healthy recipes, cooking, strawberries, zabaglione

ALL ABOUT STRAWBERRIES

This information first appeared in my book
EAT FRESH, STAY HEALTHY. For in depth articles about fruits and vegetables, with recipes, you can subscribe to my free monthly newsletter.

With recipes for:
Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper
Mixed Berries with Zabaglione
Tapioca Pudding with Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

The term "as American as apple pie" should probably be changed to "as American as strawberry shortcake." Strawberries are not a native American fruit, but they were grown by North American Indians in pre-Pilgrim times. And what do we eat on Independence Day, apple pie or strawberry shortcake?

HISTORY

Berries of various kinds have grown wild in temperate climates for centuries. As with so many foods, theories on the origins of the word strawberry abound. One says that nineteenth century English children threaded the berries onto straw before selling them. Another theory is that straw was placed around the fragile growing fruit to protect it. The preferred explanation (and the oldest) involves the word strew, meaning to spread out, which describes how the strawberry plant grows.

WHERE GROWN

With approximately 23,000 acres planted, California produces 80 percent of the nation’s strawberry crop. The coastal regions of San Diego, Oxnard, Orange County, Santa Maria and Watsonville-Salinas provide the ideal conditions for growing strawberries: warm sunny days and cool foggy nights. Strawberries grown in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California are used mainly for processing. Florida accounts for virtually all of the remaining domestic strawberry production.

Most of the imported strawberries come from Mexico. Smaller amounts come from New Zealand, Canada, Colombia and Guatemala.

VARIETIES

Strawberries are by far the most popular berries on the market. There are about 70 varieties produced. The more significant varieties include Pajaro, Chandler, Selva, Oso Grande, Seascape, Camarosa and proprietary varieties from Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc., a major grower in Watsonville, Calif.

SEASONS

Strawberries are available year round, with the California varieties peaking from April through June and significant supplies until October. The Florida season begins in late November and peaks in March. Mexican, Central American and New Zealand strawberries run from November through April with peak supplies from December through March.

SELECTION, HANDLING & STORAGE

For best flavor, purchase strawberries in the peak of the season or as close to it as you can. And always seek out local berries when possible since they are invariably the most flavorful.

Choose berries carefully, being sure to stay from fruits that are not true in color, or berries that are soft, wet or sticky to the touch or appear moldy. Plump, dry, firm, well-shaped, and uniformly colored fruit indicates it is ready to take home. Avoid strawberries with green or white tips. If they are boxed in cardboard or other paper product, pay particular attention to dampness and/or staining, especially at the bottom of the container. This may be evidence of significantly overripe, even decaying fruit.

In less than a day berries can become mush. Once home, remove the fruit from any container, check all pieces, remove soft, overripe fruit for immediate consumption or to be pitched if mushy or moldy. The remaining fruit should be blotted to remove excess water or juices and placed in a shallow plate or pan, covered with a paper towel, and the whole container covered with plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator.

Don’t wash any berries until you’re ready to eat them or use them in a recipe. They’ll turn moldy and mushy if washed and stored.

NUTRITION

A serving of 8 medium strawberries (147 grams, about 5 ounces) contains 17 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein, .5 grams of fat, 130 % of the RDA for vitamin C and 2% each for iron and calcium.

The high concentration of vitamin C in strawberries has been shown to be effective in minimizing LDL or the so-called "bad" component of cholesterol. Strawberries are also an effective cancer fighter.

YIELDS

One pint of strawberries (from 12 to 36 berries depending on size) yields 3-1/2 cups of whole, 2-1/2 cups sliced and 1-2/3 cups pureed fruit.

SAM'S TIP

Most berries freeze nicely, keeping up to 10 months in the freezer. To freeze berries, rinse them gently and dry in a colander or on paper towels. Put them on a sheet pan or tray in a single layer and put the tray in the freezer. When frozen, put the berries in a bag. This way they won’t stick to each other, and you can measure out as much as you want for your morning cereal, for ice cream topping, and for pies, cobblers, cakes, and pastries.

