Fresh flavour of strawberries
Food columnist also provides a recipe for a different take on shortcakes
Botanically, strawberries are not actually berries but pseudocarps or multiple fruits. The straw-coloured specks that we call seeds are technically the fruit, with miniature seeds inside. That is consequential to botanists but less so to the rest of us civilians, who are more interested in the sensory appeal of strawberries, eaten fresh and raw, or in baked products.
If you add strawberries to muffins – and what muffin doesn’t benefit from the addition of fruit? – be sure to cut them into small pieces because they are so juicy and heavy that larger pieces will fall to the bottom of the muffin and make it soggy. Small pieces, shaken in a little flour, are best for baking.
Strawberries are wellsuited to dishes that benefit from their juiciness, such as smoothies, sauce to spoon over ice cream sundaes or pound cakes and strawberry shortcake. To draw the juice out of strawberries for serving on shortcake, slice or quarter the berries, sprinkle sugar over them and leave them to sit for about 30 minutes. The easy alternative is to release the juice by crushing the berries.
There are two camps when it comes to strawberry shortcake: biscuit and cake. I’m with the biscuit group. If you are, too, you might want to try replacing your regular shortcake biscuit with these ginger scones for a change.
Strawberry Ginger Shortcakes
From Conrad, Margaret and Heather MacDonald: The Joy of Ginger, Nimbus Publishing Ltd., Halifax, 1997.
Ginger Scones
375 mL (1½ cups) all purpose flour 125 mL (½ cup) whole wheat flour 22 mL (1½ tbsp) baking powder
2 mL (½ tsp) salt
60 mL (4 tbsp) chilled butter
125 mL (½ cup) light cream
1 egg, beaten
125 mL (½ cup) chopped preserved ginger
125 mL (½ cup) chopped dates milk for brushing
Measure flours, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Cut in the butter, add cream, egg, preserved ginger and dates. Stir just enough to mix.
Turn onto a floured board, knead lightly and roll 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick.
Cut into triangles or, using a floured cutter, 5 cm (2 inch) rounds. Brush with milk to make them shiny.
Place on an ungreased baking pan and bake in a preheated oven at 230 C (450 F) for 12 to 15 minutes or until done.
Cut warm ginger scones in half, spoon crushed sugared strawberries onto the bottom half, add the top half and more crushed strawberries, and top the whole thing with whipped cream.
For a light lunch, try serving this fresh strawberry salad with bread and cheese.
Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Dressing
From Glick, Judie and Carol Jensson: The New Granville Island Market Cookbook, Arsenal Pulp Press, Vancouver, 2012.
500 g (1 lb) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (See note below)
60 mL (¼ cup) balsamic vinegar 60 mL (¼ cup) sugar (any kind except icing sugar)
Place the strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar. Let stand for 1-2 hours but not more than 4 hours. Sprinkle with sugar and serve immediately.
Note: A quart box of strawberries weighs about 600-625 g (1¼ lb).
Makes 4 servings
Here’s another version of salad made with fresh strawberries, a good side dish to serve with chicken sandwiches.
Strawberry Romaine Salad
Adapted from London Home Economics Association: Cooking with L.H.E.A, 1998.
½ head romaine lettuce
375 mL (1½ cups) strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 small shallot, sliced into rings 60 mL (¼ cup) crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
75 mL (1/3 cup) neutral flavoured oil, such as canola or sunflower
30 mL (2 tbsp) wine vinegar
10 mL (2 tsp) granulated sugar
1 mL (¼ tsp) salt (optional) ground black pepper, to taste
To make the flavour of the shallot less harsh, allow the slices to soak in cold water or ice water for at least 10 minutes, and then drain well and blot dry.
Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces. Place in large bowl. Arrange strawberries, sliced shallot and crumbled feta over lettuce.
Combine dressing ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake vigorously to blend. Or stir vinegar, sugar and black pepper together in a small bowl; then gradually whisk in the oil to make an emulsion.
Pour dressing over salad; toss gently until salad ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings