Strawberry Facts and Recipes
Strawberry Picking
Strawberries do not ripen further after picking so select berries that are bright red, plump, well shaped, with very little green or white. Pick berries with caps attached as the cap helps to preserve the firm texture, flavor and nutrients.
Washing Strawberries
Spray gently with cold water. Do not soak. Place them in a colander or strainer in small amounts works best. Remove hulls when ready to use by twisting gently or using a small knife.
Freezing Strawberries
Select firm, ripe berries. Wash quickly under a cold spray, hull and prepare as desired – whole halved, sliced or crushed.
Loose Pack: Put washed, hulled and dried (pat with paper towels) in a single layer on a cookie sheet or tray. Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer until frozen solid. Pour berries into plastic bags or containers allowing no headspace. Return to freezer.
In Sugar: Mix 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups washed and hulled berries until juice is released and sugar almost dissolved. Pack in containers leaving ½ inch headspace.
JAMS AND JELLIES: For best results, purchase a commercial pectin such as CERTO, SURE-GEL, or
MRS. WAGES and follow package directions.
Delicious Berry Recipes
Strawberry Shortcake
Prepare baking powder biscuits from Bisquik or other mix, adding 2 Tbsp sugar. While biscuits are baking, combine 1 qt washed, hulled
and sliced berries with ½ c granulated sugar. Mash some of the berries with a pastry blender or potato
masher so mixture has some
juice. Split biscuits while still warm and place in bowls. Put ¼ -1/3 c berry mixture on bottom of biscuits, put top biscuit on and add
more strawberries. Top with heavy cream whipped with 1 tsp sugar, RediWhip or Cool Whip, as you prefer.
French Strawberry Glace Pie (from Joanne VanCaeseele)
1 qt. strawberries
1 c. water
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 – 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 – 9” baked pie shell
Crush 1 c. berries, add 2/3 c water & simmer about 3 minutes. Blend sugar, cornstarch & remaining 1/3 c water together; add to boiling mixture. Stir constantly for about 1 minute. Cool. Spread cream cheese over baked pie shell. Put about 2 ½ c fresh whole berries in pie shell. Cover with cooked mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with whipped cream.
Strawberry Sorbet - Serves 6 (from Kathy Tojdowski)
4 c strawberries
1 c water
½ c sugar
1/3 c corn syrup
Wash and hull berries; measure 3 cups and puree in blender. Slice and chill rest of berries for garnish. In saucepan, combine water, sugar and syrup. Bring to boil & stir constantly. Remove from heat & stir in berry puree. Pour into metal 8x8” pan. Freeze 1-2 hrs. until firm, not solid. Spoon into bowl & beat with an electric mixture until light & fluffy. Return to freezer until firm. Just before serving, let stand at room temp a few minutes to soften. Scoop into dessert dishes & garnish. May use frozen unsweetened berries. Thaw 3 cups and puree.
Use no garnish.
Strawberries Romanoff - Serves 4 (from Cooking Light Magazine)
3 c quartered fresh strawberries
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 Tbsp Cointreau or orange juice
¼ c whipping cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp whipped cream mixture. 139 calories/serv.
Combine berries, gran. sugar, & Cointreau in a small bowl, cover & refrigerate 30 minutes. Combine whipping cream and powdered sugar in a small bowl & beat with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon ¾ cup berry mixture into four dessert bowls. Top with 1 Tbsp whipped cream mixture. 139 calories/serv.
Jean’s Spinach & Strawberry Salad - Serves 4 (from Jean Krbec)
1 lb fresh baby spinach
1 pt fresh strawberries, sliced
½ c sugar
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 ½ tsp minced onion
¼ tsp. @ Worcestershire sauce & paprika
½ c vegetable oil
¼ c. cider vinegar
Remove stems from spinach. Wash & pat dry. Combine spinach & berries in a lg salad bowl. Toss gently. Combine sugar & remaining ingredients in an electric blender. Process on low 30 sec. Drizzle over spinach & berries just before serving.
Strawberry Punch - Serves 12
4 cups strawberries, washed, hulled & halved
1 ¼ c sugar
1/3 c lemon juice
2 c ginger ale
1/3 gal dry white wine
Combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Chill for several hours. Immediately before serving, put the berries in a punch bowl. Add the ginger ale, wine, and ice cubes. (To make strawberry ice cubes, fill an ice cube tray with water, place a whole berry in each section and freeze. Makes a nice, festive garnish.)
Almond Cream Strawberries - Serves 8
1 qt. large strawberries, washed
1 3 ½ oz. pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 c milk
1 tsp almond extract
½ pt heavy cream, whipped
Cut stem ends off berries. Cut deep X in the top of each berry. Gently spread to make “petals.” Set aside. Prepare pudding using only 1 cup milk; gently fold in whipped cream & almond extract into pudding. Spoon mixture into decorating bag, with large writing tip. Pipe into berries. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
2 c flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ c brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
¾ c milk
2 c rhubarb, finely diced
3 c hulled & sliced strawberries
1 -3 oz pkg strawberry gelatin
6 Tbsp butter, 1 ½ c sugar, & ½ c flour
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar in large bowl; cut in margarine. Add egg and milk and mix ¼ tsp salt thoroughly with mixer. Spread in a greased 9”x13” pan, distribute rhubarb and berries on top and sprinkle ½ c margarine with gelatin. Mix together
butter, sugar, and flour until crumbly and sprinkle over top of cake. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.
Strawberries and Vanilla Yogurt
Wash, hull and slice 1-2 c strawberries. Top with low fat vanilla yogurt. For breakfast or lunch, put some berries between a split baking powder biscuit, add more berries to the top, and dollop with vanilla yogurt.
Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake (from Taste of Home)
More delicious and healthy berry recipoes are available at EatingWell.com.