#1037 - Fun With Strawberries

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RK1037funwithstrawberries050812.mp3

For all of you locavores out there, these weeks in mid-Spring are prime time for one of Maryland's greatest treats, strawberries.   The window of opportunity is short, and the fruit is sweet, so it's time to get moving on these succulent treats.   And Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Waterfront Kitchen has some interesting things that you can do with a strawberry.

Baked Strawberries

2 lbs. of Strawberries with the green removed
1 cup vanilla sugar (sugar that has been stored with a few vanilla beans in it)
1 teaspoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and place in a baking dish one layer thick.   Roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until they have shrunk in size and a thick sauce has formed in the bottom of the pan.   Use hot or cold as a sauce for everything from ice cream to pancakes.

Strawberry Steak Sauce

2 lbs Strawberries with the green removed and chopped
1 cup white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup honey
3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
½ cup fresh Basil, chopped
Salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste

In a large sauce pot, set over medium high heat, cook the onions and garlic until translucent.   Add the Strawberries, vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard and bring to a boil.   Reduce the heat and simmer until thick.   Add the basil and either in a blender or with an immersion blender, purée the sauce until smooth.    Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco and refrigerate.

Strawberry Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

2 lbs Strawberries with the green removed and chopped
1 cup white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 fresh Jalapenos, seeded and chopped without the seeds (you can add the seeds for a spicier sauce)
3 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 cup cider vinegar
2 Table spoons chili powder
1 cup dark brown sugar

In a large sauce pot set over medium high heat, cook the onions and garlic until translucent.   Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.   Simmer until the sauce thickens.   Either in a blender or with an immersion blender, purée the sauce until smooth.   Season with salt & pepper and refrigerate.