Midweek Meals: It's strawberry season — five ways to get the best from a fruity favourite

Summer strawberries are always a winner - and they're rich in Vitamin C, to boot

Fresh strawberries: five ways to get the best from a summer favourite

Strawberry and feta salad with pear and pecans

Salty feta with sweet fresh fruit, spinach leaves, candied pecans and a beautiful balsamic and olive oil dressing – an irresistible summer salad

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 8 mins

Total Time

 18 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 200g fresh baby spinach

• 350g strawberries

• 1 ripe pear

• 80g pecan nuts

• 125g feta cheese

• 60ml olive oil

• 30ml balsamic vinegar

• 1tsp honey

• 25g caster sugar

• salt 

• black pepper

Method

1. Heat the sugar in a small pan over a high heat until it melts and caramelises slightly. Toss in the pecans and coat them in the light caramel. Leave them in the pan with the heat off for a few minutes before turning them out onto a non-stick baking tray to cool. If you want a slightly simpler approach, just toast the pecans in the oven at 180°C, sprinkled with a little sugar, for eight to ten minutes and then allow them to cool. The pan method does give a better flavour though.

2. Wash the spinach and the fruit. Thinly slice the pear, removing the core. Hull the strawberries and cut them into wedges.

3. Put the olive oil, balsamic & honey into a clean jar. Use a good balsamic, these days that does not have to cost a fortune and it is worth it. Add a little salt & pepper, pop on the lid and shake it well to mix the dressing.

4. Put the spinach into a large salad bowl. Add the pears and half the strawberries. Next, add half the pecans and crumble over the feta before adding the remaining strawberries and pecans.

5. Just before you serve, add the dressing, and toss the salad at the table.

Peach and strawberry cobbler

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Enjoy rich, plump strawberries and vibrant peaches with golden brown oaty cobbler and a dollop of natural yoghurt

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• For the topping:

• 100g butter, cubed

• 175g self-raising flour

• 25g porridge oats

• 50g brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 4 tbsp natural yoghurt

• For the filling:

• 300g peaches, after they are stoned and sliced

• 300g strawberries, roughly chopped

• zest of 1 orange

• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Rub the butter into the flour until it forms rough breadcrumbs. Stir in the oats and the brown sugar.

3. Add the vanilla to the yoghurt, then mix it into the other ingredients. Combine it with your hands to form a dough.

4. Roll the dough into walnut size balls and place into the fridge for five minutes.

5. Toss the peaches, orange zest and strawberries in the sugar and place at the base of your ramekin dishes. Press the pastry balls flat between your palms and dot them on top of the fruit.

6. Bake for half an hour or until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling.

Strawberry Jam with Gin

The botanicals used to make gin are perfect for combining with strawberry jam. As jam is boiled for over 5 minutes, the alcohol content is evaporated, and the botanical notes boost the flavours. Makes 1.5 litres.

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 44 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 14 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 1kg fresh strawberries

• 2 lemons

• 50ml gin

• 10g freshly ground black pepper

• 800g jam sugar

Method

1. First, take four clean jam jars, remove the lids and place them on a sturdy baking tray. Pop them into a cold oven and heat them to 120oCelsius. This will sterilise the jars.

2. Next, wash and remove the stalks from the strawberries. Pour them all into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Using a vegetable masher, mash down about three-quarters of the strawberries. Leave the rest whole. Squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons; this will balance the sweet flavour of the jam. Finally, stir well with the sugar, gin, and black pepper.

3. Set the saucepan on a medium heat and bring the contents to a simmer. Stir regularly so the bottom of the saucepan doesn’t stick. Once it bubbles, turn it on high and boil for 5 minutes. Set your stopwatch! After 5 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before decanting into your sterilised jam jars.

4. Once the jam is cool, top it with a wax paper circle, then a round of cellophane and seal with an elastic band. You can get all these things in a jam set in any supermarket.

5. Notes about 'jam sugar': Jam sugar contains extra pectin and may contain some palm oil, designed to assist a jam in the setting. However, if you prefer not to use palm oil in your jam, wash and peel 3 cooking apples. Place the peel in the saucepan when making the jam and remove from the saucepan before filling the jars. The quantity of granulated sugar remains the same. The apple peel is a natural source of pectin.

Strawberry & Mango Ice Pops

This great sugar-free recipe for strawberry ice pops is convenient for introducing new foods and flavours to picky eaters. It’s also handy to use even squishy fruit that might be past its best - give them 24 hours to freeze!

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 200g fresh strawberries, chopped

• ½ mango, peeled and chopped

• 100ml fresh orange juice

Method

1. Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor/blender until you have a fine pulp. Carefully pour into ice pop moulds.

2. Freeze for at least 3 hours at the top of your freezer before eating, although ideally overnight.

3. To get the ice pops out of their moulds, dip each into a mug of warm water for 20 seconds before turning upside down (handle facing to the ground) and pulling the mould off upwards. This prevents any breakages/leaving the ice pop behind in the mould.

4. No sugar or sweetener is added to this recipe, so it’s suitable for all ages from weaning (after six months). One pop can also count as 1 of your seven-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables. I have a good few of these ice pops on standby in the freezer because they’re far cheaper and better value than buying from the ice cream van.

Biscoff and strawberry tarts

Perfect treats to enjoy with a cup of tea

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 270g pack of filo pastry sheets

• 4tbsp Biscoff spread

• 200g strawberries, hulled and quartered

• Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Carefully unroll your filo pastry, and tear each sheet into six to eight even squares. You don’t need to be too neat with these, as they will be layered up in your silicone moulds.

2. Once your pastry is prepared, start to layer the filo sheets into your silicone cupcake cases, like nests. I like to layer three to four sheets in each case.

3. Add one teaspoon of Biscoff to the base of each filo cup, then transfer to the air fryer and cook at 180°C for 10 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden.

4. Once the tart cases are cooked, simply top them with the chopped strawberries, dust with icing sugar and serve.
   
   The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook by Clare Andrews is published by Penguin Michael Joseph on February 16