What to do with the early strawberry bonanza

ARLINGTON — It’s already time to pick strawberries.

Mother Nature usually cooperates with the end of the school year, so that berries are ripe by mid-June and ready for you-pick when kids begin summer vacation.

Strawberries are coming on two weeks early this year, said Dianna Biringer, whose family owns 17 acres of strawberries near Arlington. Biringer Farms has the biggest strawberry crop in Snohomish County, which in the heyday was home to about 2,000 acres of strawberries.

Smaller operations are open for picking this weekend as well, including the Bailey farm south of Snohomish and the Bolles farm south of Monroe.

Don’t wait too long to get out there since most local growers focus on June-bearing strawberries only.

“If we get hot weather, we could be looking at a three-week season,” Biringer said.

So what to do with those strawberries?

• Slice them into a spinach salad with goat cheese and almonds.
• Bake up the recipe on the Bisquick box for strawberry shortcake.
• Definitely freeze some whole on a cookie sheet and then bag them up for use later.

At the Biringer house, strawberry season often coincides with daughter Melody’s birthday.

“The day she was born we had 400 pickers working, so my husband Mike couldn’t go to the hospital with me,” Biringer said.

Melody’s birthday cake, which her mom says will hold 52 candles this year, is made each year of layers of angel food cake, vanilla pudding and sliced strawberries with whipped cream on top.

Go pickin’

Biringer Farm: 21412 59th Ave. NE, Arlington; 425-259-0255; info@biringerfarm.com; www.biringerfarm.com.

Bolles Organic Berry Farm: 17930 Tualco Loop Road, Monroe; 425- 876-9878; www.facebook.com/bollesorganic.

Bailey Farms: 12711 Springhetti Road, Snohomish; 360-568-8826; baileyveg@gmail.com; www.baileyveg.com.

Here are a few other ideas on how to use strawberries:

Strawberry popsicles

3 pounds strawberries

1½ cups sugar

4 ripe bananas

Mash berries and bananas. Add sugar and mix well. Pour into popsicle molds (or paper cups with sticks) and freeze.

Courtesy Biringer Farms

Strawberry cream pie

For the pastry:

1 cup flour, unsifted

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup salad oil

1 tablespoon milk

For the filling:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

½ cup sifted powdered sugar

1 8-ounce container whipped topping

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch

2 to 3 cups fresh strawberries

For the pastry, blend flour, sugar, salt, oil and milk in a 9-inch pie plate with a fork and shape into crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Let cool.

For the filling, let cream cheese soften then whip until fluffy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Continue to beat until well blended. Add vanilla, blend well. Pour on top of cooled prepared pie crust. Chill.

For the topping, combine in saucepan water, sugar and cornstarch; cook until mixture thickens (a full boil and turns clear, about 8 to 10 minutes). Stir just until fresh fruit is blended into sauce.

Pour the berry topping over the chilled cream cheese in pie crust. Chill.

Courtesy Biringer Farms

Strawberry nut bread

3 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1¼ cup cooking oil

2 cups sliced strawberries

1¼ cup pecan pieces

Sift together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar in large mixing bowl.

In separate large bowl, combine eggs, oil, strawberries, and pecans. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add strawberry mixture, stirring just enough to moisten dry ingredients.

Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Courtesy Biringer Farms

Strawberry rose gin fizz

6 large or 12 small strawberries, preferably local

2 teaspoons sugar

4 shots gin

3/4 teaspoon rose water

pinch of salt

½ cup club soda (or more to taste)

Lime slices

Chop or mash the strawberries into small pieces. Cover the berries with sugar and let sit for at least 5 minutes, preferably longer. Mash the berries a bit more. Fill a cocktail shaker (or large mason jar) with ice. Add the berry mixture, gin, rose water and salt. Shake well. Pour into two glasses, with or without ice. Top up with club soda. Add a generous squeeze of lime juice.

Adapted from “Dessert For Two”

Strawberry basil lemonade

1 cup strawberries, hulled

1/4 cup basil

1 cup lemon juice (4-6 lemons)

1 cup simple syrup (see note)

4 cups water

Ice to taste

Purée strawberries and basil in a food processor or blender and optionally strain through a fine mesh sieve. Mix the strawberry and basil puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, water and ice, and enjoy. Makes 8 servings.

Note: To make simple syrup: Simmer 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and chill before using.

Source: Florida Strawberry Growers Association.

Chilled rhubarb-strawberry soup with black pepper ricotta

For the soup:

Scant 7 ounces (about 21/2 medium stalks) rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (11/2 cups)

14 ounces seedless cucumber

13 ounces strawberries, hulled and each cut in half

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup filtered water

Kosher salt

For the balsamic reduction:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch kosher salt

For the ricotta:

1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

This chilled soup, the Spring Dining Guide’s Sous-Chef Challenge entry from Red Hen sous-chef Krystal Cripe, is perfect for serving in warm weather. She says the classic fruit pairing is something she grew up with, but it took a fair amount of experimentation for her to find the right balance between sweet and tart flavors.

Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

For the soup, fill a large bowl with ice water.

Fill a medium pot with water; add a generous pinch or two of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the chopped rhubarb; cook for 1 to 11/2 minutes, just until tender, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the rhubarb to the ice-water bath. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, peel and coarsely chop all but 1 ounce of the cucumber (to yield 21/4 cups). Cut the remaining unpeeled cucumber into very small dice; reserve for a garnish.

Drain the rhubarb and transfer all but a few pieces to a blender or food processor. Add the peeled, chopped cucumber, the strawberries, balsamic vinegar and water. Puree until smooth. Season lightly with salt; transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate until well chilled.

For the balsamic reduction, combine the balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and vinegar has barely reduced; watch closely so the mixture does not burn. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.

For the ricotta, whisk together the ricotta and pepper in a medium bowl until well incorporated. Season lightly with salt.

When ready to serve, cut the reserved pieces of rhubarb into very small dice. Ladle the chilled soup among individual bowls. Spoon a dollop of the black pepper ricotta at the center of each portion. Sprinkle the diced rhubarb and cucumber in each bowl, then drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Serve right away.

Makes 4 servings.