The Best of Strawberries
Strawberry season is a joy, signaling the end of winter and the arrival of picnic weather.
I’ve rounded up 7 of my favorite strawberry recipes below and added directions on how to freeze them, so you can enjoy that fresh taste of Spring well into the Summer months.
Strawberries that are picked too early will be very firm and white on the inside. A perfectly ripe strawberry is mostly firm with a little give and very red on the inside of the berry. The best test for ripeness is smell. When in season you can smell ripe strawberries as soon as you walk up to containers in a store or at the local farmer’s market.
Tried and True Recipes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie - Kitchn - Is Strawberry Rhubarb Pie the quintessential spring pie? If not, it is certainly a classic. The tangy rhubarb melts into the sweet strawberries for a perfect contrast of flavors. I celebrate a spring birthday and often have made this pie instead of cake. Who says you can’t put candles in a pie? This recipe from the Kitchn is a winner.
Ina Garten’s Easy (No Pectin) Fresh Strawberry Jam - Never made jam? This could not be easier or more delicious. And, you don’t have to buy pectin. Ina coaxes it out of the fruit with her brilliant ingredient combination. Sometimes I skip adding the blueberries if I don’t have them on hand and it still turns out great. It is delicious on toast, pancakes, biscuits or mixed into the ice cream recipe below.
Strawberry Oreo Cheesecake - If you’ve ever made a cheesecake this recipe is super simple. If you haven’t, give it a try. This is an easy recipe and if the cheesecake cracks when baking you get to hide it with a gorgeous strawberry topping. Nobody will ever know!
Strawberry Mojitos - See the tips section of TWH Mojitos - Ripe strawberries muddled with mint, rum and honey simple syrup. Cheers!
Strawberry Salad with Spinach, Feta and Pecans
A recipe from the sandwich shop I worked at in high school, Pibby’s. I met my best friend there and fell in love with cooking. The recipe explains how to make the salad and a simple vinaigrette. Variations on the dressing and salad are included.
Mason Jar Strawberry Ice Cream
Growing up we made ice cream like this in elementary school and at summer camps. Kids will love this. Simply shake the jar until the cream thickens. This method is great because it makes a small portion and you can dream up endless flavor combinations. There’s also something fun about eating it right out of the jar with a long sundae spoon (don’t judge!). I was recently reminded of this recipe by The New York Times (who says this is the next lockdown cooking craze). No ice cream machine needed.
Ingredients | A 16 oz Mason Jar (About 3 servings)
1 cup heavy cream
1 - 1 1/2 TBS granulated or caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup strawberries (1/4 cup mashed, 1/4 small diced) -OR- a generous tablespoon or two of Ina’s Strawberry Jam (above)
Steps
Pour the cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt into a 16 oz wide-mouth Mason Jar. Screw the lid on, tightly. Check the level of the cream using the lines on the jar.
Shake, shake, shake! Ask someone else to shake. Repeat. Do this until the cream thickens and about doubles in size (5 minutes or so of vigorous shaking). It is done when the mixture is doubled and is thick like a cake or brownie batter but not quite whipped cream. Think pourable but thick, not stiff enough to hold a peak if you dip in a spoon and pull it back out.
Stir in the fresh strawberries and stir (or shake) to combine. If you don’t want to prep the strawberries, use strawberry jam.
Freeze for a generous 3 hours.
Enjoy!
Spring Salad
Strawberries are lovely paired with spinach or spicy arugula. Click here for the recipe.
How to Freeze Strawberries
Strawberries that are not in season just don’t taste the same. I was spoiled by growing up with a large plot of the family garden devoted to strawberries. Many mornings I woke up and went straight out to the garden to pick berries. One berry for me, one for the bowl. Now I buy fresh strawberries from a local Farmer’s Market. In the Spring, I’ll often buy too many fresh strawberries. Then I will freeze them to enjoy all summer.
Freezing produce requires a few simple steps. If you dump fresh berries into a freezer bag they will turn into a giant, unusable frozen blob . Here’s the trick:
Wash and hull (slice if desired)
Lay flat in a single layer on a pan that fits in your freezer on a layer of parchment paper or, ideally, a silicone mat
Put the pan in the freeze for 2-4 hours
Once frozen, remove the tray and move the frozen berries to a freezer bag(s).
Always label and date what you put in the freezer. The berries will last for at least 3 months.
Even the color of strawberries cheers up everything around them!
