Red and Delicious

I believe one of the most iconic fruits of the summer is the ripe, red and regal strawberry.  This simple berry creates an image in our minds of romantic nights out, love and sophistication.  The images of long stem strawberries dipped in chocolate or macerated in sugar and places so gently on top of sweet shortcake are classic images…. and boring…so…

This spring I wanted to do something different with strawberries, and I found my inspiration from a childhood favorite…. Pie!

Growing up one of my favorite pies was my Grandma Jones’ strawberry and rhubarb pie.  The sweet and tart mixed perfectly together between a light, flaky and crispy crust was the truest expression of spring in my young eyes.  This flavor combination was my gateway to my newest creation, and once I started playing with the flavors and combinations, I just couldn’t stop!

My first goal was to recreate that amazing filling, not an easy task since Grandma made everything from memory.  But as I was prepping the berries I remembered the classic Italian treat I enjoyed on a trip I took to Modena,  Italy when I was studying abroad.  We visited a family vineyard that had been making balsamic vinegar for centuries and they treated us to an Italian taste of spring, fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar right from the cask. 

With these memories running through my head I made a strawberry, rhubarb, fresh orange and white balsamic vinegar compote.  The white balsamic brings out the sweetness in the orange while also adding just a touch of tartness and enhancing the flavor of the berries.  This compote would be my base for all the dishes I would make.

 

This is a fruit compote mini tart with an orange and balsamic glaze whipped cream topped with a bit of candied orange peel.  The whipped cream is a burst of fresh and exciting flavors that lighten and enhance the whipped cream, while the candied orange peel adds another element of texture to the tart shell and baked compote.

Consider, for your next plated dinner an individual tart topped with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with chocolate balsamic vinegar.  The warm tart starts to melt the ice cream as the dish is plated and the chocolate balsamic drizzled over the top adds a fresh and tart bite, while enhancing the strawberries with a bright chocolate taste.

For an elegant passed dessert I made our filled strawberries with the orange balsamic whipped cream topped with a pipette of chocolate balsamic vinegar.  This was a pure expression of spring, with bright flavors and a perfectly ripe strawberry to top off the mix. 

But the best is saved for last; I give you my favorite --  challah and croissant bread pudding with strawberry and rhubarb compote,  topped with strawberries, orange zest and chocolate balsamic vinegar.  The pudding was silky smooth, while also being light and creamy.  In between the layers of bread I spooned some of the compote so you would have pockets of fruit when you serve up this delicious treat.

I never could recreate my grandmothers’ strawberry rhubarb pie, but I hope my spin on her classic leaves her smiling.

Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!