food & dining
Strawberry Season
Strawberry and Walnut Muffins |
Pareve Yield: 12 servings
Linda Morel
A lthough strawberries are avail-
able all year, the best-tasting
strawberries flood farmers
markets and gourmet food stores from
May until early July. They are often
smaller and sweeter than the super-
market variety in plastic containers.

Because I adore strawberries in
season, I buy as many boxes of them
as possible while they’re at their peak.

But there are a few things to know
about strawberries before buying
them by the bushel. They should be
bright red and sweet smelling. Avoid
specimens that are white around their
green leaves. That means they were
harvested too early. Strawberries don’t
ripen after picking. Conversely, straw-
berries that are moist and mushy are
past their prime.

Strawberry longevity is limited. They
last better when refrigerated. Because
they break down easily, don’t wash
or hull these delicate berries before
you’re ready to prepare or eat them.

To keep them firm and fresh, I line a
large, flat-bottomed bowl with paper
towels and gently place them on top.

If I’ve got a bumper crop, I cover the
first layer with more paper towels and
place additional strawberries over that.

They are sweet treats when eaten
raw. Low in calories, they’re a healthy
snack. There are only 46 calories in a
cup of whole strawberries. They are
high in Vitamin C, fiber, potassium and
several antioxidants.

Strawberries are versatile, delicious
in both savories and desserts. I mix
them into salads and shakes. They’re
amazing dipped in melted chocolate
or dotted over vanilla ice cream. They
jazz up plain yogurt and granola. But
best of all, I love baking with strawber-
ries. Each pastry exudes the scent of
summer. 26
MAY 11, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
Not requiring eggs, these berry good
muffins are vegan baking at its best.

Equipment: a muffin tin, preferably
with a nonstick surface
Nonstick vegetable spray
1⅓ cups strawberries, approximately
8 ounces (½ pound)
1 cup applesauce
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spray a muffin tin with nonstick
spray, including a little beyond the
edge of each indentation. Reserve.

Rinse the strawberries under cold
water. Drain them on paper towels and
pat them dry. Hull the strawberries.

Cut them in half lengthwise and dice
them into small pieces about the size
of chocolate chips. Reserve.

Place the applesauce, sugar and
oil into a large mixing bowl. With a
wooden or plastic spoon utensil, stir
the ingredients together. Fold in the
flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon,
stirring until well combined. Gently stir
in the strawberries and walnuts.

With a soup spoon, transfer the batter
to the muffin tin, distributing it equally.

The indentations will be nearly full.

Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until the
tops are golden brown and a cake
tester or toothpick inserted into the
center comes out clean. The muffins
will be puffed out beyond the edges of
the indentations. Cool to warm before
eating. When the muffins are completely
cooled, they freeze well. Wrap each
muffin in aluminum foil, and place in an
airtight container for storing or freez-
ing. Once defrosted, they reheat well
at 350 degrees F for about 2 minutes.

Petit Strawberry Tart | Dairy
Yield: 6-8 slices
This thin-crusted tart is as light as
the season.

Equipment: food processor,
parchment paper and rolling pin
1 pound strawberries
1¼ cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 1
tablespoon Pinch of salt
8 tablespoons sweet butter
(1 stick), cold
1 egg yolk
⅛ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cold water
Optional accompaniment: vanilla ice
cream Rinse the strawberries under cold
water. Drain them on paper towels and
pat them dry. Hull the strawberries. Cut
them in half vertically and slice them
thin. Reserve.

Set up a food processor, using the
metal blade. Place 1¼ cups flour, 3
tablespoons of sugar and the salt into
the bowl. Cover and pulse once.

Cut the butter into about 20 slices.

Arrange the slices evenly over the flour
mixture. Add the egg yolk and vanilla.

Cover and pulse several times until
the butter is broken into bits and the
dough looks crumbly.

With the top on and the food proces-
sor running, add water through the
feed tube. Pulse on and off until the
dough sticks together in clumps. Turn
off the food processor. The dough
should stick together when pinched.

Remove the dough and shape it
into a disk approximately 4 inches in
diameter. Wrap it in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment
paper. Place the dough disk in the
center. Using your palms, press the
disk into a circle 10 inches in diameter.

With your fingers, form a lip around the
edges. Arrange the strawberry slices
in concentric circles, starting at the
center of the dough and working out
to the edges. Sprinkle a tablespoon of
sugar evenly over the strawberries.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the
edges brown and the berries are soft
but ruby red. Strawberry juice may
ooze over the edges in places. Cool
to warm before serving. Serve with
vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Frisée Salad with Strawberries |
Pareve or dairy
Serves 6
This stunning salad is refreshing on
a warm day.

⅓ cup sliced almonds
1 large head of frisée, rinsed in
cold water, drained and chopped
1 pound strawberries, hulled and
sliced ½ small bunch of chives, chopped
⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and
cut in half
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
(optional) Preheat an oven or toaster oven to
350 degrees F. Place the almonds on
aluminum foil and bake until fragrant,
about 1-2 minutes. Cool to room
temperature. Place the above ingredients in a
large salad bowl. Include the feta
cheese if you want a dairy salad or
leave it out. Toss it with the lemon
vinaigrette below.

Lemon Vinaigrette | Pareve
¼ cup lemon juice
(about 1 to 2 lemons)
¼ cup olive oil
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt to taste
Strain the lemon juice through a fine
sieve. Pour it into a clean jar and add
the remaining vinaigrette ingredients.

Cover and shake well. Drizzle it over
the salad and toss it. ■
Linda Morel is a freelance food writer.