Homegrown Strawberries are Ripe and Ready

Warmer nights and the calendar both declare that summer has almost officially arrived. But summer for me doesn't arrived until homegrown strawberries appear at the farm market.

“We’ve had strawberries now for about two weeks,” reported Struckmeyer’s Farm and Market, whose staff has been kept busy picking the fields to satisfy the demand for homegrown berries. “Don’t know how long they’ll last, but if the weather holds we should have them for a couple of more weeks.”

Weather you decide to pick your own berries or buy them at the local market, refrigerate strawberries as soon as possible.  Strawberries can over-heat if left in a warm room or outside. To keep your berries at their best bring along a cooler to place them in to prevent them from over-heating in the car. This is important if you are plan to pick or buy your berries in the country or if you plan to make a few trips after going to the market before returning home.

When selecting strawberries at the farm market or grocery store look for berries that have good color caps that are intact. While the larger strawberries are impressive the smaller berries tend to be sweeter and more flavorful. Small berries are prefect for making homemade jam. However, whether small or large, for optimum flavor and quality strawberries should be used as soon as they’re picked or purchased.

Strawberries will hold for 2 –3 days in the refrigerator or will hold frozen for up to a year.  To freeze strawberries for later use simply wash the whole berries, pinch off the stems that are still attached and place on a tray in a single layer. Slide the tray into the freezer and allow the berries to freeze. This will prevent the berries from crushing. Once the whole berries are frozen, remove and transfer to zip-lock style freezer bags.  Return the filled bags to the freezer.

Instead of freezing, I preserve my strawberries into jam.  Here's my recipe, which consistently won blue ribbons at the Missouri State Fair. Give it a try along with one of the other strawberry recipes featured at my culinary classes at St. Louis Community College.

Blue Ribbon Strawbery Jam

• 2 quarts strawberries, washed, steamed and cut in half
• 7 cups sugar (pure cane sugar)
• 1 box powered pectin (Sure-Jell)

Place berries in a large kettle and crush with a potato masher. Set aside. Measure sugar into a separate bowl. Stir pectin into the strawberries. Bring berries to a full rolling boil ( a boil that does not stop bubbling when stirred). Add sugar all at once and stir to blend. Return to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with a metal spoon. Quickly place in hot canning jars. (Jars, lids and jar rings should be washed and placed in boiling water and held until ready to fill). Fill to about 1/4-inch from top of jar. Wipe jar rim with a clean moist cloth., fit with a lid and ring and screw ring tight. Turn jar upside down and continue filling jars with hot jam. Return jars upright and let cool completely before storing. Makes about 10 – 12 half-pint jars.

 Black Walnut Berry Shortcake

•  2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely chopped black walnuts
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 Tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
• 6 cups sliced, homegrown ripe strawberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, black walnuts, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder. Cut in butter, add egg, milk and orange peel  to form a soft dough. Drop into mounds on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Pat out to to form 3/4 inch circles. Bake for 7 - 8 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer shortcake to a wire rack and cool.  

In a separate bowl, combine the berries with the 1/3 cup sugar. Chill. In a mixing bowl, combine pour the whipping cream and beat until thickened; add in remaining sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until cream is stiff.

To plate shortcake, split cakes in half. Place bottom half on serving plate, spoon berries over top and replace lid. Spoon berries over top of cake and finish with a ladle of whipped cream. Garnish with mint if desired and serve. Makes enough shortcake for 6 – 8 servings.

Gouda and Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

• 6 cups romaine lettuce or spinach, washed, drained and torn into bite-size pieces
• 8 ounces shredded Gouda cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans

Arrange greens on four serving plates, sprinkle with Gouda, strawberries and pecans over top. Drizzle with a strawberry dressing

Strawberry Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all the above ingredients together. Chill until ready to use. Makes 4 servings.