The Fruit Fix
What to do with "shoulder season" strawberries?
EK: This time of year, I can’t help myself from buying strawberries and blueberries with the expectation that they will taste sweet, fresh and juicy like the farmstead strawberries in the photo above!
That is exactly what happened two weeks ago when I had weekend guests. I bought a bunch of berries, and I was sorely disappointed. I should have known that mid-March was too early but the cravings won over logic once again!
The strawberries were red, but they were crisp—not a texture you want in a strawberry—and white inside, the flavor was blah, even worse, the blueberries were lemonhead sour! Neither were servable as they were.
AU: I’m in the same boat, EK! We always preach about shopping for the best that’s IN SEASON, yet here we are… buying premature produce. I guess hope springs eternal!
The strawberries I bought were white ‘n’ tart and not red and sweet. I could’ve opted for the viral $20 Erewhon strawberry… but in THIS economy?!?!
EK: LOL! As I was about to toss them, I thought better of wasting my money and my fruit and I cooked them down into a quick compote/refrigerator jam. Really more of a compote because I only used enough sugar to bring out the berry flavor and so the fruit did not gel like a jam. I also added a pinch of cinnamon and the juice of a Meyer lemon for bright acidity to wake everything up! And guess what?! They were juicy, sweet and delicious—you would never know that I started with sub-par fruit.
AU: That’s a great way to make use of sub-par anything, isn’t it? Cook it down, or if they’re veggies, you could roast ‘em or turn them into a pureed soup.
EK: Now that I had the compote which would keep for a week or more in the fridge, I decided to make a super simple chia pudding that I could top with the fruit. If you’ve made chia pudding in the past, you know that they can be either very thick and dense or too runny to really be a pudding. I’ve made both and I was looking for something that could be made in about 60 seconds, popped into the fridge and was light on flavor since the fruit would be the star.
EK: I decided to mix chia seeds with full-fat coconut milk, a splash of vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and just enough maple syrup to bring out the sweetness of the coconut milk. It was so good that I have made it a couple of times, and it is my new mid-morning breakfast treat. It tastes great, is rich in both protein and fiber, and is the perfect vehicle for my berry compote! Recipe is below…
AU: That looks REALLY delicious, Elizabeth! Much less genius, but just as tasty and full of protein… Instead of a bowl of ice cream at night, I’ve been topping the too-early-in-the-season berries with a big ol’ dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt. Then I sprinkle it with the Happiness Foods Caribbean Coconut sprouted pumpkin seeds (sometimes the Vanilla Cacao, too), a light drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It’s simple but oh-so-satisfying!!
EK: Other ways to save less-than-perfect fruit from the grocery store include:
Marinating/macerating in a little sugar, citrus zest and a splash of Agrodolce Bianco, bourbon or your favorite liqueur like Grand Marnier or St. Germain
Sauté apples, pears, peaches, even grapes! etc in a little bit of butter and add a little sugar and your favorite spices. A squirt of fresh lemon juice keeps the fruit from changing color and makes the flavor pop! Serve as a side with grilled mains or put on a bowl of warm oatmeal or yogurt and granola.
Grill your fruit. Coat lightly with an untoasted nut oil or EVOO and place directly on a very clean cooking grate over a low medium direct heat until warmed and marked.
Make a galette!
Make traditional jam with a ration of equal parts fruit and sugar.
Thanks Pat! Blackberries would be amazing!! Have a great weekend!
Sounds wonderful! I'll try it with some blackberries I just bought (which actually have some pectin, unlike strawberries). But, a FEW weeks early for strawberries? You are spoiled. Try close to 3 months for the northern tier. And you really don't need the sugar for the sauteed apples...just a tad more cinnamon. I do this quite often to have with homemade yogurt.