PREPARATION

To prevent the absorption of water, wash strawberries before they are hulled. The simplest tool for hulling is a sharp paring knife. A teaspoon, especially the serrated kind used for grapefruit, is also good.

Strawberries also go well with citrus whether in the form of juices or fruit. They also match nicely with melons and tropical fruits such as mangoes, papaya, pineapple, kiwi and banana. There is nothing finer at the height of summer than a simple fruit salad embellished simply with a squeeze of lemon and a few drops of Triple Sec or other orange liqueur.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and mace are good seasonings for strawberries. So are cherry liqueurs and cassis, the currant liqueur. A topping of some dairy product, whether yogurt, sour cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche, gives them a nice final touch.

STRAWBERRIES WITH
BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND BLACK PEPPER

It may sound weird, but the piquancy of balsamic vinegar and freshly ground pepper adds a marvelous counterpoint to the sweet berries.

1 quart strawberries, washed and hulled
3 to 4 tablespoons cane or brown sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1) Halve strawberries if large. Cut in thirds or quarters if very large. Put in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Toss and set aside for 30 minutes.

2) Sprinkle vinegar and pepper on berries and toss again.

Serves 4

MIXED BERRIES WITH ZABAGLIONE

This is a perfect way to enjoy the explosion of berries in mid summer. Use any combination of berries, or just one kind. In a pinch you can substitute sweet sherry for Marsala.

5 large egg yolks, separated (see Sam’s Cooking Tip below)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Marsala
1 pint each of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

1) In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until well combined. Mix in Marsala.

2) Put top of double boiler or mixing bowl over a pan of water so that it barely touches water. Bring water to boil and reduce to simmer, all the while stirring the egg mixture with a whisk. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until zabaglione is thick and fluffy. Put in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally until cooled. Cover.

3) Wash berries just before using. Put into 8 cut glass dishes or goblets. Spoon out a few tablespoons of zabaglione on top of each.

Serves 8.

Sam’s Cooking Tip: For some, the flavor of zabaglione as above may be too intense. In that case, whip the separated egg whites with 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Then fold into the zabaglione, about 1/3 at a time until you achieve the taste you want.

TAPIOCA PUDDING WITH
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE
From "Fresh From the Farmers' Market" by Janet Fletcher.
Chronicle Books. $19.95

Janet says the following about this recipe: "Strawberries and rhubarb have a natural affinity that cooks have long exploited in pies and crisps. This homespun dessert is another possibility for those times when you find the two crops at the farmers' market together. I like to serve it in a balloon wineglass so you can see the garnet red sauce underneath the pudding. You will have a lot of sauce left over, but you will be glad for it. Serve it over toast, biscuits, strawberry shortcake, angel food cake, pancakes or ice cream, or stir it into yogurt. It will keep, refrigerated, for at least a week. You can also halve the sauce recipe successfully."

Ingredients for the pudding:

1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca
6 tablespoons sugar
3 cups milk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for the sauce:

1 basket (1 pint) strawberries
1/2 pound rhubarb, in 1/2 inch widths
6 to 8 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

To make the pudding: Combine tapioca, sugar, mild and eggs in a saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Immediately remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and stir in vanilla extract. Let cool without stirring then cover and chill. Pudding will thicken as it cools.

To make the sauce: Hull and quarter strawberries. In a saucepan, combine strawberries, rhubarb, 6 tablespoons sugar and orange juice. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cover, adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until fruit softens and forms a sauce, about a 10 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure mixture doesn't boil up and spill over the pan. Uncover, stir well, then taste. Add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar if necessary, then transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

To serve put a generous tablespoon of strawberry-rhubarb sauce in each of 6 balloon wineglasses or compote dishes. Top with 1/2 cup tapioca.

Serves 6.