Five things to do with strawberries
1. Vegan gluten-free strawberry cupcakes
Gluten-free white flour: 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Strawberries: 15 to mash, plus 12 for inserting in cupcakes.
Vegetable oil: 1/3 cup
Granulated sugar: 1 1/3 cup
Vanilla extract/essence: 1 tsp
Strawberry essence: 1/2 tsp
1. Pre heat the oven to 170 C
2. Mash together 15 strawberries until a soft pulp and stir in the sugar, vanilla, strawberry essence, and oil
3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture and mix until smooth
4. Place a strawberry each in twelve paper cases in a baking tin, then spoon cake mixture on top
5. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 25 minutes
2. Strawberry and basil summer cocktail
4 strawberries (and a slice for garnish)
5 basil leaves (one for garnish)
1/2 shot sugar syrup
1 shot gin
1 shot vodka
1/2 shot lime juice
Ice
1. Mash the strawberries, basil, and syrup, using a pestle and mortar.
2. Pour into cocktail shaker with gin, vodka, lime juice, and a few lumps of ice. Shake well.
3. Strain into glass and garnish with strawberry slice and a bail leaf.
3. Spinach and strawberry salad
2 handfuls spinach
1 handful watercress
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tbsp lemon juice
1tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 handful chopped walnuts
1 handful chopped strawberries
1. Put all into a big bowl, mix, serve!
4. Strawberry and kiwi kebabs
8 kiwis
500g strawberries
2tbsp maple syrup
2tbsp margarine (ideally dairy-free!)
1tsp mixed spice
8 skewers (if wooden, soaked for at least 20 minutes)
1. Peel and chop the kiwi into chunks. Keep the strawberries whole, but remove the stems.
2. Melt the butter with the mixed spice and maple syrup.
3. Skewer the strawberries and kiwi, then using a pastry brush coat them with the syrup mixture.
4. Grill on BBQ for 5 minutes or so, turning until slightly coloured.
5. Serve on their own, with extra maple syrup, or with soy cream.
5. Japanese rice cakes with strawberry centres
150g rice flour (plus some to flour table)
170ml water
10 strawberries
250g shiro-an (white bean paste) or azuki-an (red bean paste)
1. Wash strawberries and remove stems. Cover with 25g of shiro-an or azuki-an each.
2. Mix rice flour and water, knead in microwavable bowl. Should be the texture of dough.
3. Cover with cling film and pierce.
4. Microwave on 500w for 2 mins, stir, and then microwave for 1 minute.
5. Stir until glossy and pliable.
6. Spread dough 1/2cm thick onto floured table using wooden spatula (take care- it’s hot!)
7. Cut into 10 round pieces.
8. Stretch and wrap around strawberry balls (sealed part at bottom) and roll into a ball.
9. Eat once cooled, or refrigerate and eat later!
