Strawberry recipes shared by Brisbane celebrities and chefs

CELEBRITIES and chefs are throwing their support behind the beleaguered strawberry industry by sharing their favourite recipes. TRY THEM YOURSELF

OTTO's fragole by Will Cowper. Picture: Tara Croser

BRISBANE celebrities and chefs are throwing their support behind the beloved strawberry in response to the fruit tampering crisis.

As Queensland consumers rally with the cry “cut them up, don’t cut them out”, home cooks and high-end chefs have shared their favourite recipes showcasing the strawberry with The Courier-Mail.

How crisis unfolded

Ekka sundae first

Drone’s eye view

Popular former My Kitchen Rules stars Valerie and Courtney Ferdinands urged the public to experiment with safe ways to incorporate the fruit in dishes rather than boycotting it.

“Keep going to your local fruit markets and taking advantage of them – they’re so cheap, it’s a beautiful product and it supports the farmers,” Courtney said.

Valerie, who hosts the Tiffin Room cooking and dining experiences from her New Farm home, said strawberries were not just for desserts but also made a great addition to savoury foods.

Former MKR stars Valerie and Courtney Ferdinands share their favourite strawberry recipe, strawberry kachumbar. Picture: Liam Kidston

“That spicy and sweet combination is a great flavour profile,” she said.

“Strawberry works so well with chilli, black pepper and ginger and it can be used in a chutney, relish or salad because of its natural sweetness and vibrant colour.”

OTTO’s executive chef Will Cowper said people should not be deterred from buying Queensland strawberries, known for their “rich colour and flavour”.

“I suggest you cut them before eating and support the local farmers,” he said.

The Osbourne Hotel’s head chef Ben King said the fruit had always been a huge part of his career and family life.

“My kids love eating strawberries and often consume punnets at a time – my daughter is often seen with one in each hand and it is her favourite food,” he said.

“They are a healthy snack, beautiful additive to a fresh dessert, and a beautiful fruit that hold significant place in the hearts of most Queenslanders.”

OTTO’s head chef Will Cowper with his favourite strawberry dish fragole (salted white chocolate and mascarpone mousse, buffalo yoghurt with strawberries). Picture: Tara Croser

Next Hotel Brisbane has been actively promoting strawberry consumption, offering fresh strawberries and strawberry shots at breakfast, special strawberry desserts for lunch and dinner at Lennons Restaurant and a strawberry cocktail on the Next Pool Deck.

“As Queenslanders, we’re known for rallying together as a community to help those in need and, for us here at Next Hotel, it’s a great way to involve our staff and our guests in the campaign,” said Next Hotels and Resorts Brisbane Area General Manager, Craig Syphers.

On Wednesday in King George Square, the Ekka’s famous strawberry sundaes are going to be made available outside of the RNA Showgrounds for the first time in a bid to support the struggling industry.

The strawberry crisis began when a Queensland man bit into a piece of fruit with a sewing needle inside on September 9.

Strawberry recipes

Will Cowper, Executive Chef at OTTO

Salted white chocolate & mascarpone mousse

150g pure cream

150g thickened cream

250g mascarpone

150g white chocolate

2g pink salt

- Place white chocolate in a bowl. Bring pure cream to boil and pour over white chocolate, whisk to make sure mixture is emulsified and leave to cool.

- Place mascarpone and thickened cream in bowl of electric mixer and whip to very light consistency.

- Fold both mixtures together with salt; don’t over mix or it may split.

- Store in airtight container or piping bag in fridge for at least three hours before serving.

Mint and strawberry consommé

375g strawberries

100g caster sugar

1 lemon zested

1 vanilla bean

100g water

32g mint

- Prepare strawberries by cutting off stem and leaves, place in large heat-proof bowl. Add sugar, water, lemon zest and seeds from vanilla bean, cover in glad wrap and place on top of a pot of boiling water for one hour.

- Strain strawberries off and you should be left with a clear red liquid. Place in fridge to cool.

- Once cold, add mint making sure it is submerged in liquid, leave to infuse overnight. Remove mint before serving.

OTTO's fragole by Will Cowper (salted white chocolate and mascarpone mousse, buffalo yoghurt with strawberries). Picture: Tara Croser

Buffalo milk yoghurt gelato

416g milk

200g cream

750g caster sugar

74g skim milk powder

700g buffalo milk yoghurt (or natural yoghurt)

- Mix together sugar and skim milk powder in bowl.

