Inspire Me

In season with Food magazine: strawberries

Red, ripe and ready to eat, strawberries are one of the greatest glories of summer. Recipes and styling by Sophie Gray.
In season with Food magazine: strawberriesMelanie Jenkins

Need to know:

  • When purchasing, go for strawberries that look firm, with a soft sheen and crisp, bright green leaves. Look underneath the punnet to check the fruit at the bottom isn’t squashed, damaged or oozing juice.
  • You can store in the fridge still in the punnet or on a plate lined with a paper towel covered in plastic wrap. Don’t wash until about to use, when you will generally remove the hull and green leaves.
  • Delicious raw, the flavour of strawberries is enhanced with a little sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, brandy or orange-flavoured liqueur. You can also simply squeeze over lemon juice, dust with sugar and leave to stand for a few hours.
  • Strawberries with a dipping sauce is a quick and easy dessert. Combining strawberries with chocolate is a classic option, and sour cream sweetened with brown sugar also works well. You could also supply dishes of nuts for guests to dip the coated strawberries into.
  • Be careful what you cook strawberries in. Aluminium pans can affect the colour and flavour, so go for non-reactive cookwear, such as stainless steel or Pyrex.

Try these strawberry-inspired recipes from the 2018 Food Christmas issue:

For a sweet and sophisticated summer dessert, look no further than this strawberry and chocolate no-bake tart. Best served chilled with a generous dash of strawberry puree on the side.

This fresh and colourful strawberry salad with poppy seed dressing is the perfect accompaniment to a summer barbecue meal. The mixture of sweet, sour and salty makes it simply irresistible!

Become a professional French pâtissier in no time with this strawberries and cream eclair recipe. Light, sweet and filled with the divine combination of strawberries and cream, you’ll be the star of the show at your next dinner party.

For more delicious ways to use strawberries in your cooking, click here!

If you want more tips and recipes like this, subscribe to Food magazine today.

Related stories