WARSAW — Summer means strawberries. But this delicious and nutritious fruit is not just for desserts. They can also be used in savory dishes.
Here are five recipes — both sweet and savory — to inspire you to explore the versatility of the humble strawberry.
Strawberry lattice pie
This classic sweet dessert is given added flavor by using fresh strawberries, rather than preserves or jams.
Feeds 2, Preparation time: 70 minutes, Waiting time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
250 grams of flour
150g of cold butter (plus one tablespoon to grease the pan)
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
1 beaten egg and some sugar (to coat the pastry)
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
750 grams of strawberries
The juice of 1 lime
50 grams of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of cornstarch, plus 1 tablespoon to coat the bottom
How to prepare:
The dough:
Sift the flour into a bowl. Add cubes of the cold butter, along with the sugar and salt. To mix, you can use an electric mixer, or rub the ingredients together by hand, until a crumbly dough forms. At this point, add the egg and white wine vinegar, and mix until you have a cohesive ball of dough. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a metal tart pan with the remaining butter. Set aside ⅓ of the dough and refrigerate, roll out the rest to a thickness of about half a centimeter. Place it on the bottom of the tart pan and press it into the sides. Poke the bottom of the dough with a fork a few times to avoid cracks when baking. Sprinkle some cornstarch over the top and refrigerate.
The filling:
Remove the strawberry stems and cut them into fourths. Mix in the lime juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Roll out the rest of the dough, to the same thickness as the tart bottom (1 cm), and cut into strips. Place the filling into the tart pan and arrange the strips in a lattice form, weaving in and out. Cut the excess strips off of the sides of the pie. Coat the latticed dough with a layer of beaten egg, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for around 45 minutes (exact time depends on the oven you have at home) or until golden brown.
Tacos with baked salmon and strawberry-mango salsa
A sweeter take on a classic, these tacos incorporate a variety of flavors and textures. Make one portion for a quick and creative dinner for two, or several to impress a crowd.
Feeds 2. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Waiting time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the salsa:
250 grams of strawberries
200 grams of chopped mango
1 red chili pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro (plus some extra for garnish)
The juice of 1 lime, plus one more lime for garnish
For the baked salmon:
300 grams of wild salmon filet
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
1 pinch of salt
1 small cob of corn
4 corn tortillas
How to prepare:
The salsa:
Cut the mangoes and strawberries into small pieces, and mince the chili. Mix all the ingredients with the chopped cilantro and pour the lemon juice over top, mixing afterward. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
The tacos:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cook the salmon for 20–25 minutes, and assemble the tacos with salmon, salsa, corn, and added cilantro. Garnish with a splash of lime juice.
Carpaccio with strawberries, pistachios, and balsamic glaze
Carpaccio, a Venetian appetizer made with thinly sliced raw meats, gets a vegetarian update with this strawberry-based recipe. Enjoy as a summer snack or a light dessert.
Feeds 2. Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
For the balsamic glaze: you can either buy this ready-made, or prepare by reducing a mixture of 70 ml of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
For garnish:
A handful of pistachios, chopped
For the carpaccio:
400 grams of strawberries
½ a tablespoon of red pepper
How to prepare:
If you choose to prepare the balsamic reduction yourself, mix the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a thick-bottomed saucepan, and heat on medium for about 10 minutes, or until thick. The mixture should be reduced by about half when done. Take off the heat and let cool.
Clean the strawberries and cut them into thin slices, and arrange them on two plates. Top with the balsamic glaze, chopped pistachios, and red pepper.
No-bake strawberry tart
Aside from being no-bake, this tart is gluten-free and uses maple syrup rather than added sugar. Who said eating healthy has to be boring?
Feeds 4-6. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Freezing time: 30 minutes. Wait time: 2–3 hours.
Ingredients:
For the tart bottom:
100 grams of pitted medjool dates (these can be fresh or dry, depending on what is available to you)
100 grams of walnuts
A pinch of salt
3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
For the strawberry filling:
140 grams of coconut flakes
150 grams of strawberries
160 ml of coconut cream
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
For the decoration:
Dark chocolate
A handful of strawberries
Crushed cacao beans
How to prepare:
For the tart bottom:
If you are using dried dates, pour boiling water over them and let rest for a few hours (2-3), then drain. Blend dried or soaked dates in a food processor and set aside. Separately, blend the walnuts and salt in a food processor. Add the processed dates into the walnut mixture, along with the coconut oil until a sticky dough forms. Line a rectangular tart pan (around 13×36 centimeters) with parchment paper. Pour the walnut-date mixture into the tart pan, pressing it down firmly, onto the bottom and the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for half an hour.
For the strawberry filling:
Blend the strawberries, coconut flakes, coconut oil, coconut cream, and maple syrup together, until a smooth batter forms. Pour into the prepared tart bottom, and smooth out until the filling is evenly distributed. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
For the decoration:
Drizzle the cooled tart with melted dark chocolate, chopped strawberries, and crushed cacao beans.
Crabmeat salad with strawberries and avocado
This fragrant salad blends flavors and textures to create the perfect summer symphony. Best of all, it only takes ten minutes to make.
Feeds 2. Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
1 bunch of cilantro
The juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of chopped chili pepper (or to taste)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
250 grams of strawberries
2 ripe avocados
1 small cucumber
1 small red onion
250 of cooked crab meat
How to prepare:
For the dressing:
Chop the cilantro. Mix the lime juice in a small bowl with the olive oil. Add two tablespoons of the chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Let sit.
For the salad:
Clean the strawberries and chop into fourths. Peel and cube the avocados and the cucumber. Peel the red onion and cut into thin strips. Place the ingredients into a bowl, along with the rest of the chopped cilantro. Add the crab meat and dressing, and mix. Serve immediately.