- Warm milk and cream in pot on medium heat; rain sugar mixture into warmed milk and cream, while whisking bring to the boil.

Cool in fridge, once cold whisk in yoghurt.

Pour into ice cream machine and churn.

Crystallised almond crumble

250g slithered almonds toasted

250g caster sugar

200g water

- Place almonds on baking tray and bake at 140ºc for 20 minutes until lightly toasted.

- Prepare another baking tray with some baking paper and place aside.

- Place caster sugar and water in a small pot; make sure sugar and water are mixed well and no sugar is on side of pot. Bring to 121ºC and add in toasted almonds.

- Mix together until sugar resembles a sandy texture, keep mixing until sugar melts again and starts to caramelise. Pour onto prepared tray and leave to cool.

You can either use nuts like this, or blend for finer texture.

To serve

Dice two punnets of strawberries. Place tablespoon of crystallised almonds in bowl, place nice scoop of buffalo yoghurt gelato on top.

Pipe mascarpone white chocolate mousse over top, trying to cover ice cream.

Take diced strawberries and cover mousse. Garnish with micro lemon balm or mint

Finish by pouring consume around the strawberry.

Former MKR stars Valerie and Courtney Ferdinands’ strawberry kachumbar. Picture: Liam Kidston

Valerie and Courtney Ferdinands’ strawberry kachumbar (salsa)

2 punnets of strawberries, diced

⅓ medium red onion finely chopped

½ cup fresh coriander chopped

½ cup fresh mint chopped

1 green chilli finely chopped

½ tsp grated fresh ginger

½ tsp Amchur (green mango powder, optional)

½ tsp black pepper (to taste)

Juice of ½ lemon

Pinch of sugar

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and chill. Delicious as an accompaniment with spicy food, served with fish, as a salad or with breakfast.

Strawberry tabouli by Justine Schofield

Justine Schofield’s strawberry and herbed tabouli

Cooking time 10 minutes. Serves 4

1 cup cooked bulgur wheat or couscous

1 bunch parsley, washed and finely chopped

1 punnet strawberries

4 spring onions

1 Lebanese cucumber

Juice of 1 lemon

Balsamic vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Crusty bread, to serve (optional)

- Take strawberries out of fridge 20 minutes before preparing to bring them to room temperature.

- Finely slice spring onions and place in large salad bowl. Top and tail cucumber, then slice in half lengthways. Discard seeds by scraping out with spoon, then finely dice and add to bowl with spring onions and chopped parsley.

- Add bulgur wheat or couscous and stir to mix.

- Remove green from strawberries, then dice to roughly same size as the cucumber. Add to salad bowl and stir again.

- Pour over lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving with crusty bread.

CWA’s EKKA strawberry and apple jam

2kg strawberries

4 granny smith apples

2 cups water

Juice of 2 or 3 lemons

2kg sugar

- Wash then hull strawberries, cut into pieces.

- Peel, core and grate apples.

- Place in saucepan with lemon juice and water, simmer until fruit is softened.

- Add sugar and bring to boil, stirring. Cook steadily for 20 to 30 minutes or until setting point is reached.

- Remove from heat, leave to stand for 10 minutes. Pour into warm sterilized jars and seal immediately. Place bottles into a boiling pot of water with a rack underneath the bottles to boil and heat seal for 5 minutes.

Strawberry sponge cake

Jocelyn’s Provisions’ strawberry sponge cake

Sponge

240g plain flour (plus extra flour for dusting cake tins)

8 large eggs, room temperature

220g extra-fine caster sugar

1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped), or good quality vanilla extract

80g butter (melted and cooled), plus extra butter for brushing of cake tins

Whipped cream

1 cup heavy pouring cream

2 punnets of strawberries (or good quality strawberry jam)

2 tbsp sugar

1 vanilla bean

Sponge

- Carefully brush two 20cm cake tins with melted butter. Use baking paper to line tin bases, then dust sides with flour.

- Sift flour at least three times, set to side.

- Using electric mixer, whisk eggs, sugar and seeds from vanilla pod until thick and pale (approx 7-8 minutes). Volume should triple. Transfer to mixing bowl.

