Strawberry Pie and Salad recipes from Oregon

6/19/19 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Good grief! It’s almost the end of June and strawberry season. Our berries have almost come and gone and I have yet to make jam or a strawberry pie. Of course, I can always buy some at the markets but I do love watching Chuck pick fruits and veggies from our home garden. Hopefully, there are still enough strawberries on our plants for a pie.

Oregon strawberries are truly special—especially the Hood berries. “They have a little bit of romance that our other berries don’t have,” says Bruce Pokarney, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “It is fire-engine red, bursting with flavor, sweeter and juicier than berries from anywhere else in the United States. It is also highly perishable.

California strawberries are sturdier but if you buy the right variety Oregon can beat them for taste and quality. But not size. The website for Oregon strawberry varieties lists 12 different kinds all with different qualities: Albion, Charm, Hood, Mary’s Peak, Puget Crimson, Shuksan, Seascape, Sweet Sunrise and Tillamook. You can find more information about them with pictures at htpps.oregon-strawberry.org/variety.

If you’ve not grown strawberries before, here’s a few things to remember. Strawberries need 6-10 hours of direct sunlight. Raised beds are a good option for them but remember they send out runners and need lots of room. Do not plant them in the shade! If possible, amend your soil in advance of planning with aged manure or compost. Finally, read the instructions on the plants for best results. And remember, bugs like them too!

Simplicity and freshness are the keys to today’s strawberry recipes. Dessert, of course, is going to start off the meal planning. Today’s semi-fresh strawberry pie is new to me and so simple. First you fill the pie shell with sliced berries. Then you mash the remainder of the berries and cook them with sugar, water and cornstarch. Pour that mixture over the fresh berries, refrigerate and you’ve got a strawberry pie. Topped with whipped cream, of course.

One of my favorite ways to change-up the taste and presentation of a green dinner salad is by adding fruit. Strawberries are great for color, taste and nutrition. Your kids will even eat them! So, if you only have a few berries at a time on your bushes, add them to a green salad and you will be the cook of the day! Check out these salad recipes and see how you like them. The Strawberry Cucumber salad doesn’t even call for lettuce. It’s more like a spicy fruit salad.

Quick ‘N Easy Strawberry Pie

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

1 quart fresh strawberries

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream. Serves 6 or 8.

Strawberries and Mixed Green Salad

with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Salad greens and berries

1 (10 to 12-ounce) package baby spinach or mixed greens, washed and dried
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered

Vinaigrette:
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a large salad bowl, add the mixed greens and strawberries, and toss together.

For the dressing: In a small glass bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds. Whisk together in the glass bowl or shake if using a jar. Dress the salad right before serving.

Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Salad:

4½ cups (1½ pounds) California strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
¾ cup Italian parsley leaves
4 green onions, chopped
6 radishes, thinly sliced

Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sweet paprika

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

In bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients except oil. Whisk in oil until blended. To make salad: In large bowl, toss salad ingredients with vinaigrette until coated. Mound salad on 6 chilled plates, dividing it equally. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Contact Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com