Few things are better than a peak-season Arkansas strawberry — sweet, succulent and full of flavor.
Arkansas berries are so good, in fact, we've given up eating berries grown anywhere else. During April and May, we make weekly, sometimes biweekly, trips to our nearest strawberry farms (our favorites are Barnhill Orchards in Lonoke, Holland Bottom in Cabot, Cabot Patch in Cabot, Cadron Crest Orchard in Guy and Salt Box Farm in Benton — this is by no means an exhaustive list of where one can buy Arkansas-grown berries at the source, it's simply a list of where we've bought berries).
What do we do with all those berries? We cook with them. We freeze them for smoothies and cocktails. We turn them into jam.
Our favorite way to enjoy them is straight up, simply rinsed in cool water. No sugar, no cream, just unadulterated berries. And once we've had our fill of straight berries, we move on to shortcake, ice cream, salads, drinks and other dishes.
Strawberries are usually sold by the flat (8 quarts), "box" (4 to 5 quarts), pound, quart or pint, but recipes usually call for cups. Here's a handy reference guide for knowing how many cups are in a pound, pint or quart of average-size berries.
■ One pint whole berries equals about 3 ¼ cups whole berries or 2 ¼ cups sliced.
■ One quart whole berries equals about 6 ½ cups whole berries or 4 ½ cups sliced.
■ One pound whole berries equals about 4 cups whole berries or 3 cups sliced berries.
Strawberry Pavlova (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
One of our favorite strawberry desserts is the pavlova. Named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, this dessert features layers of fresh berries, whipped cream and crisp-on-the-outside, but tender-and-chewy-on-the-inside meringue. It is a contrast of textures — juicy berries, billowy cream, crisp meringue — and flavors — creamy, sweet, tart(ish) — like no other.
This recipe works best on lower humidity days. Or at the very least, days when you don't have your windows open in Arkansas. Exactly how low? We've had the best luck baking pavlova and other meringue-based things on days when the relative humidity was below 60%.
Strawberry Pavlova
- 1 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
Heat oven to 225 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the 1 cup granulated sugar and cornstarch; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar-cornstarch mixture; continue to beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the vinegar and extract and beat on low until well mixed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an 8- or 9-inch dinner plate or cake pan as a guide, trace a circle in the center of the parchment paper. Turn the parchment paper over so the ink/pencil side is facing down. Alternatively, trace 4 (5- or 6-inch) circles.
Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon to spread the meringue into the circle(s) leaving a slight depression in the center of the meringue. Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours (the more humid it is, the longer you'll need to bake it).
Keeping the oven door closed, turn off the heat but leave the pavlova(s) in the oven for an hour.
In a deep bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks.
In a separate bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Let stand until the berries release some of their juices.
To serve, pile a mound of whipped cream onto the pavlova(s) and top with sliced berries.
Makes 6 servings.
Strawberry-Mascarpone Icebox Cake (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
This dessert is kind of like tiramisu and kind of like an ice box cake. Like tiramisu, it contains an (optional) spike of alcohol and ladyfinger cookies. Like an icebox cake, those cookies soften to a cake-like texture.
Strawberry-Mascarpone Icebox Cake
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) tub mascarpone cheese
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup Prosecco OR sparkling white grape juice
- 2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur OR hazelnut liqueur OR elderflower or hazelnut syrup such as Monin
- 2 (7-ounce) packages savoiardi (crisp ladyfingers) cookies
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until thickened. Add the the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and continue beating until soft peaks form. Beat in the mascarpone a large spoonful at a time, until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Place the strawberries in a bowl with the lemon juice and toss to combine; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the Prosecco (or sparkling grape juice) and liqueur (or syrup); set aside.
To assemble, spread about a third of the mascarpone mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch square or round dish. Working with one ladyfinger at a time, sprinkle or very briefly dip a cookie into the Prosecco — you want the cookie moistened, but not soggy — and then stand it upright around the perimeter of the dish, making a ring of cookies all around. Next, dipping as you go, place a layer of ladyfingers over the mascarpone mixture. Top with a layer of strawberries. Spread another layer of mascarpone-cream; top with dipped ladyfingers and then strawberries. Pile on the remaining mascarpone mixture and top with the remaining berries.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a couple of hours before serving.
