Strawberry sauce

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 20 minutes; Yield: 1 cups 

Strawberries, rinsed, hulled, coarsely chopped	1 pound
Sugar, granulated	1/3 cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon

1. Reserve one third of the chopped strawberries. 
2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the remaining strawberries with the sugar. 
3. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. 
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved strawberries and vanilla. 
5. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature; store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Triple strawberry shortcakes

Active: 1 hour; Total: 2 hours; Serves: 6

Flour, all-purpose	2 cups
Strawberries, freeze-dried	½ cup + ¼ cup
Sugar, granulated	¼ cup + ¼ cup +
Baking powder	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon
Butter, unsalted, cold, cut into small pieces	6 tablespoons
Cream, heavy	¾ cup + 1 cup
Egg	1 large
Strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered	1 ¾ pounds
Lemon juice	½ lemon
Sugar, confectioners’	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Pulse the flour, ½-cup freeze-dried strawberries, ¼-cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until the strawberries are crushed. 
3. Add the butter, and pulse until it is pea-sized pieces. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together ¾-cup cream and an egg. 
5. Pulsing constantly, drizzle the cream mixture into the flour mixture; pulse into the dough comes together. 
6. Transfer to a medium bowl, and kneed three or four times. 
7. Scoop six balls of the dough (about ½ cup each) onto the baking sheet using a large ice cream scoop or a measuring cup, spacing the dough 2 to 3 inches apart. 
8. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. 
9. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
10. Lightly brush each ball of dough with cream, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. 
11. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. 
12. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer the shortcakes to a rack to cool completely. 
13. Meanwhile, puree 2-cups strawberries in a blender until smooth (you should have about 1 cup puree). 
14. Toss the remaining 4-cups strawberries with ½-cup strawberry sauce, ¼-cup granulated sugar, and lemon juice; cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 
15. Crush or finely chop ¼-cup freeze-dried strawberries until powdery; transfer to a large bowl and add 1-cup cream and ¼-cup confectioners’ sugar. 
16. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. 
17. Add the vanilla, and beat until combined. 
18. Gently fold in the remaining ½-cup strawberry sauce; refrigerate until ready to use. 
19. Split each shortcake and fill with the strawberry mixture and strawberry whipped cream. 

Recipe from Food Network Magazine.

Grilled duck breast salad with fried curds & strawberries

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Serves: 4

Duck breast, skin on; pat dry with paper towels; score the fat layer 1-inch apart in a crosshatch pattern	2
Salt, coarse	½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon +
Breadcrumbs, panko	¼ cup
Breadcrumbs, plain	¼ cup
Flour, all-purpose	¼ cup
Egg, lightly beaten	1 large
Cheese curds, fresh as possible; freeze 30 minutes before frying	6 ounces
Oil, extra-virgin olive	3 tablespoons + ½ cup
Baby arugula	5 ounces
Strawberries, sliced or quartered	1 cup
Vinegar, white balsamic	3 tablespoons
Shallots, chopped	2 teaspoons
Dijon mustard	½ teaspoon

1. Heat your panini press to medium-low. 
2. Season the duck with salt and pepper. 
3. Open the press lid, and lay one or both duck breasts on the grill, skin side down. 
4. Leaving the lid open, grill the duck until much of the fat has rendered and the skin is brown and crispy, 9 to 11 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, mustard, ½-teaspoon salt, and ½-teaspoon pepper; while whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil; set aside. 
6. Using tongs, flip the breasts over, and close the lid; grill until the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 150°F, another 3 to 4 minutes. 
7. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain. 
8. Combine the panko, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. 
9. Place the flour and egg in separate shallow dishes. 
10. In a medium-size skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. 
11. Dredge each curd first into flour, then in egg (chef note: coat throughly or the cheese will ooze out during frying), and lastly in the breadcrumbs. 
12. Carefully lower the curds into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd. 
13. Brown the curds, 1 to 2 minutes; drain on paper towels. 
14. Place the arugula and strawberries in a large bowl; pour the vinaigrette over the salad, and toss with tongs. 
15. To serve, divide the salad among four plates, and top each with some fried curds and sliced duck breast. 

Recipe from The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs.

Slow-roasted strawberry sandwiches

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (Roast setting, if you’ve got it). 
2. Gently toss the strawberries with sugar. 
3. In a small glass dish, closely arrange the strawberries in a single layer. 
4. Roast for 3 hours, shaking the dish gently occasionally. 
5. Spread cream cheese on a graham cracker square, layer with roasted strawberries, top with another cracker square, then devour!

