By Kristen Moore
We’ve been having fun preparing for market’s opening day tomorrow! A bit of rain may put a damper on the day, but working with fresh strawberries and basil is a treat for the senses!
My goal is to share some of the insights I’ve been gaining from personal research and my friend, Cindy. Cindy boasts she watched Julia Child as a little girl growing up in Chicago. She spent time beside her grandfather when he cooked and still cherishes his handwritten recipe book.
Cindy stocks up on fresh produce from the best growers at the peak of quality. She then prepares each vegetable or fruit in the best method, wether canning for jam, blanching and freezing for broccoli and beans or…? She is so knowledgable in regards to food preparation and preservation, that her family thrives and it is a fascinating learning experience to discover her processes.
Working in restaurants myself, but in the front of house-F.O.H., I have developed a keen palette without the culinary skills to produce consistently at home.
Using fresh ingredients for multiple dishes is an art in itself to me! Strawberries are an important food in upstate NY, so I’ve thought up four recipes for the quart of strawberries I purchased.
After photographing these beauties, I hulled the strawberries and rinsed them in a colander. At the height of freshness, tender care is necessary. After drying half of the berries, I lined a tray with parchment paper and placed the berries in rows. These berries went into the freezer to save, while the remaining berries were cut up for salad and shortcake.
While preparing the strawberries for use and for storage, I dreamt up a salad that I can’t wait to try! Tasty accompaniments and just the right beverage came to mind. Dessert too. Of course, that will have to be strawberry shortcake! Our strawberries are cut up nicely and chilling, ready to top shortbread biscuits from the local grocery store’s bakery! A BOGO deal on biscuits, meant 6 biscuits went into 2 freezer bags and into our large freezer.
Basil butter pats were a delicious treat I enjoyed last year for a week or so. Another friend and I got together specifically to process fresh basil for each of our households. We cleaned, dried and finely chopped the basil, mixing it into melted butter; some of the batches also had fresh garlic. These supplies did not last long in my house as I wanted to use the trifecta of basil, garlic and butter in everything!
Striking out on my own, I made a batch of basil butter this week; with basil I’ve been growing. Baked potatoes were timed to finish just before the basil butter was ready, allowing an incredible garnish for dinner and some prepared ingredients stored in the freezer. Portions of ingredients need to be researched, as this turned out to be a micro-batch, only making 6 pats!
Soon, I will be sharing the gourmet summer meal and wine pairing-featuring strawberries. Also, I have a classic strawberry dessert recipe to share from personal family archives. Simple to create, yet delicious and complex; it can impress the most discerning guest.
If you haven’t spotted wild strawberries yet this year there is still time. Their rounded, serrated leaves look romantic; while the vivid color of the berries can catch your eye. Discounted for lack of flavor by some, I found a berry at perfect ripeness and felt the original delight of exploring the same banks as a youth. Mmm.
Adventures in the Finger Lakes 