Recipe adapted from cheeseknees.com
Strawberry Lemonade (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Sure, you can open a can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate, add water and sliced fresh strawberries and you'd have a quick, easy, refreshing strawberry lemonade. You'd also have a glass full of high fructose corn syrup with very little nutritive value. This version gets a boost of vitamins and fiber from puréed strawberries and cuts back on the sugar.
Strawberry Lemonade
- 6 lemons, preferably organic
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, plus more for optional garnish (about 4 cups)
- 2 cups boiling water
- Lemon wheels, optional garnish
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the colored part of the lemon skin in wide strips. Set the naked lemons aside.
In a medium, heat-safe bowl, combine the lemon peel and granulated sugar. Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, mix the sugar into the lemon peels until the peels release some of their oils and the sugar looks moistened.
Juice the naked lemons, straining out the seeds.
Cap and hull the strawberries. In a blender, combine the hulled strawberries and the lemon juice. Process until completely smooth.
Pour the boiling water over the lemon peels and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the lemon peels. Add the sugar syrup to the strawberry mixture and stir well. Cool to room temperature. Strain into a large pitcher and add 4 cups cold water.
Serve over ice garnished with sliced strawberries and lemon wheels.
Makes about 2 quarts.
Red Alert, an unexpected refreshing blend of strawberries, lime and roasted red pepper. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
This refreshing drink combines sweet strawberries, smoky roasted red bell peppers and just a hint of heat from ancho chile powder. The recipe is one of many alcohol-free drinks in Danny Trejo's new cookbook "Trejo's Cantina: Cocktails, Snacks and Amazing Nonalcoholic Drinks From the Heart of Hollywood" by Danny Trejo with Hugh Garvey (Clarkson Potter, $28).
Red Alert
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cups strawberries, capped and hulled
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ cup Ancho Simple Syrup, plus more to taste (see note)
- Ice, for serving
- Lime wedges, optional garnish
- Mint sprigs, optional garnish
Roast the pepper until the skin is uniformly blackened. This can be done directly on a gas burner, under a broiler or on a grill. Use a pair of flame-proof tongs to turn the pepper so that it chars evenly. Put the charred pepper into a heat-safe bowl and cover with a plate or plastic wrap. The skin will loosen as the pepper steams. Once cool enough to handle, peel or rub away the blackened skin. Slice the pepper open and remove and discard the stem, seeds and membrane.
In a blender, combine the roasted pepper, strawberries, lime juice, Ancho Simple Syrup and 2 cups cold water; process until completely smooth.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Discard the solids. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, taste and add more a tablespoon or so more Ancho Syrup if desired.
Stir gently before serving over ice. Garnish as desired with sliced strawberries, lime wedges and/or mint sprigs.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: To make Ancho Simple Syrup, in a 1-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and add ¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder. Let steep for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups granulated sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer syrup to a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Syrup will keep for about 2 weeks.
Recipe adapted from "Trejo's Cantina: Cocktails, Snacks and Amazing Nonalcoholic Drinks From the Heart of Hollywood"
Strawberry Spinach Salad with chicken, cucumbers, avocado and a creamy poppy seed dressing. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Strawberry Spinach Salad
- 2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons honey, or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons white-wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons poppy seeds
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dry ranch dressing mix (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil
- ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken (1 breast or 2 thighs)
- ½ (5-ounce) container baby spinach (about 2 ½ cups)
- ¾ cup sliced strawberries (5 to 6 medium berries)
- ½ to 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 to 2 small Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 2 to 4 tablespoons dry roasted sunflower kernels
- Handful or two fresh herbs such as mint, thyme, basil and/or parsley
In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the mayonnaise, milk, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds, ¼ teaspoon Dijon, ranch mix (if using), a big pinch of salt and a couple of grinds pepper. Tightly screw on lid and shake vigorously until well blended. Taste and add more salt, pepper, mustard or honey as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Heat a thin film of oil in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is golden and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 10 minutes. Let rest while you assemble the salad.
To assemble the salad, place spinach in a large bowl or platter and then top with strawberries, avocado and cucumbers. Slice the chicken breast and add it to the platter. Sprinkle the sunflower kernels and herbs over everything. Serve with poppy seed dressing.
Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.
Recipe inspired by damndelicious.net