Recipes: Novel strawberry dishes

It has been a great summer so far for growing and the strawberries haven’t let me down. They taste unbelievably flavoursome and are the stawberriest strawberries I’ve ever tasted.

This is the first year I have grown the fruit and I had no idea that there would be such a bevy of them. In fact, there have been so many, I have been trying to come up with novel ways to eat them.

They are in season at the moment and are on special offer – you can get three punnets for €4 in Supervalu. Here are a few interesting strawberries recipes to try including a Strawberry Samosa dish that is the perfect dessert to follow a curry and a delicious Strawberry daiquiri for a warm sunny day.

Strawberry wontons with chocolate strawberries

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the strawberry wontons

• 2 sheets ready-rolled filo pastry
• 55g strawberries, hulls removed, flesh chopped
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying

For the chocolate strawberries

• 5 strawberries
• 85g dark chocolate
• Icing sugar, to serve

Instructions

1. For the strawberry wontons, cut the filo pastry into 8cm/3in squares.
2. Place a teaspoonful of the chopped strawberries into the centre of each of the pastry squares.
3. Using a pastry brush, brush the edge of each pastry square with beaten egg, then seal the edges to create parcels.
4. Heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it.
5. Carefully lower the strawberry wontons into the hot oil in batches and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside on a warm plate. Repeat the process with the remaining wontons.
6. For the chocolate strawberries, bring a small amount of water to the boil in a pan. Reduce the heat until the water is simmering, then suspend a heatproof bowl over the water. (Do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water.) Add the chocolate to the bowl and stir until smooth and completely melted.
7. Cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Dip the bottom half of each of the strawberries into the melted chocolate, then place the strawberries onto the baking tray and set aside to cool and set. When cool, chill the chocolate strawberries in the fridge. Reserve the remaining melted chocolate, reheating as necessary.
8. To serve, place the chilled chocolate strawberries onto a serving plate and place the strawberry wontons alongside. Dust with icing sugar, then drizzle over the remaining melted chocolate. Serve immediately.

Strawberry daiquiri

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 20ml fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 35ml dark rum
• 15ml strawberry liqueur
• 4 large strawberries, plus one extra strawberry, to garnish
• 1 scoop crushed ice

Instructions

1. Blend the lime juice, sugar, rum, strawberry liqueur, strawberries and crushed ice in a food processor until smooth.
2. To serve, pour the mixture into a large wine glass. Hook the remaining strawberry over the side of the glass.

Strawberry samosas

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Pinch of salt
• 25g unsalted butter, plus extra for brushing
• 2 tbsp warm milk
• Vegetable oil for shallow frying

For the filling

• 225g strawberries, hulled and chopped
• ½ lemon, zest only
• 50g soft light brown sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon

For the yoghurt dressing

• 175g Greek yoghurt
• Lots of freshly chopped mint

For the basil syrup

• 200g caster sugar
• 150ml water
• Splash of vanilla extract
• Lots of fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then ‘cut’ the butter into it until combined. Add the milk and form into a dough, then cover and chill for 20 minutes.
2. For the filling, put the strawberries into a bowl, add the lemon zest, sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into six circles. Cut each circle in half and place a little of the strawberry mixture in one corner then fold over the opposite corner to make a tight triangle. Press down the edges to seal and brush with a little butter.
4. Heat the oil and shallow-fry the samosas until crisp and golden on all sides.
5. To make the yoghurt dressing, simply combine the yoghurt and mint in a bowl.
6. For the basil syrup, put the sugar, water and vanilla in a pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool, then put in a food processor with the basil and blend, then pass through a very fine sieve.
7. Serve a couple of samosas with a dollop of yoghurt dressing and a swirl of basil syrup.