4 recipes to prolong the benefits of strawberry season

PITTSBURGH — Eating or cooking something that’s freshly harvested almost always tastes a lot better than eating or cooking something that was picked days or even weeks ago and shipped across the country.

Don’t believe me? You don’t have to be a professional chef to see that there’s a huge difference between the oddly large, often white-shouldered strawberries grown out of state and the ones you pick yourself or buy from a local store.

The former often fail the smell test (good berries should be extremely fragrant) or have white tops (a sign that they were picked before they were ripe). The latter have an incredibly sweet and fruity aroma and are the color of rubies. And they are so juicy that they leave red stains on your fingers when you eat them.

So I apologize for being late with these recipes, which I tested with Virginia berries in early June.

You can of course make them with berries from the supermarket, although the result may not be as sweet. You can also adapt them to the season by replacing them with fresh local blueberries, cherries or peaches.

Frozen Strawberry Pie

I shouldn’t be surprised by a Martha Stewart recipe, but honestly, this pie is amazing. It tastes, smells, and looks like summer, and it’s so easy to make! Even the crust comes together in minutes. And is there anything better than a cloud of homemade whipped cream?

10 graham crackers (2 1/2 x 5 inches)

1 cup sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice

2 liters strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced ​​(a few whole berries reserved for garnish)

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers with 2 tablespoons sugar until finely ground; add butter and pulse until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cranberry juice, 2 cups strawberries, cornstarch, and salt. Using a potato masher, gently mash strawberries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring frequently, until very thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in remaining strawberries. Pour into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours (or up to 1 day).

In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over cream and continue beating until soft peaks form (do not overbeat). Spread whipped cream over pie, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all around. Garnish with whole berries.

— marthastewart.com

Strawberry Oat Bars

I don’t know why I prefer these bars: because they’re so easy to make or because they’re so irresistible? This is especially true when the bars are crumbled over ice cream, and they also pair perfectly with coffee for breakfast. They’re just as good made with oats and gluten-free flour for those with food sensitivities.

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or substitute with all-purpose flour or pastry flour 1:1 for a gluten-free recipe

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or substitute melted coconut oil for a vegan/dairy-free option)

2 cups finely diced strawberries, about 10 ounces, divided

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 1/2 small lemon

1 tablespoon granulated sugar divided

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over both sides like handles.

In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Pour in melted butter and stir until crumbs form and dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Reserve 1/2 cup crumble mixture, then press remainder into an even layer in bottom of prepared pan.

Spread half of the strawberries over the crust. Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle with lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar. Scatter the remaining berries, then the remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. You’ll have some fruit showing through.

Bake for 35-40 minutes (edges should be crispy).

Using the parchment-lined handles, lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into slices and serve.

Makes 9 to 12 bars, depending on how you cut them

— wellplate.com

Strawberry Salsa

This sweet, tangy, and tangy salsa is just as good poured over grilled chicken tacos as it is with chips.

Juice and zest of one medium lime

1 1/2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup

Pinch of fine sea salt

1 pint strawberries, hulled and diced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (use a smaller jalapeño for less heat, or leave some seeds in for more heat)

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chips for serving

Juice and zest of one medium lime

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice and zest, honey, and salt. Stir in strawberries, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro.

Add pepper to taste and mix well. Adjust seasoning if necessary. (You may like a little more lime for acidity, honey for sweetness.)

If your strawberries are juicy, you can serve the salsa immediately with chips. Otherwise, let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

— Gretchen McKay

Easy to freeze jam

Preserve the taste of summer for the colder months by making this easy-to-freeze jam. This old-fashioned Betty Crocker recipe calls for just four ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to make.

4 cups strawberries, halved

4 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1 package (1 3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

Mash strawberries with a potato masher or in a food processor until slightly crumbly (not pureed) to yield 2 cups crushed strawberries.

Combine strawberries and sugar in a large bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine water and pectin in a 1-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour hot pectin mixture over strawberry mixture and stir constantly for 3 minutes.

Immediately pour mixture into freezer-safe containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims of containers and seal. Let stand at room temperature about 24 hours or until set.

Store in the freezer for up to 12 months or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Thaw frozen jam in the refrigerator and stir before serving.

— bettycrocker.com