In season early summer: Strawberries

Nothing says summer more than picking your own strawberries! Here’s some delicious ideas for using strawberries while they’re in season.

The low-down

Ah, it’s summer, and that means strawberries are in season and there’s no second guessing if there are green or squishy strawberries at the bottom of the punnet! Choose bright red berries and use them as soon as possible, washing them only when you’re ready to eat them.

To store strawberries, place them on a paper towel in a sealed container for two to three days or when they’re plentiful, freeze them: wash and hull the fruit and place in a plastic bag. Freeze in containers or sealed plastic bags for up to a year.

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and their phenolic content, although lower than other berries, adds to their very good antioxidant activity.

Ideas for using strawberries

• An easy, delicious way to enjoy strawberries is with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of mint.
• Fill reduced-fat pastry tartlets with sliced strawberries sprinkled with brown sugar.
• Dip in chocolate, of course! What a perfect thing to add to your Christmas dessert platter. Mix it up by doing some dark, some milk and some white chocolate.
• Make mini pavlovas with lemon-flavoured yoghurt and strawberries as a delicious filling.
• Make a gorgeous fruit salad with fresh peaches, nectarines, apricots and strawberries. Drizzle with passionfruit syrup.
• Make a strawberry compote by gently heating strawberries with a little sugar until the juices are released. Chill and use on cereal or for dessert.
• Whiz fresh strawberries in a blender with a little icing sugar to make a sauce. Use in your own ice cream sundaes with more fresh berries.
• Serve berries as they are with a small dish of light sour cream and another of brown sugar. An odd-sounding combination but it’s really delicious.
• Add strawberries to baby spinach leaves and toss with a few shavings of parmesan. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar for a sophisticated salad.
• Slice fresh strawberries over cereal and yoghurt for a fresh, tasty breakfast.