Gloria Nicol's glorious classic strawberry compote

Makes 3 x 350ml jars compote, plus approx 175ml strawberry syrup

1.5Kg strawberries
175g sugar (or adjust to your taste)
1 vanilla pod
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Remove the stalks and halve the largest berries then place in a large glass or ceramic bowl, sprinkling the sugar in layers between the fruit as you go. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the sticky seeds then push the pod in amongst the berries and stir in the seeds. Cover the bowl with cling film or a plate and leave in a cool place or the fridge overnight.

Pour the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan. Warm it through stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the balsamic vinegar then bring all to a simmer and cook through for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a sieve separate the berries and vanilla pod from the syrup and set aside.

Cut the vanilla pod into 3 then, using a jam funnel, pack the strawberries into warm jars, filling up to 20mm from the top. Push a piece of vanilla pod down the side of each jar so it shows against the glass. Top up with hot syrup so the berries are completely covered, wipe the rims and seal.

To hot water process, lower the jars into a large pan of simmering water which has a trivet on the base or a folded tea towel will do instead. The jars mustn't touch the bottom of the pan directly and the water should cover the jar tops by at least 2 cm (special jar lifting tongs are useful here). Bring the water up to a boil, start to time and keep at boiling point for 10 minutes then remove jars from the water bath and leave till completely cold. Check the seals and label your jars ready to store. If any of your seals fail treat as if fresh.

For any remaining syrup in the pan, bring to a brisk boil for 5 minutes till the syrup is slightly thickened or to your liking. The syrup can be bottled in the same way or just keep in the fridge and enjoy it within a week or so. Use the syrup added to your spirit of choice perhaps topped up with sparkling white wine to make a long summer drink.

Gloria Nicol's Poached Seville oranges - Seville marmalade.

Lady Marmalade | Life and style | The Guardian:
The first sign of fresh Seville oranges for sale heralds the start of the preserving year and usually lasts until late February.
But be warned: recent reports that sales of manufactured marmalade have taken a nose dive and that the homemade version is on the up may mean fruit is harder to find than usual.
Best get started early.

There are two basic methods of making marmalade: paring the uncooked oranges and shredding the peel; or poaching the oranges whole before scooping out the innards and shredding the cooked peel.
I favour the latter method.
Whichever route you choose to take, the peel requires at least a couple of hours of slow cooking to get right.

According to Jane Hasell-McCosh, founder and organiser of the Marmalade Awards, undercooked peel is what lets most people down.
Last year, the festival received more than 650 entries from amateur makers, a third from men, and a further 150 entries from artisan jam makers, sent in from as far afield as Japan.
Every entry is marked for taste and appearance and every entrant receives their scorecard feedback in the post after the event.
The 2011 Marmalade Festival takes place on the 12th & 13th February (you need to get your entries in by the 6th).

It isn't necessary that your marmalade be award-winning.
It can still be delicious.
Here is my tried and tested recipe for this classic breakfast preserve.

Seville marmalade
(makes 2kg)
1 kg Seville oranges
1 lemon
1.5 kg sugar
1.25 litres water

Wash the whole fruits and place in a heavy lidded casserole or a preserving pan that will fit in the oven.
Pour in the water and bring to simmering point on the hob.
Cover or if using a preserving pan make a lid to cover the top with tin foil before placing in a 180 C, Mk4 oven.
Poach the fruit for two-and-a-half to three hours, by which time the skins will be softened.

Using a spoon, lift the fruit out of the liquid into a colander over a bowl and leave to drain.
When the fruit is cool enough to handle, cut each in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon to leave just the peel, placing all the flesh, pith and pips in a muslin bag or a large piece of muslin over a bowl which you can gather into a bag.
Collect all the juice as you go and add it to the poaching liquid.

Measure the poaching liquid and make up to 1 litre with water if necessary.
Place the muslin bag in a preserving pan with the poaching liquid and bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Leave till cool enough to handle then squeeze the bag to get as much of the liquid as possible from the pulp.
Discard the bag and its contents.

