First of the season strawberries are in our local Bay Area farmers markets.  Not only do they taste great, but they are so nutritional, as well – packed with Vitamin C, magnesium, Vitamin A, potassium and folate. 

One of my favorite springtime recipes combines these sweet strawberries with the tart taste of my favorite balsamic vinegar.  I add a little hint of spice by grinding black pepper over the top.  And to make it even better, I add a spoonful of creme fraiche just before serving.   

Ingredients
4 baskets fresh strawberries, washed, de-stemmed and cut in half
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I normally use 12-year-old vinegar in this recipe.)
1/4 c. sugar (or to taste)
1 c. crème fraiche
2 T. brown sugar
Black pepper in grinder

Mint for garnish (optional)

You will also need:
Large and medium mixing bowl
Aluminum foil
Mixing spoons
Carving knife
Festive dishes for serving

Instructions
Combine strawberry halves with balsamic vinegar and sugar. Toss to mix. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.

Mix crème fraiche and brown sugar. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.

Take berries out of refrigerator about fifteen minutes before serving. Stir well.

To serve, place strawberries into a festive glass or dish. Sprinkle with freshly-cracked black pepper (if desired). Drop a dollop of crème fraiche over the top. Add fresh mint for garnish.

Serves 8.

This recipe is quick and easy and healthy, too! 

Ingredients
4 slices of thick country bread
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh, seasonal strawberries, coarsely chopped
About 6 medium lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup thick Greek-style yogurt (unflavored, such as Fage)
4 sprigs of lemon verbena for garnish (optional)

You will also need:
Panini maker or cookie sheet and oven

Instructions
Drizzle the bread on both sides with olive oil.  Toast the bread either in the panini maker or else in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove when crisp and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, mix the chopped strawberries with the chopped lemon verbena.  Set aside.

When the bread has cooled slightly, spread each slice generously with the thick yogurt.  Spoon the strawberries over the yogurt.  Drizzle with olive oil. 

Garnish with lemon verbena, if desired.

Servings:  2-4.

I loved this dessert as a child.  My mother and my grandmother made it often in the summertime to feature the wild strawberries that grew near our farm.   We used whipped cream for the topping then, but I have changed the recipe a bit to use creme fraiche.  Either will work beautifully. 

One note on the butter:  I prefer to use European-style butter.  It has a bit more butter fat and less moisture than traditional butter, and I think it gives a better taste and texture to the shortcakes. 

Ingredients
4 baskets fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar

2 cups self-rising flour (see * below)
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, plus a little more for the pan
Approx. 3/4 cup lowfat or regular buttermilk
A little extra self-rising flour to scatter on countertop

1/2 cup creme fraiche

You will also need:
Large bowl
Aluminum foil
Food processor
Biscuit cutter (approx. 2.5″ in diameter)
Baking pan (a 9″ round cake layer pan works great)
Knife
Individual serving plates

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash the strawberries, take off the caps and slice the berries into about 4 pieces each.  If the strawberries are really small, then just slice them in half.   Add the sugar to the berries and stir well.  Cover with aluminum foil and set aside. 

Put the flour into the food processor.  Cut the butter into 8 pieces.  Add the butter, one piece at a time, to the flour and pulse about 5 times after each addition.  When all butter has been added, the flour should have a corn-meal consistency.  Slowly add the buttermilk and pulse until the flour starts to come together.   You may not need exactly all of the buttermilk so add slowly.  When the mixture is moist but not too wet, remove the blade from the food processor and gather the flour mixture into a ball. 

Scatter some flour onto the countertop.  Press the ball out to about 1″ thickness.  Smooth the edges and the top.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut the dough into 7 or 8 circles, gathering up the dough that is left and using it , too. 

Butter a 9″ round cake pan.  Place the shortcake circles into the pan.  Bake for 18 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.  Cut one of the shortcakes in half, forming a top and bottom piece.  Place it openface (cut side up) onto an individual serving dish.  Spoon some of the strawberries and juice over both pieces.  Top each with a dollop of creme fraiche.  Repeat with the others.  Serve immediately. 

Serves 4-6. 

* Note:  Self-rising flour and plain flour are not the same thing.  Self-rising flour has baking powder and salt already added in.  We used it for biscuits, shortcakes and cobblers when I was growing up.  If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own.  Mix together 2 cups plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Ingredients
4 oz. semi-sweet (61%) chocolate, chopped
4 oz. bittersweet (70%) chocolate, chopped
4 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1/8 t. sea salt (fine grain)
6 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2-3 T. amaretto

Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
2 T. powdered sugar
1 T. amaretto

You will also need:
1 small saucepan
1 medium mixing bowl
Strainer
Bowl with spout for pouring
Hand mixer or whisk for topping
Measuring cups and spoons
Large spoons
8-10 small ramekins or pot de crème dishes
Large baking dish
Tea kettle with hot water

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300oF.

Heat 4 cups heavy cream and 1/8 t. salt in a small saucepan until slightly boiling. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes for the chocolate to melt. Add the amaretto. Stir well.

Break the egg yolks into the medium mixing bowl and beat slightly. Add a cup of the melted chocolate mixture to the egg yolks and stir well. Add the remainder of the chocolate mixture to the egg yolks. Stir well to blend. Strain the mixture through a strainer into a bowl with a spout for pouring. Pour the mixture into the ramekins or pot de crème dishes until each one is about ¾ full.
Place the pots de creme into the large baking pan. Place the baking pan onto the middle rack of your oven. Pour hot water into the baking dish, bringing the water up to half the height of the ramekin. (Make sure you don’t get water into any of the ramekins.)

Bake at 300oF for about 30 minutes. The mixture should be set on the sides and a little liquid still in the middle.

Remove from the oven and from the baking plan. Let the pots de crème cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least three hours.

Meanwhile, mix together the remaining 1 cup whipping cream , the powdered sugar and 1 T. amaretto . Whip until it forms stiff peaks. Serve on top of the pots de crème as a garnish.

Ingredients
4-5 lb. beef tenderloin roast
2 cloves garlic
Several sprigs of English thyme
1½ cups water
1 cup red wine
2Tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

You will also need:
Roasting pan
Paring knife
Rack for roasting pan

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425oF.

Rub roast with about 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Peel garlic cloves and split them in half. Rub the meat with the half cloves of garlic. Then rub with a few sprigs of thyme (reserve some for garnish). Generously salt and pepper the roast.

Place into a roasting pan with rack. Pour the water and 1 cup wine into the bottom of the pan (making sure that the liquid does not touch the bottom of the meat. Cook until meat reaches 140oF (for medium-rare). Let roast stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Serves 8.

Ingredients
3 racks of Spring lamb, trimmed
½ cup finely chopped fresh mint
½ cup finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2-3 T. grey sea salt
Cracked pepper

You will also need:
Large roasting pan
Roasting rack
Large dish for marinating
Chopping mat
Chef’s knife
Carving knife

Instructions
Place the chopped mint, chopped rosemary, chopped garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a large dish. Mix well to make a paste. Generously coat the racks of lamb with the herb mixture and let them rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the roasting rack inside the roasting pan and set aside.

After 20 minutes, lightly brush the herb mixture off the lamb. Rub 1 T. grey sea salt onto each rack of lamb. Sprinkle generously with cracked pepper. Place the lamb onto the rack in the roasting pan, fat side up.

Place in the preheated oven and let roast for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches about 145-150oF (for medium-rare). Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. If desired, sauté some fresh chopped mint in a little olive oil for about 30 seconds and serve over the lamb – gives it such a fresh flavor!. Serves 6-8 people.