June 3, 2014 - Radio Kitchen - Berries
One of the biggest cravings I have every spring is for fresh, local fruit. Last year's apples are still available, that's true. But I'm thinking of something a lot fresher and a lot juicier. And it's just our luck that nature arranged for two succulent berries to be available this time of year: strawberries and blueberries.
So much a part of the fabric of our culinary tradition, it's hard to come up with new ideas for strawberries and blueberries. But one good tip is to think savory. Here are a couple ideas:
Tilghman Island Inn Strawberry Salad
6 leaves of Romaine lettuce, washed, trimmed of heavy stem, then cut up
1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced very thin, then chopped up slightly
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, trimmed capped and cut in half
1/4 cup fresh feta cheese
your favorite vinaigrette
1. In separate salad bowls, mix the ingredients evenly. Dress with the vinaigrette, toss and serve.
Blueberry and Bourbon Steak Sauce
canola oil for sautéing
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 tbs minced garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup bourbon
1 cup fresh blueberries, picked over for stems
1/4 cup catsup
3 tbs sherry vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1. Sauté the onions in the canola oil until tender. Reduce heat and add the garlic and jalapeño. Cook until tender.
2. Add the bourbon and cook down until most of it evaporates. Stir in the blueberries, catsup, vinegar, brown sugar and seasonings.
3. Reduce heat, and keep stirring until the sauce becomes thick, about 20 minutes.
**The Radio Kitchen Featured Buy of the Week**
Spinach is in the market now, and will remain until hot weather. Whether you are getting the fully grown plants or the baby variety, spinach is incredibly versatile and healthy. Easy to work with, spinach does cook down dramatically, so if you are cooking with it, buy a lot and give it a good washing as well.
