Tagged:  strawberries

I can’t help thinking that fruit is the sweetest gift that Nature has given us. While I enjoy all types of fruit in its natural state, I also like to be creative with it.

This salsa is made with strawberries, nectarines (or peaches), green onions, Serrano chiles, lime juice, agave nectar and olive oil. It pairs well with meat, fish and poultry. Serve this strawberry-nectarine salsa at your next cookout!

Prep time: 20 to 25 minutes
Makes: 3-1/2 cups

Ingredients:
16 ounces fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and hulled
2 to 3 fresh nectarines, peeled (peaches can be substituted for the nectarines)
4 green onions, roots and dark tips cut and discarded
1 Serrano chile, finely chopped (if chile too hot, then only use half)
Juice from 1 lime
2 to 3 tablespoons agave nectar (this can be substituted with granulated sugar)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Working on a chopping board, cut each strawberry in half, vertically.

2. Chop the strawberry halves into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside in a 2 to 3-quart mixing bowl.

3. Cut the nectarines into 1/2-inch thick slices.

4. Cut each slice into 1/4-inch pieces and add these to the strawberries in bowl; set aside.

5. Cut the onions into thin circles (about 1/8-inch thick) and add them to the chopped fruit in bowl.

6. Add the chopped Serrano chiles and lime juice to the fruit mixture in bowl.

7. Gently stir in the agave nectar, olive oil and salt.

8. Stir the salsa thoroughly and taste it. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

9. Serve salsa immediately or refrigerate it up to 3 hours ahead.

NOTE: This salsa will last until the next day. Howevever, the fruit’s texture will change.
Text and Photograph ©2015 Nancy DeLucia Real

Don’t you just love homemade jams and preserves? Making them is easy, too. For a quick strawberry jam, all you have to do is boil the fruit with sugar. In no time at all, you’ll spoil everyone who tastes this delicious concoction! Enjoy Quick Strawberry Jam on toasted bread at breakfast, or whenever you feel like having a natural snack.

Ingredients:
16 ounces (one pound) fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated, organic, unbleached sugar
Dash cinnamon

Directions:

1. Remove and discard stems from strawberries.

2. Rinse the strawberries; cut them into fourths, lengthwise.

3. In a 2-quart sauce pot, combine the strawberries, sugar and cinnamon; stir with a wooden spoon.

4. Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil; immediately reduce heat to medium and stir.

5. After reducing heat, cook the strawberry mixture for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. After 3 to 5 minutes, using a hand masher, mash the fruit. The mixture will now have liquid as well as pulp.

7. Cook the strawberry jam for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced and thickened.

8. Transfer the hot jam to a glass bowl or jar. Partially cover the bowl or jar (this will let the heat and steam escape).

9. When the jam has cooled completely, store it in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate it up to one week.

Note: the consistency of Quick Strawberry Jam will appear more runny than conventional jam (this is due to no thickening agents being added).

Text and Photographs ©2014 Nancy DeLucia Real

We’re celebrating Independence Day on Wednesday, July 4th. It’s so nice to have a break from work mid-week. And I mean ALL WORK, including the kitchen.

Along that line, I thought I’d end my holiday cookout by scooping some sorbet or ice cream onto a plate, adding a drizzle of Balsamic Cream®, followed by a garnish of berries. That’s as hard as I’ll work for this July 4th Sorbet with Balsamic Cream® recipe.

Enjoy and stay safe!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
One pint raspberry sorbet (vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt can be substituted)
Balsamic Cream® (also known as Crema di Balsamico®)*
Strawberries, for garnish
Blueberries, for garnish
8 sprigs mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

1. Place a scoop of sorbet on each of 4 individual bowls or dessert plates.

2. Add a drizzle of Balsamic Cream® and garnish with strawberries, blueberries and mint leaves.

3. Serve immediately.

*Balsamic Cream® can be purchased at Wholefoods Stores® or online at Amazon.com®.

Text and Photograph ©2012 Nancy DeLucia Real

ENTER OUR KITCHEN, WATCH & LEARN

Every year in December, my thoughts return to Montreal where I spent my early childhood. In Canada, the holiday season was synonymous with my cousins and me enjoying those great snowball fights.

Here in Los Angeles, these delicious Snowballs are made with bananas that are cut into chunks, rolled in sour cream and then in coconut. Rather than throwing these Snowballs at anyone, it’s best to serve them on a festive platter, surrounded by lush, fresh strawberries.

While Snowballs are fun to make, if anyone’s around during the process, these treats will never make it to your holiday table. But if they do, they’ll be the hit of the party – guaranteed!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes: 15 snowballs (or pieces)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
Juice of one lemon or lime
8 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
3 cups Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut®
1 quart fresh, whole strawberries

1. Peel and cut the bananas into one-inch chunks (approximately 5 chunks per banana).

2. Place bananas in a shallow bowl and gently toss in the lemon or lime juice.

3. In a separate, shallow 10-inch bowl, gently stir together the sour cream and Amaretto liqueur; set aside.

4. Place coconut in a separate 10 or 12-inch shallow bowl and set aside.

5. Using two forks, lightly coat each banana chunk with the sour cream mixture followed by the coconut (roll each banana chunk in the coconut until it is thoroughly coated and looks like a snowball).

6. Place snowball on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining banana chunks and arrange in a mound on the serving platter.

7. Fan each strawberry by making two vertical cuts into it. Arrange strawberries in a circle around the Snowballs.

8. Refrigerate Snowballs up to three hours (covered in plastic wrap) or serve immediately.

Text & Photograph ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

Catherine de’ Medici, an Italian noblewoman, introduced pastry cream or “crema pasticciera” to the French court in the sixteenth century. In turn, the French called it “creme patissiere”. While traditional pastry cream is made with eggs, sugar, flour and milk, contemporary versions of this recipe have added flavorings.

As a chocoholic, I created this pastry cream to satisfy my palate. I use this rich chocolate cream as a filling for cakes or simply served with berries. Rest assured that this is a definite crowd pleaser.

Active prep time: 3 hours (chill time)
Inactive prep time: 3 hours (chill time)
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk (2% is best – not too heavy and not too light)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut into fourths lengthwise
1 cup fresh blueberries
Powdered sugar and cocoa, for dusting
1. In a 3-quart sauce pot, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until well-blended.

2. Gradually and vigorously whisk in the flour, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, making sure that each addition is completely absorbed.

3. In a slow and steady stream, pour in the milk while whisking continuously until all the milk is absorbed.

4. Transfer the sauce pot containing the milk mixture to a stove burner set on medium-low heat.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.

6. Cook and stir the cream for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has thickened.

7. Remove the saucepot from heat and stir the melted chocolate chips and the vanilla into the cream. Mix until the mixture is uniform.

8.Divide the chocolate pastry cream evenly among four 4-ounce ramekins. Immediately cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

9. At serving time, top the chocolate pastry cream with berries and powdered sugar.

10. Set each ramekin on a flat dessert plate. Dust each plate with powdered cocoa and garnish with a strawberry and some blueberries.

Note: For more servings, just double or triple the recipe. Pour the cooked pastry cream into a porcelain or glass serving bowl, cool and refrigerate. At serving time, spoon the cream into individual bowls; dust with powdered sugar and cocoa. Garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves.

Variation: The milk can be substituted with soy milk, but the flavor will be different.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real