Chop the peel into thin strips and add to the preserving liquid.
Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear.
Turn up the heat and bring to a rolling boil until it reaches setting point. (Setting point is when a dollop of the syrup on a cold plate, readily forms a skin when you push your finger across the surface. This takes me around 20 to 30 minutes.)

Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes then stir to distribute the peel.
Pour into hot, clean sterilised jars, put waxed paper circles wax side down on each one and seal immediately.
Label when cool and store in the larder.

PS
This marmalade takes a lot longer to get to the setting point ...reckons that marmalade sets between 104 and 105.5C, and that if it gets any hotter than this, then you're in trouble.
I end up with a tawny amber jelly, with a complex bittersweet flavour, although the set is less firm.
'via Blog this'

Strawberry Jam.

This is a fantastic recipe taken from Pam Corbin's, 'Preserves' book.
It follows a golden jam rule my granny used, A pound of sugar for every pound of fruit.
As strawberries are low in pectin, adding some jam sugar helps attain a great setting point without affecting the strawberries delicious flavour.

Ikg strawberries, hulled, large ones, halved and quartered.
500g granulated sugar.
450g jam sugar with added pectin
150ml lemon juice

Put 200g of the strawnberries into your preserving pan alongside an equal amount of sugar and using a potato masher, cruish to a pulp.
Place the pan on a low heat and when the fruity mixture warms add the rest of your strawberries.
Gently bring this to simmering boil, using a spoon to agitate the bottom of the pan,this prevents the fruit from sticking.
Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes to allow the strawberries to soften a little.

Next add the remaining sugar and the jam sugar.
Stir the mixture gently to prevent the sugar sticking and burning on the bottom of the pan.
When the sugar has disolved add the lemon juice.
Turn up the heat and when the mixture reaches full boil, continue boiling for 8-9 minutes.
Then test for setting point.

Remove from the heat and, if the surface is scummy, stir gently until the scum has dispersed.
Pot and seal.
Use within 12 months.

Strawberry Apricot Jam.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups strawberries
- 2 cups apricots
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fruit pectin
- 8 tablespoons apricot brandy

Directions:
Peel the apricots and cut into pieces.
Blend apricots and strawberries in the blender.
Mix with sugar. (Usually it's 1:1 fruit and sugar, but you can try with a bit less if you like.)
Pour in the lemon juice, fruit pectin and apricot brandy.
The brandy is optional. It's just to give a better taste. The alcohol will evaporate during simmering, just the flavor will stay.
Boil mixture then simmer for 5 - 10 minutes. Stir frequently. When finished take off the foamy top layer of the mixture.
Pour the hot jelly in hot sterilized jars. Make sure to fill it up to the top.
Clean the jars with a damp towel.
Close tightly.
After 10 minutes turn around and place jars on the lid.
Let cool down, turn around again and store.

- Strawberry Apricot Jam Recipe:
Add one tablespoon of vodka, whiskey or gin on top of the jam before closing the lid.
Light it and close quickly the lid. The fire will consume all of the alcohol and the oxygen.
Inside the jar you will have a vacuum that allows for longer storage without using preservatives.

- My French Cuisine: Strawberry Apricot Jam: "Larousse de la cuisine"
Light it and close quickly the lid.
The fire will consume all of the alcohol and the oxygen.
Inside the jar you will have a vacuum that allows for longer storage without using preservatives.

- See more at: http://www.strawberry-recipes.com/apricot-jam.html#sthash.5cMlYppJ.dpuf

- Strawberry Jam - David Lebovitz:

- Strawberry Jam The French Way - Kate Battistelli: "Strawberry Jam–The French Way"

- Christine Ferber's Strawberry-Lemon Grass Jam - The Wednesday Chef:

'via Blog this'

Sweetness of Spring: Strawberry Clafoutis.

Sweetness of Spring: Strawberry Clafoutis : NPR:
Clafoutis is the epitome of the French grandmotherly dessert: unpretentious, easy to make, and blissfully comforting.

