Better than strawberries and cream

Strawberries and cream maybe a much-loved great British tradition, but you can give this traditional fruit a little makeover and transform it into something far more special: posh nosh for summer parties across the land.

Supermarkets may try to tease you in the autumn and winter with out of season strawberries, only to let you down in the taste department. But the moment that seasonal strawberries hit the supermarket shelves, you feel it is time to welcome the summer. Those glistening, plump, ruby-red gems are irresistible to the palate.

Follow your nose. It isn’t only out of season strawberries that fail the senses. Many farmed strawberries, even in season, are picked while they are still green in order to help them stand up to shipping. Although these will continue to get redder and softer once they have been picked, they will not get any sweeter.

The test is in their smell. If you can’t detect a whiff of strawberries, you probably won’t get the taste of them either. If you can, buy locally grown strawberries. Better still, get out in the field and pick a basket of them yourself.

You can sprinkle them with sugar, dunk them in cream, dip them in chocolate or soak them in wine or port for quick desserts, but a special occasion demands some extra special treatment of this extra juicy fruit. Your summer guests’ mouths could water all over your strawberry and spinach salad.

Sweet strawberry and baby spinach salad
This summer salad is teaming with vitamins A and C and iron. The green of the spinach and contrasts beautifully with the vibrant red of the strawberries, while the sweet and savoury flavours are a sophisticated combination.

Ingredients
Small punnet of fresh strawberries
Large packet of fresh baby spinach leaves
100g sugar
One and a half tablespoons minced white onion
Half teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Half teaspoon paprika
Dressing made with two parts extra virgin olive oil, one part balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Wash strawberries and spinach (if not ready to eat) and set aside to drain thoroughly. In a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients and whisk together. Slice strawberries into halves or quarters and place in a large bowl and add the now dried spinach. Pour over dressing and toss.

Old-fashioned strawberry shortcake

Ingredients
1kg fresh strawberries
100g white sugar
280g all-purpose flour
20g baking powder
25g white sugar
2g salt
70g shortening (or replace with butter)
1 egg
160ml milk
475ml whipped double cream

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Slice the strawberries and toss them with the sugar and set aside at room temperature.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the salt. Blend in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and milk – stir until just combined. Grease and flour one 8-inch round cake mould and spread the batter evenly.

Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
Partially cool in the mould on wire rack before slicing into two layers.
Place half of the strawberries on one layer and top with the other layer.
Top with remaining strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.