Strawberry-honey cake with sour whipped cream

Strawberries, hulled, quartered	1 pound +
Sugar, granulated	¼ cup + 1 cup
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	¾ cup + 1 tablespoon +
Flour, all-purpose	2 1/3 cups +
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Baking soda	½ teaspoon
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon
Eggs, room temperature	3 large yolks + 2 large
Sour cream	1/3 cup + 1 cup
Lemon juice, fresh	1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Honey, wildflower or clover	¾ cup
Water	¼ cup
Cream, heavy	1 cup

1. In a medium bowl, mix the strawberries with ¼-cup sugar; cover and refrigerate overnight. 
2. Strain the berries through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; reserve the syrup for serving. 
3. In a food processor, pulse the macerated berries until finely chopped. 
4. Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center. 
5. Generously butter a 12-cup bundt pan, and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. 
6. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
7. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the ¾-cup butter with 1-cup sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
8. Reduce the speed to low, and beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated; scrape down the sides of the bowl.
9. Beat in the 1/3-cup sour cream, juice, and vanilla, then beat in the chopped strawberries. 
10. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
11. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. 
12. Transfer to a rack, and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. 
13. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
14. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack, and then set the rack on the baking sheet. 
15. In a small saucepan, bring the honey, 1-tablespoon butter, and water to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the honey is dissolved, about 3 minutes. 
16. Using a wooden skewer, gently poke holes all over the cake; the more holes, the more the honey mixture will penetrate every last bite of the cake. 
17. Slowly pour the honey syrup over the top, letting it get absorbed before adding more. 
18. Let the cake cool completely. 
19. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the heavy cream and 1-cup sour cream until soft peaks form. 
20. Slice the cake, and serve with the sour whipped cream, strawberry syrup, and additional fresh strawberries. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, April 2017.

Building a better banana split

Strawberries, rinsed, hulled, coarsely chopped	1 pint
Cream, heavy	1 pint + 2/3 cup + ½ cup
Half-n-half	1 ½ pints
Eggs, lightly beaten	2 large
Sugar, granulated	1 ½ cups + 1/3 cup
Flour	1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Cocoa powder, Dutch processed	1 tablespoon + ¼ cup
Sugar, dark brown	¼ cup + 2/3 cup
Salt	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon
Corn syrup	¼ cup + ½ cup
Pineapple, fresh, finely chopped	2 cups
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon
Chocolate, bittersweet, chopped	3 ounces + 3 ounces
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Almonds, chopped, toasted	½ cup
Banana, peeled, split in half lengthwise	1 large
Cherries, maraschino	2

1. Set aside about one-third of the chopped strawberries. 
2. Combine the remaining strawberries and 1/3-cup sugar in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. 
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. 
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved strawberries and 1-teaspoon vanilla. 
5. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature; store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 
6. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 1 ½-cups sugar, flour, and 1-teaspoon vanilla until creamy; add 1-pint cream and half-n-half. 
7. Divide the custard equally into three smaller bowls. 
8. Cover one bowl of plain vanilla with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. 
9. In one bowl, whisk in 1-tablespoon cocoa powder; cover with plastic wrap and chill. 
10. In the last bowl, whisk in 1-cup of the strawberry sauce; cover with plastic wrap and chill. 
11. Pour the vanilla custard into your favorite ice cream making machine and churn into a frozen confection, following the manufacture’s instructions; store overnight in an airtight container to make the ice cream freeze harder. 
12. Repeat with the chocolate and strawberry custards, cleaning between batches. 
13. Meanwhile, make the pineapple sauce by combining the 1/3-cup dark brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a saucepan. 
14. Stir in ¼-cup corn syrup and pineapple. 
15. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
16. Cook until it starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
17. Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice. 
18. Cool completely before using; store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. 
19. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 2/3-cup cream, ½-cup corn syrup, 1/3-cup brown sugar, ¼-cup cocoa powder, salt, and 3-ounces chocolate to a boil. 
20. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
21. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining chocolate, butter, and 1-teaspoon vanilla, stirring until smooth. 
22. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before using; store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until its pourable but still thick. 
23. Whip ½-cup cream until stiff peaks form; spoon into a pastry bag that has a star tip attached, and chill until needed. 
24. Place the banana in a long boat dish. 
25. Place a large scoop of chocolate ice cream between the split banana in the center of the dish. 
26. Add an equally large scoop of vanilla and strawberry ice cream on either side of the chocolate. 
27. Spoon the pineapple sauce over the vanilla ice cream. 
28. Spoon the strawberry sauce over the strawberry ice cream. 
29. Pour the hot fudge over the chocolate ice cream. 
30. Generously pipe two large blobs of whipped cream between the ice cream scoops, and sprinkle with toasted almonds. 
31. Top the cream blobs with cherries.