In Praise Of … Strawberries

Each month the focus will be on seasonal fruit and vegetables. This month it is strawberries. Coming into season in May and lasting until October, strawberries are very versatile and can be used in a wide range of desserts and cakes. Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and may also help reduce risk factors for heart disease and control blood sugar. For better flavour, let strawberries come to room temperature before eating them: if possible, put them out to warm in the sun for a couple of hours to bring out their full taste and aroma.

Eton Mess

Preparation time less than 30 mins, Serves 6

Ingredients

600g strawberries, hulled

2 tbsp icing sugar

Method

600ml double cream

200g seasonal berries (optional)

5 readymade meringue nests

Put 150g of the strawberries into a blender or food processor with ½ tablespoon of the icing sugar. Pulse to form a smooth purée. Halve or quarter the remaining strawberries into bite-size pieces.

Whip the double cream and remaining 1½ tablespoon of icing sugar together until soft peaks form when you remove the whisk (they should almost hold their shape).

To assemble, crumble four of the meringues and add to the cream along with all the berries. Fold in lightly, then very briefly stir in the strawberry purée to make swirls in the cream (as you spoon the mess into bowls it will ripple more). Divide between six bowls or glasses, crush the final meringue over the top. Top with additional seasonal berries or strawberries if you wish and eat immediately.

Strawberry Galette

Preparation time ½ hour, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Cooking time 10 to 30 minutes, Serves 4 - 6.

Ingredients

250g puff pastry

For the Pastry Cream

3 egg yolks

35g caster sugar

35g plain flour

250ml milk

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped

Raspberry liqueur such as framboise, to taste

To Serve

500g ripe strawberries, hulled and halved

15g icing sugar

50g apricot jam, loosened with a little water and warmed

400g clotted cream

Method

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 1cm thick rectangle. Chill in the fridge for ½ hour.

To make the pastry cream, mix the eggs, sugar and flour in a bowl to form a paste. Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan until almost boiling, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Pour the milk over the egg paste, whisking to combine as you go, then pour into a saucepan. Cook, stirring, until thickened, then add the raspberry liqueur to taste. Leave to cool.

To assemble the galette, toss the strawberries in the icing sugar. Spread the pastry cream on the pastry base, leaving a 2.5cm border around the edges. Top with the strawberries and fold up all the edges of the dough border. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and fruit is softened. Brush with the apricot jam and serve with clotted cream.

Jane O’Hagan