Summer strawberries: Two desserts that celebrate the defining fruit of the season
Irish
summer. There are thousands of varieties of strawberries, which have been cultivated since the 1700s. Today, global production exceeds 10 million tonnes of fruit per year.
In the restaurant
where I worked
, strawberries were used from June through to August, with the gariguette variety proving popular. On rare occasions, we were able to source wild (or Alpine) strawberries. These tiny specimens command a high price for their floral and complex flavour profile, which reminds you why strawberries are descended from the rose family. Being wild produce, they are hard to find and should used sparingly. Anything we couldn't serve fresh was blended into a purée or ice cream; it would be a brave chef that would waste a single piece.
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The story behind roadside strawberry stands – one of the heralds of Irish summer
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The more common strawberries are still a force to be reckoned with. This week, I'm serving them fresh and cooked to showcase their versatility. While fresh strawberries are best served at room temperature for the next few weeks, they can be preserved to enjoy all year round. This is where jams, syrups, sorbets, juices and vinegars come into play.
Mark Moriarty's strawberry pavlova with honey cream. Photograph: Harry Weir
One thing that always gets me is why people insist on using strawberries all year round. We have an abundance of great Irish producers of berries, with a different variety for each season. With that in mind, these recipes are designed for strawberries now, but can be adapted to showcase raspberries later in the summer and blackberries in the autumn.
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First up is a simple pavlova with honey cream and fresh strawberries. The meringue should be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle. The honey cream is a versatile recipe that adds a layer of complexity to this simple dish. The bees that produce the honey have likely pollinated the strawberry plants as well, so it's a homage to their hard work and effort.
Eve's pudding with strawberries. Photograph: Harry Weir
The second recipe is a comforting classic that I first discovered on my home-economics book many years ago. Eve's pudding involves baking a light sponge mix on top of a fruit compote. This is then served with whipped cream, ice cream or custard. The oldest recipes call for cooking apples as the filling, but I've added strawberries coated in some jam. This is a very simple dessert that can be thrown together last minute and will put a smile on even the hardiest of faces.
Recipe:
Strawberry pavlova with honey cream
Recipe:
Eve's pudding with strawberries
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