– 55 g unsalted butter
– 600 g fresh strawberries (I added Rhubarb!)
– 60 g all-purpose flour
– 50 g whole blanched almonds
– 100 g granulated sugar
– 1 tablespoon cornstarch
– A pinch of salt
– 3 large eggs
– 185 ml milk
– 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
– Confectioner’s sugar
– Oven temperature: 180°C

Coulis:
– 200g fresh strawberries
– 2 tablespoons sugar
– 2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350F and grease an 20cm/8-inch-square glass or ceramic baking dish (or 6 1-cup ramekins for a more elegant presentation) with one tablespoon of the butter.
Melt the remaining butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat (or in a small bowl set in the microwave for a few seconds) and set aside.

Rinse the strawberries under cool water — do not soak or they will loose some of their flavor.
Drain in a colander for a few minutes, and gently pat dry with a clean dishtowel.

In a food processor or blender, mix together the flour and almonds until finely ground.
Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt, and mix again.
Crack in the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Pour in the melted butter, milk and rum if using, and mix again until well blended.
The mixture will be thin, like crepe batter.

Hull the strawberries, cut in halves or quarters depending on their size, and arrange in a single layer in the prepared dish or ramekins.
Drizzle the batter over the strawberries, and put the dish in the oven to bake for 40 minutes (30 minutes if you use ramekins), until puffy and set.

Transfer dish to a rack, and let cool to room temperature.
Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, and serve directly from the baking dish or ramekins.
Clafoutis is traditionally served on its own, but if you like you can add a few fresh strawberries on the side, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a little whipped cream.

Strawberry Coulis
1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water

Hull and quarter the strawberries.
Combine with the sugar and water in a food processor or blender, and mix in short pulses until smooth. Pour into an airtight container, and cover.
Refrigerate for up to a day, or freeze for up to a month.

'via Blog this'

Strawberry Cream Pie

Yields: about 10 servings

Crust Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
3/8 cup cold shortening or lard
3/8 cup cold butter, chopped
3-4 tablespoons cold water

Cream Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Other Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
red food coloring (optional; I skipped this)
mint leaves or whole strawberries for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Note on timing: There are several components of this pie, but their preparation fits together nicely. You can make the crust dough and while it’s chilling, toast your almonds and set them out to cool. While the crust is baking and cooling, make and refrigerate the cream and slice your strawberries. Assemble these things once the crust is cool, and chill your almost-completed pie while you whip up the glaze. Chill the whole concoction for a few hours before slicing for best results.

Make the crust dough: Pulse flour and salt together to combine. Add scoops of lard and pulse into the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Add in chunks of butter and pulse until butter pieces are no larger than small peas, about 10 pulses. Add minimum amount of water and pulse on low. If dough remains crumbly and doesn’t come together, add another 2 tablespoons of water. Add as little as is required to enable the dough to be rolled into a ball. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Toast your almonds: While the crust dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spread your sliced almonds out on a baking sheet. Toast for about 4-6 minutes, using a spatula to gently flip and stir the almonds ever 2 minutes. They burn quickly, so keep a close watch on the nuts and remove them when they just start to get some color and are fragrant. Mine took about 5 minutes.

Finish making your crust: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Roll disk of dough out to around 2 inches larger than your (9-inch) pie plate and transfer it, situating it in the plate. Fold the excess dough around the edges and crimp, trimming where necessary. Cover the dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans, pressing to the edges. Bake for around 20 minutes. Remove weights and paper, egg wash crust, and bake 5-10 minutes more, until golden brown (you won’t be baking it again, so make sure it has good color — shielding edges with foil if they begin getting too dark). Let crust cool completely.

Make cream filling: While the crust bakes, prepare your cream filling. Prepare an ice water bath in a bowl big enough to accommodate your saucepan. Mix sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook until thickened, still stirring constantly. Spoon out about 1/4 cup of your hot mixture and gradually drizzle it into your beaten egg, whisking constantly. This will temper the egg so that when you add it back into the hot mixture, it won’t cook. Add the egg into the hot mixture, continuing to stir constantly. Bring this just to boiling.

Set the saucepan in the ice water bath and stir it periodically as it cools. Once cool enough, chill the mixture in the refrigerator. During this time, whip the cream and vanilla together to stiff peaks. Take the chilled mixture from the fridge and beat it to break it up. Stir in about 1/3 of the cream to lighten it, and then gently fold in the rest of the cream until well combined. Chill until ready to use.

