedvinegarismixedwith diced strawberries and spooned on top of tangy goat cheese, which has been spread on thin slices of grilled or broiled French or Italian bread. I used a grill pan for mine; it’s a skillet withraisedlinesthatmimictheeffect of a grill when cooking on a stove.
A light sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves is all the bruschetta needs to tie the flavors together.
My final dish is a baked good that is actually low in calories. Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars are made with butter, brown sugar and whole wheat flour — along with old-fashioned rolled oats and strawberries — and yet they only have about 100 calories apiece.
Until you add a vanilla glaze.
1 serving
Note: To make rich simple syrup, combine ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until mixture turns clear. Cool to room temperature before using. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator.
Add the rum, simple syrup, lime juice, strawberries and 5 or 6 ice cubes to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve in a margarita glass or wine goblet.
Per serving: 171 calories; 1 g fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 1 g protein; 18 g carbohydrate; 14 g sugar; 2 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 20 mg calcium
Recipe from liquor.com
STRAWBERRYVINAIGRETTE
Yield: 8 servings
1 cup strawberries, stemmed and
chopped
2 tablespoons honey 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Strawberries