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Nutrition
Strawberries are rich in vitamins B and C and contain considerable amounts of potassium, iron and fibre. 100g/2¾oz of strawberries provide fewer than 30 kilocalories.
Buying and storing
Size and colour are not necessarily indications of quality. Some smaller, greenish varieties tast succulent and delicious. Try always to buy locally grown fruits and check those at the bottom of the punnet, making sure they are not squashed or mouldy.
Strawberries should ideally be eaten the day they are bought. If this is not possible, keep the berries in the fridge for a day or two, covering them with a clear film to prevent them from drying out and permeating other foods with their scent. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before you serve them.
Frozen strawberries are never as good as fresh, as the texture collapses after freezing, but they are fine for sauces and ice cream. To freeze whole strawberries, sprinkle with a little sugar and pack in a single layer in a plastic box, or open freeze on a try, then pack in a rigid container. Pureed strawberries can be frozen with or without added sugar.
Preparing & Serving
it is best not to wash strawberries, as they easily become waterlogged. If they are very dirty, wipe them gently.
Really ripe strawberries need no other accompaniment than cream or creme fraiche and perhaps a little sugar. Improbable though this may sound, a grinding of black pepper or sprinkling of balsamic vinegar will bring out the flavour of the fruit. Strawberries are seldom improved by cooking, although they make delicious jam. They are best used in their raw state in such desserts as strawberry tartlets, shortcake and pavlovas. They have an affinity with chocolate and make a fine decoration for chocolate terrines and mousses, or they can be dipped into melted chocolate and served as petit fours.
To "dress up" strawberries, macerate them in red wine, Champagne or orange juice. The classic dish, Strawberries Romanov, simply consists of fresh strawberries macerated in orange juice and orange liqueur. Pureed strawberries can be served as a coulis or made into ice creams or sorbets.
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