March 27, 2015
by Jason Ford
Ford on Food
Although strawberries appear to be at their best and cheapest in summer, they are available all year round.
The colour, size and flavour can vary dramatically according to the variety.
Some of the varieties readily available in Australia include Redlands Joy, Kabarla, Selva, Chandler, Jewel, Sundew, Camerosa and Cartuno.
Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium and dietary fibre. They contain some niacin, iron, folic acid and phosphorus too.
These little red beauties are a versatile ingredient for toppings, in desserts, cakes and cocktails.
When selecting strawberries, look for a clean, bright red colour. The flesh should not look whitish, bruised, blemished, crushed or moist. The green caps on top should be firmly attached.
To store, keep strawberries cold and humid in the fridge and only keep for a short time.
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Strawberry Crumble To Die For
Ingredients:
- 40g butter
- 180g caster sugar
- 1/2 lemon (juiced)
- 100ml white wine
- 1 kg strawberry (hulled and halved)
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 125g butter
- 125g brown sugar
- 65g almond meal
- 65g rolled oats
- 125g plain flour
Method:
- Place the butter, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook until the sugar starts to caramelise
- Add the wine to the saucepan
- Add the strawberries, cinnamon quill and vanilla essence to the saucepan; simmer the strawberries until three-quarters cooked (about 5 minutes)
- Remove from the heat, spoon into an ovenproof dish and allow to cool slightly
- To make topping, place the butter, sugar, almond meal, rolled oats and flour in a bowl and rub together until the mixture forms crumbly consistency
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the strawberry filling and bake at 190oC until the top is golden
- Serve with hot custard or ice-cream
