|
Author: Jackie Miller Article source: http://colliershillblog.blogspot.com/. Used with author's permission.
The season for English strawberries is short and sweet. The jewel in the crown of summer fruits needs to be treated with respect and devotion.
Probably one of the earliest packaged foods, sold in the 16th century in cone-shaped baskets, regarded in medieval times as an aphrodisiac and by the Romans as a cure for melancholy and bad breath, this is a fruit to be treasured.
Eaten freshly picked from your garden with lashings of clotted cream or liberally doused with black pepper to draw out their flavour, strawberry recipes that can lengthen the intensity of that first taste of summer are a must for a discerning cook.
Some of my favourites are: Strawberry curd, an excellent change from the more traditional lemon curd, Dried strawberries, a delicious reminder of summer on your winter breakfast cereal,Strawberry ice-cream, naughty but nice at any time of the year, and Strawberry vodka, bliss served at Christmas.
- Strawberry Curd: preparation time 15 minutes; cooking time 35mins
Makes approx. 650g.
200g strawberries
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
250g castor sugar
120g unsalted butter
4 good quality eggs
Wash dry and hull strawberries, puree fruit (sieve out pips optional).
Put puree in the top of a ban-marie or in a bowl on top of a pan of simmering water. Add butter, orange and lemon and the sugar. Beat the eggs and add together the ingredients.
Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves; continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the mixture thickens.
Pour curd into warm sterile jars, cover with a cloth and leave until cold before sealing with lids.
Curd will keep for a couple of months if kept refrigerated.
- Dried Strawberries
Use ripe undamaged fruit and cut the berries into even thickness slices, approx. 50mm.
Place slices in a single layer without touching each other on lined baking trays. Dry in oven at lowest setting , works very well in coolest oven of an Aga, takes about 12 hours.
When completely cool store in airtight containers in cool dark place. Warning make sure fruit is completely dried before storing.
- Strawberry ice-cream
Serves 6
Ripe fruit full of flavour is essential for this recipe
340g ripe strawberries hulled
Juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
170g castor sugar
420ml whipping cream
Rub berries through a sieve or process briefly in a blender or food processor and strain the puree.
Combine puree with orange and lemon juice and sugar.
Set mixture aside for about 2 hours to intensify the flavour
Whip cream until it holds in soft peaks combine with puree whisking lightly together.
Freeze in an ice-cream maker following manufacturer's instructions.
- Strawberry vodka
Hull enough strawberries to fill a preserving jar or wide necked bottle of your choice
Chop fruit or prick berries with a darning needle and put in jar or bottle.
Add enough castor sugar to cover about a third of the berries and top up with vodka.
The sweetness of this liqueur is a matter of personal choice so experiment with quantities of sugar to fruit - enjoy.
Close bottle and keep in cool dark spot for at least a month shaking from time to time to dissolve the sugar.
Strain and rebottle and if you are feeling generous give away as Christmas presents as long as you keep a couple for yourself.
Compiled by Jackie Miller - Colliers Hill Colliers Hill is the ideal venue for your conference, off-site meeting, product launches or just somewhere to meet away from the madding crowd. If you are planning an up-coming event that you want to base around a particular theme, then contact Jackie at Colliers Hill on 0044 (0)1299 832 247 - she will be delighted to help you with your planning.
Baby Shower Gifts
While you want guests to bring a gift of their choosing, it is also important to encourage them to bring something that will make the parent's life easier, espe...
MP Apprehension of High Strung or Drunken Soldiers
Recently scientists have discovered the hydrogen sulfide gas caused mice to go into spontaneous hibernation. The genetic similarities to the mammalian general c...
How Not To Lose Weight
Who really wants to lose weight? None of us, right? How much fun is it to be on a diet, deprived of all you really want and need when there is a McDonald's, K...
Franchise Sales; Recruiting of Laid Off Employees
Because of corporate downsizing, many people have been laid-off or voluntarily taken early retirement packages and/or incentives. This happens when times are go...
Jerrys Yo-Yo
The blaring sound leapt under Jerry's skin and strangled him awake in an instant. His eyes popped open in terror and for a darkened moment he forgot where he w...
Misery Can Eat You Alive
Can constant complaining, negativity and anger literally eat you alive? Maybe this story will help you decide.
10 Cat Care Guidelines
There area many common sense rules to follow when caring for your cat. These rules are simple to follow and will ensure your cat will be healthy and happy.
Why Scrapbooking Moms are the Secret Weapon in the War on Terror
Scrapbooking Moms are the most precious resource we have on the homefront in this war and this article explains why.
Selling Online for Newbies
If you are interested in selling online, it is quite easy to get started. First of all you must have a product or service to sell. The product or service can ei...
Mars Rover Lighting and Power
A major component of any piece of NASA exploration equipment is the power plant and charging system. The Mars Rover like any other rover design has had issues w...
A Singles Game of Real Estate
This discussion leans toward answering questions asked most often by our youthful men and women in there early twenties. They often begin to ask themselves the ...
Kabbalah Coach: Love the One Youre With
Every one of us came to the planet to figure out how to experience love in the human form. It is amusing to observe all the ways we try to find love, especially...
Maintaining Healthy Vision Naturally
Mind/Body medicine is based on the fact that our health and well-being depends on all the individual parts to work together effectively. So it should come as no...
Best Practices Plan: Dissemination of a Great Idea
Developing a best practice is only the beginning. It has to be validated, communicated, and implemented for it to create positive change in your company. Here's...
Bamboo Flooring Is Taking The Design World By Storm
Are you looking for something different for your house? Maybe you do not want to be like all of your neighbors and you want to stand out from the crowd? Whateve...
Getting a Debt Consolidation Loan with Bad Credit
If you've ever tried to get a debt consolidation loan with bad credit, then you know that it isn't always easy.
Refinancing Your Mortgage - Is It The Right Choice For You?
Mortgage refinancing is an option for many homebuyers who are paying interest
rates 2-3% or higher than what they can find today, or who need additional cash.
Buying a Digital Camera? Understand the Basics and Find the Best Equipment For Your Needs
Discover the simple basics of digital cameras and smoothly transition from film photography to digital photography with the digitcal camera that is best for you...
10 Highly Effective Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Website
There are many ways to promote your website for free online. Here are 10 highly effective strategies you can use right now.
How To Get More Business During The Winter Months
Business seems to drop, slow or even stop during the winter months. As tourist traffic slows or stops during the winter months so does the incomes of many local...
Sideways Market
Last year you could have used a dart, thrown it at a stock page in the newspaper and bought that stock. By the end of the year you probably would have had a nic...
Surprising Health Benefits for Pet Owners
Want enhanced health? Here's how a pet can help you become healthier.
Improve Conversion Rates – Effective Content
Your site is fast and getting traffic, but conversion rates are disappointing. You may have problems with the tone of your content...
Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created
Despite all the emphasis on growth in the "job sector" I am continually amazed at just how many fascinating alternatives there are to the whole 9-to-5 schtick. ...
|
Print this page