Recipes for Shabbat

Strawberries

By Eileen Goltz

Spring has sprung, the flowers are rising, I wonder where the strawberry recipes are hiding?

The strawberry is usually a staple for Pesach and the 5 weeks that follow it (yes, I'm talking about the counting of the Omer and Shavuot here). 

It's so nice to see the first really good strawberries of the season are making their way to supermarkets and produce stores across the nation and that they are actually reasonably priced this year. For a change I thought that rather than clutter this space up with a lot of factoids about how great the strawberry tastes, and how good it is for you, I'd cut right to the chase and just give you as many wonderful strawberry recipes as the space will allow. Bon Appetite!

STRAWBERRY SALAD (dairy)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the pretzels, sugar, and melted butter in medium-size bowl; mix well. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9" X 13"" baking dish. Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool completely. Beat together the cream cheese & confectioners sugar in a large bowl. Fold in the whipped topping and the marshmallows. Spread the mixture over the crust in an even layer. Bring water to boiling in a medium-size saucepan. Add gelatin and stir to dissolve. Add strawberries.  Pour over second layer. Refrigerate until firm. To serve, cut the salad into squares.

NOTE: I've also used pretzels with salt, and it still tasted great!

NO BAKE STRAWBERRY BOTTOM CHEESE CAKE (dairy)

Slice strawberries and place on paper towels to drain. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping, blending well. Spread thin layer of glaze over bottom of crust. Place strawberry slices on glaze and cover with another thin layer of glaze. Gently spoon the cream cheese mixture over glazed berries in the crust. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours. Store left over pie in refrigerator.

STRAWBERRY PUFFS WITH CREAM CHEESE (dairy)

Easier to make than traditional cream puffs but just as delicious.

Preheat oven to 475. In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Blend in the shortening. And add the milk and toss until just blended. Divide the dough into 8 parts, and place them in greased muffins tins and flatten the ball of dough in each section... Bake the cream puffs in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove them and let cool to room temperature In a bowl combine the strawberries with the sugar and mash them together until the there are only small pieces of strawberry and lots of juice. Set the sauce aside. Remove the puffs from pans and cut them in half through the middle. Place a spoonful of strawberry sauce on the bottom of each puff bottom, top with whipped cream, top with other half of puff and more strawberry sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!

CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SAUCE (pareve)

This sauce can be used to spoon over yogurt with fresh strawberries, ice cream, pound cake or your favorite dessert. Great as topping for pancakes and waffles too.

Place sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan, stir and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool completely. You can speed up the cooling by setting the pan of sauce in a shallow bowl of ice water. When the syrup is cool place half the strawberries  in a blender or food processor, add the lemon juice and process for 10 seconds. Add the sugar syrup to the chopped up strawberries and process 3 to 4 seconds. You can, at this point add the remaining strawberries and puree the sauce if you prefer a smoother sauce. After you puree everything you can press the sauce through a fine sieve to remove some of the strawberry seeds. 

I prefer to coarsely chop the remaining strawberries and then add them to the strawberry puree. This can be stored refrigerated, in tightly covered containers for up to 4 days. Makes 2 to 2 1/2 cups 

FANTASTIC STRAWBERRY MUFFINS (dairy)

Fresh strawberries work best in this recipe, but when they're not available you can substitute blueberries, cherries or chopped peaches.

Pre heat oven to 400. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. On a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir well until all ingredient are well blended. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour liquid mixture in and the strawberries. Using a large spoon, gently fold ingredients just until moist do not overmix. Spoon the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with about 1/2 teaspoon sugar, if desired. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD (pareve)

A wonderful salad that's full of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The bright green of the spinach and red of the strawberries make a beautiful presentation for any occasion.

Wash strawberries under cool running water. Remove caps and set aside to drain.

Wash spinach and remove large tough stems. Tear large leaves into small pieces. Drain. In a medium bowl combine the sugar, green onions, soy sauce, paprika, olive oil, cider vinegar and sesame seeds and whisk together. Slice strawberries into halves or quarters and place in a large salad bowl. Add the torn spinach and pour the dressing over the top and toss gently. Makes 8 servings.

STRAWBERRY SALSA (pareve)

Deliciously unusual accompaniment for chicken or fish. This salsa is sweet and tangy and so different that all of your guests will want the recipe. 

Mix all the ingredients in a glass bowl. Mix well and cover. Chill for at least 1 hour. Makes 1 1/2 cups. This can be doubled or tripled. 

COLD PEACH AND STRAWBERRY SOUP (dairy)

In food processor, combine all the ingredients except lemon slices and mint. Process until the soup is smooth. Pour the soup into medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Spoon soup into soup bowls; garnish with lemon slices and mint, if desired. Makes 5 (1/2 cup) servings

SIMPLE STRAWBERRY DESSERTS

1. Sundaes: Top premium vanilla ice cream topped with sliced strawberries and shaved chocolate semisweet Belgian chocolate. You can bring a dish of chocolate slivers to the table add chocolate at will.

2. Chocolate dipped strawberries: Pick out 12 large strawberries, with the stems attached. Melt 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine and 1 teaspoon of orange liqueur in a double boiler over hot water, or in a microwave oven. Dip the strawberries halfway into the chocolate and set them on a plate covered with a sheet of wax paper. Refrigerate them just long enough for the chocolate to set (about 10 minutes). Eat them the day you make them. 

3. Instant strawberry and chocolate crepes. For each serving you need 1 small flour tortilla, 1 tablespoon to 2 tablespoons chopped semi sweet chocolate and 1/2 cup. of sliced berries. Sprinkle the tortilla with the chocolate and place on a paper towel in the microwave. Heat at HIGH for 30 seconds. Put the strawberries in the center of the tortilla and roll it up. If  you are civilized, you can eat this with a knife and fork. For the maximum feeling of guilty pleasure, pick it up and eat it out of your hands. 

4. Strawberries in red wine. For each serving, spoon 3/4 cup quartered fresh strawberries into a large wine glass. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon orange-flavored liqueur. Fill each glass with red wine to cover the berries. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving top  each glass with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

This recipe was featured in Bon Appetite.

Combine flour, baking powder, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and chocolate chips and process until crumbly. Begin processing and add milk until mixture is crumbly but will hold together when pinched with fingers. Turn moistened dough out onto counter, form into a ball, and flatten into a circle approximately one inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, make 12 to 15 shortcakes. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 13 minutes. When slightly cooled, place on plate and cover with plastic wrap to keep them moist. 

Strawberry Sauce: Pure 2 quarts strawberries in a food processor. Remove from processor, pour into bowl, and add 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice. Add 2 quarts sliced berries to the pureed mixture. Whipped Cream: Whip 2 cups heavy cream in bowl of electric mixer on high speed. When the mixture begins to thicken, add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and teaspoons  vanilla extract.

To assemble: Place a Tablespoon of sauce in the bottom of a dish. Place the bottom half of the shortcake on the sauce. Continue on with 2 Tablespoons sauce, 1 Tablespoon whipped cream, the top half of the shortcake, 2 more Tablespoons sauce, and top with 1 Tablespoon whipped cream. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

STRAWBERRY BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

In a glass bowl combine all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. To server divide the fruit into 6 bowls and sprinkle the top with the toasted almonds. Serves: 6 

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.