Assemble the pie: Cover bottom of crust with toasted almonds, and then dollop in chilled cream mixture, spreading it smooth with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Slice about a cup of fresh strawberries and layer them in overlapping concentric circles on the top of your pie. Chill this while you make your glaze.

Make the glaze: Crush remaining 1/2 cup of strawberries and cook with water in a saucepan over medium-high heat for two minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard the pulp. Add the juice back to the saucepan over medium-high heat and gradually stir in sugar and cornstarch. Cook until thickened. If you want, you can tint this glaze with food coloring to desired hue, but mine was plenty bright enough! Cool the glaze slightly (I transferred mine to a heat-proof measuring cup with a pour spout to cool for a bit) and then pour over top of strawberry slices on your pie. Garnish with big mint leaves, if you’d like, or whole strawberries. Chill entire pie for at least a few hours for best results; cut with a knife held under hot water and then dried.
Recipe by: Pat Howard
And Brian.

Marinated strawberries with a hint of mint, served with clotted cream.

Ingredients

(Serves four)

400g strawberries, washed and cut into quarters
50g caster sugar
Lemon juice
Fresh mint, chopped finely
Pinch of ground white pepper
Clotted cream

Method

Take one-quarter of the strawberries, sprinkle with sugar and add a dash of lemon juice. Then, using a fork, mash well and add the remainder of the strawberries. Add a pinch of pepper, 1tsp of chopped mint and adjust the sweetness to your liking, then leave to marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

To serve, place the strawberries into bowls and spoon some clotted cream into the middle.
by Michael Caines - 7/14/2008 - Caterer and Hotelkeeper.

Strawberry tart. From Pascal Aussignac.

Ingredients

Shortbread pastry

125g of butter
60g of icing sugar
1 egg yolk
125g of plain flour, plus more for dusting
75g of ground almonds
2g of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
3 sprigs of lemon thyme, leaves picked
Crème patissière

200ml of milk
40g of sugar
2 egg yolks
14g of cornflour
1 vanilla pod, cut and deseeded
Marinated strawberries

18 strawberries, roughly quartered
30ml of rosé wine
1 tsp of caster sugar
1 tbsp of clear honey

Equipment
22cm spring form cake tin

1.To begin the strawberry tart, mix the butter and sugar for the shortbread recipe to form a smooth paste.
Add flour, ground almonds, salt and baking powder.
Rub the mixture using your fingertips to form a sand-like texture

2.Add the egg yolk and the chopped thyme and continue to work the mix until it comes together to form a dough.
When your dough is ready, wrap it in cling film and leave in the fridge to rest for 2 hours

3.Once the dough has rested, preheat an oven to 160ºC/gas mark 3.
Lightly dust a suitable workspace with flour and roll the dough to 1/2cm thickness, place into shallow 22cm spring form tin.
Use the excess dough to build a 1cm side for the tart

4.Bake for 13 minutes until lightly golden. Once cooked leave the pastry to cool in the tin

5.For the crème patissière, put the milk and vanilla pod in a saucepan and bring to the boil

6.Meanwhile, mix the sugar and the egg yolk in a separate bowl until you reach a creamy, smooth consistency. Add the cornflour and continue to whisk

7.Once the milk has come to a steady boil, pour half of the milk into the bowl, whisking thoroughly. Whisk the milk and the eggs in the bowl then return the mixture to the pan and continue to whisk on a low heat, returning to a steady boil. Continue to cook for 3 minutes after boiling

8.Reserve the crème patissière in the fridge on a clean tray and cover it tightly with cling film. Once chilled, place it in a bowl and gently whisk until smooth. Transfer to the fridge until ready to serve

9.For the marinated strawberries, place the cut strawberries into a bowl. Add the caster sugar, rosé wine and honey. Mix until glazed

10.Before serving, spread a generous 1cm layer of crème patissière across your cooked tart and place your marinated strawberries to cover. Once covered, drizzle the excess marinade across the tart to glaze