- Sift over flour in three batches. Use a metal spoon to fold in each batch.

- Fold in butter (ensuring it is has previously been melted and cooled). Separate mixture evenly between two cake tins.

- Bake in oven (pre-heated to 180C) until lightly golden (approx. 20-25 minutes). When complete, centres should gently spring back into place when pressed lightly with a finger.

- Gently remove baked cakes from tins with fingers, then carefully loosen with knife. Turn onto a wire rack, remove baking paper, flip correct side up and allow to cool completely.

Whipped Cream

- Add heavy pouring cream, sugar and seeds from vanilla pod into a mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until stiff peaks form, be careful not to overbeat.

- Incorporate sliced strawberries. Carefully layer whipped cream and strawberry mixture between two layers of sponge, dust with icing sugar.

BACCHUS head chef Massimo Speroni’s risotto strawberries

To have with Dom Perignon champagne

320g rice Vialone nano

500ml Dom Perignon

200g strawberries

200g Parmigiano Reggiano

150g butter

1/4 bunch tarragon

5ml 10-year aged balsamic vinegar

1 litre vegetables stock

- Heat vegetable stock (made with brown onion, celery, carrots and zucchini).

- Wash and cut fresh strawberries into small cubes. Cut tarragon thinly.

- Heat pot, add rice without oil or butter, stir until really hot and add 250ml Dom Perignon, reduce and add vegetable stock. Cook for 11-13 minutes (you can see perfect rice cooking when you place a grain on bench and press it with you finger; inside you can see white lines, when you get four different lines, rice is perfectly cooked).

- Take off flame, add butter, parmesan, strawberries, tarragon and ‘’mantecare’’. Place into plate, make hole in middle and pour rest of champagne. Drip 4-5 drops on top of balsamic.

KID-FRIENDLY RECIPES

MasterChef winner Sashi Cheliah’s pancakes

(makes about 8)

1 cup self-raising flour

150ml full cream milk

1/3 cup caster sugar

1 whole egg

Pinch of salt 50g

unsalted butter

Plus toppings of your choice for the pancakes

- Whisk egg and sugar until pale. Add milk and mix well.

- Mix flour and salt into egg and milk mixture until it turns into a thick batter. Set mixture aside for 10 minutes to rest.

- In the meantime, heat flat pan on low heat and lightly butter. Use the 1/3 cup to measure out batter for each pancake, cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

- Serve pancakes with topping of choice - such as maple syrup, cream and berries, which is our favourite

Tip: Add chocolate chips or other flavours to pancake batter.

Strawberries and cream gelato from La Macelleria Gelateria

600ml milk

250g cream

250g sugar

200g fresh strawberries

50g Dextrose

Put all ingredients in a pot and heat to 75C. Let sit in fridge overnight, then blend and add to an ice cream maker.

Donna Hay’s strawberry apple ripple cake

Donna Hay’s strawberry ripple yoghurt cake

400g strawberries, chopped

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

⅓ cup (115g) honey

2 cups (560g) natural Greek-style (thick) yoghurt

Almond base

½ cup (80g) almonds

¼ cup (20g) desiccated coconut

1 tbsp white chia seeds

6 fresh dates (90g), pitted

- Place strawberries, vanilla and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

- Cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to

cool slightly. Using hand-held blender, blend until smooth. Set aside to cool

slightly.

- Place ¼ cup (60ml) of strawberry mixture in bowl and set aside. Add

yoghurt to remaining strawberry mixture and stir well to combine.

- To make base, place almonds, coconut, chia and dates in food processor for two minutes or until mixture comes together. Press

firmly into lightly greased 20cm round spring-form tin lined with non-stick baking

paper.

- Pour over yoghurt mixture. Spoon over reserved strawberry mixture and

gently stir through with knife to swirl. Place in freezer for 4 hours or until

frozen. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Matt Preston’s strawberry jam

Cook down 2kg of hulled, cleaned and dried strawberries with 1.75kg of caster sugar and juice of lemon until setting stage is reached. Tie lemon seeds in a piece of muslin so they are easy to remove. These leach a natural setting agent, while acidity of juice encourages jam to gel. Or, for something new, flavour jam with a teaspoon of anise seeds.