With the imminent arrival of spring, markets and shops begin to fill their shelves with one of the most anticipated fruits of the season: we talk about strawberries. Who has not ever tasted the famous strawberries with cream? This dessert is already a classic of our gastronomy, especially when good weather begins to appear. Although strawberries relate a lot with sweet, the truth is that they offer a wide variety of elaborations, from the richest desserts to the most original salty dishes.
Strawberries are a very healthy food that stands out, among other things, for its flavor and freshness. In order to enjoy all its properties, the ideal would always be to consume them fresh and raw. However, due to its great versatility it is impossible not to take advantage of the kitchen and thus incorporate this fruit into some of your dishes, sauces or dressings.
According to the Spanish Nutrition Foundationthe mills begin to flourish at the end of winter making the consumption of strawberries possible until the beginning of summer. It is during the spring and summer months, including March and July, when fruits ripen and are ready to consume. Next, we propose five recipes to combine this fruit in an explosion of colors and flavors.
Strawberry benefits
From a nutritional point of view, The fen He points out that strawberries and strawberries are a very powerful source of vitamin C, with a percentage higher than that of oranges. A ration of strawberries of approximately 100 grams contains 60 milligrams of this vitamin. So with only this amount, the recommended daily intake would already be covered. This nutritional value also makes one of the fruits with the greatest antioxidant capacity. In addition, they are very rich in organic acids such as citric, malic, oxalic acid, and also contain small amounts of salicylic acid.
Among all its benefits, it highlights the fact that strawberries help reduce the risk of arterial hypertension by increasing the elasticity of arteries, according to a Study published in The British Journal of Nutrition. The results of the same report also show that if they are consumed two or three times a week, they can reduce the chances of myocardial infarctions.
Tips for conserving strawberries
Despite the numerous virtues it possesses, the strawberry is very delicate and is usually spoiled easily. However, you can always follow a series of tricks to keep them for a longer time and not throw them. It is important to keep in mind that to avoid the latter, an option can be to take advantage of strawberries that are no longer fresh preparing a very rich and nutritious shake.
To last as much as possible at home, when buying them in the market, always choose the strawberries that present a bright, red and uniform skin, and have an intense green corner. At home, it is advisable to wash them before consumption, but without immersing them and it is very important not to remove the corner until after washing them.
Strawberry gazpacho
We propose a different idea to get the most out of this fruit. Cold soups are a perfect option for spring and summer, and one of the most popular is the gazpacho. In order to give it a different touch, we bring you this strawberry gazpacho recipe.
The ingredients that cannot be missing to make this gazpacho for approximately six people will be the following:
- 500 grams of tomato
- Half cucumber
- Half green pepper
- 500 grams of strawberries
- 90 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil
- 20 milliliters of vinegar from Jerez
- Water to taste to adjust thickness
- Salt to taste
As with any gazpacho, the elaboration is as simple as fast. Following the step step by step you will have this delicious cold soup with strawberries in just 20 minutes:
- Start by picing the tomatoes, peel the cucumber and pepper. Once you have prepared vegetables, place them in a bowl and let them macerate for 30 minutes next to the vinegar and salt.
- While this time takes place, remove the peduncle from strawberries and cut them in pieces so that it is much easier to crush them. Once the half hour passes, take the vegetables from the bowl and add them with the strawberries to the blender. See a little crushing at the same time that you add the thread olive oil.
- When you have achieved the texture and taste you prefer, you can pass the content of the blender through a strainer. Thus the gazpacho will be free of skins and seeds. Once the gazpacho is finished, keep it cold until it is time to serve.
Strawberry risotto
To make the most of the strawberry season, this recipe will surprise your guests. Point these ingredients if you want to make this strawberry risotto for four people:
- 350 grams of rice
- 100 grams of onion
- 100 milliliters of red wine
- 250 grams of strawberries
- 75 grams of butter or margarine
- 40 milliliters of liquid cream
- A liter of vegetable broth
This recipe is prepared with the same type of rice with which any risotto would be made. You can choose Carnaroli or Arrio rice varieties. Once you have it, we get to work with this delicious recipe:
- First put the vegetable broth and when it breaks to boil, lower the heat to a minimum. Meanwhile, in another casserole, sauté the onion already well chopped with the butter or margarine, add the rice and remove until everything is transparent.
