IT’S BERRY SEASON
Hooray! It’s berry season. Pick your own, go to the farmers markets, go to the local store. Stock up now. You will be inspired.
When buying berries, I inspect them carefully. A stained basket means overripe fruit — which can mean mouldy berries lurk out of view. Look for fruit free of blemishes. Hulls on strawberries should be fresh and green, not wilted, and the fruit red all the way to the stem. Raspberries, blackberries and black raspberries should be bright in colour and stemless. Stems tell you that the berries were likely picked unripe, and unripe berries do not ripen further off the bush.
At the peak of the season I am prone to overbuying. No problem. Spread them out on a towel-lined baking sheet to dry; they will keep longer in the refrigerator. Inspect the berries for mould or bruises. Stack the berries into a container no more than 2 or 3 inches deep. Refrigerate, uncovered, up to several days. Gently rinse berries just before using.
Whole berries freeze beautifully and can be added frozen to pancake, waffle, cake and muffin batters. Use within a few months.
Berry purée likewise proves versatile. Simply purée fresh or frozen thawed berries and strain them to remove the seeds. The unsweetened purée freezes well and can be employed in savoury applications. Add agave syrup to sweeten the purée for a fantastic pancake, waffle or shortcake topping.
Fresh strawberries, and a bit of berry purée, add sweetness and tang to fresh vinaigrettes. Use the following recipe to dress a bowl of greens tossed with chopped chives. Or, try it spooned over grilled, salt-and-pepper-seasoned chicken thighs. Grilled Belgian endive likewise tastes great when dressed with the berry vinaigrette and crumbled goat cheese.
Just for summer fun, make a berry wine syrup to drizzle over fresh berries, pancakes or frozen yogurt. A sprinkle over salads or grilled eggplant adds a sweet touch. Stir spoonfuls into iced tea or freshly squeezed lemonade; garnish with a couple of fresh berries.
I enjoy the sweet burst of flavour from berries mixed into savoury grains for a meatless main dish. Fresh herbs, crumbled soft cheese and toasted nuts add textural contrast. Use the berry vinaigrette to season the cooked grains while they are warm for maximum flavour.
Armed with containers of fresh berry purée, a tangy berry vinaigrette and some aromatic berry syrup, summer cooking couldn’t be sweeter.
Fresh Berry Purée
Put 3 cups (about 12 ounces) assorted clean fresh berries in a blender. Purée smooth. Push purée through a fine mesh strainer into a freezer container. Makes about 1 ½ cups purée. Sweeten with agave syrup, if you like.
Pink Berry Vinaigrette
This dressing is delicious on fresh spinach salad with thinly sliced red onion, toasted nuts and grilled chicken. It keeps in the refrigerator for several days; the strawberry slices will soften considerably.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
1/3 cup fruity olive oil 2½ to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar or white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 to 3 tbsp fresh berry purée, see recipe ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper 2 cups thinly sliced hulled small strawberries
Prep: 10 minutes Put oil, lime juice, vinegar and mustard into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well. Add the berry purée (or agave), salt and pepper. Shake well. Add the strawberries. Let macerate 15 minutes or so before using.
Berry Wine Syrup
Seedless berry jam adds the berry flavour to red wine. Try this on crêpes filled with lightly sweetened whipped ricotta. Make a double recipe; the syrup keeps two weeks or more.
MAKES ABOUT 2/3 CUP
1 cup fruity red wine, such as pinot noir ½ cup sugar ¼ cup best quality seedless berry jam or jelly (I like elderberry jelly here) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Pinch cinnamon, optional
Prep: 5 minutes; cook: 20 minutes Put wine, sugar and jam into a small saucepan. Heat to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until mixture has reduced enough to make a thin syrup, about 20 minutes. Cool.
Stir in lemon juice and cinnamon. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.
Wheat Berry Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts
For a gluten-free salad, use sorghum. For faster salad options, substitute pearled farro or quinoa and cook according to package directions in about 15 minutes. Cracked wheat (bulgur) soaks to tenderness (no need to cook) in about 30 minutes. Leftover salad will keep refrigerated for several days; add the toasted nuts just before serving. Serve at room temperature.
MAKES 6 MAIN-COURSE SERVINGS, 8 TO 10 SIDE-DISH SERVINGS
2 cups wheat berries 6 cups vegetable broth or water Salt 1 cup walnut pieces Pink berry vinaigrette, see recipe, to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste 2 cups thinly sliced hulled small strawberries ¼ cup chopped fresh chives or thinly sliced green onion 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves Butter lettuce or small romaine lettuce leaves 6 ounces crumbled goat cheese (or feta or queso fresco) Berry wine syrup, see recipe optional (or balsamic glaze) Chive blossoms or mint sprigs
Prep: 20 minutes; cook: 1¼ hours Put wheat berries, broth and ¼ teaspoon salt into a heavy saucepan. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover the pan tightly. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until wheat berries are pleasantly chewy, 60 to 70 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool.
Meanwhile, put walnuts into a small dry skillet set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are aromatic and a bit toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool, then chop roughly.
Strain the wheat berries in a wire-mesh strainer or a colander. Put wheat berries in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette to taste. Toss to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently fold in strawberries, chives and mint.
To serve, line salad plates with the lettuce leaves. Spoon wheat berry mixture onto the lettuce. Top with the cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with syrup, if using. Garnish with chive blossoms or mint.