- Achieved this point, pour the wine little by little so that it does not cool the rice and let it absorb until it stays without liquid. Then incorporate the already hot broth with a ladle and let the rice also absorb the broth before adding more. For the risotto to be very rich, it is advisable to remove at the same time so that it does not grip up. We will have to repeat this step between about 15 or 20 minutes, depending on the type of rice, until it is at its point.
- Now it is the turn of strawberries. Lume them and leave two or three reserved to decorate. Put the rest of the strawberries in a whisper vessel with liquid cream and crush, but without liquefying it at all.
- Before the rice finishes, approximately five minutes before, adds the strawberry shake in three times so that the cooking is not cut and move everything until it is integrated. You will have finished the recipe when the rice has a creamy point. As an optional step, you can decorate the risotto with the strawberries that you have left reserved to decorate.
Strawberry and avocado salad
The ingredients of this recipe may vary according to each other’s tastes. However, we propose the following to give some ideas:
- 250 grams of strawberries
- 1 lettuce
- A cup room of almonds in sheets
- A mature avocado
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
This recipe barely has complication, since the steps are quite simple and simply be washed and cut the ingredients well. We tell you how to make this step by step salad:
- First, wash the fruits and vegetables you are going to use well, especially strawberries and lettuce. When you have disinfected and drained the ingredients, chop the lettuce into pieces and serve it on the plate in which you are going to serve the salad.
- Then cut the strawberries in slices and cut them in halves or in the rooms according to their size. As you have them, add them to lettuce. Now cut the avocado into cubes and put them on the plate next to the almond sheets. A very useful trick to peel this fruit is to do it with the help of a spoon. Cut the avocado in half while surrounding the bone. Then open the avocado with your hands, remove the bone and when you have both halves, empt them with the spoon.
- Finally, all the salad with salt, pepper and olive oil to taste.
Chicken and Strawberry Sandwich
A very helpful option that we have all attended for something fast and without complications is a rich sandwich. On this occasion, we have chosen these ingredients:
- Mold bread
- Two goat cheese medallions
- Five strawberries
- Mixture of lettuce
- 80 grams of roasted or cooked chicken
- 30 grams of fresh mozzarella
- Salt, a pinch
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Granulated garlic to taste
Following the step step by step, you will get this perfect bite to take at any time of the day:
- First cut the bread into two slices if it is not cut. It is advisable to leave goat cheese at room temperature so that it is later easier to extend on bread.
- The next step will be to wash and cut strawberries into thin slices. Then, also cut the chicken.
- Now you will have to spread the slices with the goat cheese that you have allowed to stand before and season with a little granulated garlic and pepper to taste.
- Once you have the slices with the cheese, put the chicken cut and the rolled strawberries. Then also put the lettuce you prefer and end up adding the mozzarella cheese cut into sheets.
- If you want to give your sandwich heat, you have the option to mark it a little in the pan so that the cheese is a bit molten.
Sweet Sushi With Strawberries
With this recipe you will leave your family and friends speechless. Do not forget to aim the amounts for about six people:
- 150 milliliters of milk
- An egg size ‘L’
- 70 grams of flour
- 20 grams of butter or melted margarine
- 400 grams of rice
- 10 strawberries
- A mango
These are the steps so you can prepare an alternative to the classic sushi recipe:
- The first step of this recipe will be to make the rice base. As it is a sushi recipe, but sweet, we will do it with milk. However, you can always skip this step if you prefer to buy rice with milk and ready.
- If you decide to buy it, the next step will be to mix the egg with the milk and the flour to make a mass of crêpes. Báte it all until lumps are seen. The dough will serve to make the shape of Sushi as a substitute for the Nori algae. Let the dough stand until the rice cool with milk and sees the fruit in canes.
- Then, in a slightly greased with Margarina, sees the crepes. A advice is that you do not make them too fine to avoid breaking when it comes to rolling them. With the amounts that we have indicated, you will have approximately four. When you have them, place them on the work surface and cut the leftover edges so that they remain with a rectangular shape.
- Now extend the rice with milk above leaving the edges free to close them. Add the fruit already cut on the rice and see it by gradually rolling it. You can help you a mat for sushi or if you don’t have this, you can always do it with transparent film paper. When you finish, let the sushi cool in the fridge and with a knife wet in water, cut pieces of approximately two fingers.
#recipes #strawberries #common #season
