Strawberry Ice Cream

This recipe comes from Alice Waters’ “The Art of Simple Food” and makes about 1 quart.  In a small bowl, whisk briefly, just enough to break up:

3 egg yolks

Measure into a heavy-bottomed pot:

3/4 Cup half-and-half

1/2 Cup sugar

Heat the half-and-half over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  When hot, whisk a little of the half-and-half into the egg yolks – this is called “tempering” the eggs – and then whisk the warmed yolks back into the hot mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.  Do not let it boil.  Remove from the heat (you can strain it, but I never bother) and add:

3/4 Cup heavy cream

Cover the mixture and chill.  Meanwhile, wash, dry and hull:

3 Cups fresh picked strawberries

Mash, and then add:

1/4 Cup sugar

A dash of lemon juice

Let the strawberries macerate in their own juices, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has melted.  Add the berries to the cold cream mixture and flavor with:

A couple drop of pure vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

Chill thoroughly, then freeze in an ice-cream maker.

This recipe will work with any berries, and you could add or substitute peaches and nectarines.

Wicked and Wonderful Strawberry Pie

Back in the corn-belt, the measure of a strong crop was corn “knee high by fourth of July.”  In these parts, folks measure and mark by the ripening fruits and this is the time for strawberries.  June’s full moon was, after all, the Strawberry Moon.  Along the coast, the berries have come ripe and the fields opened this morning.  By chance, we were the first ones to arrive and picked about 6 quarts.  E ate handfuls and was very happy.

About one hour inland the berries were ripe almost two weeks ago.  Farmer Martha has gone picking several times.  On one trip she hauled out 48 pounds.   By her permission, we are posting this recipe for a quick and easy summer treat.  The strawberry filling comes from her memory, while the nut crust comes from Martha Stewart’s “Pies & Tarts.”

For the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, butter a pie pan and into a food processor put:

5 oz toasted almonds

Pulse until they are finely chopped, but not to the point of almond butter.  Then combine in a bowl:

2T + 2t granulated sugar

1.5 Cup All Purpose Flour

Add the flour-sugar mixture into the processor and pulse, and then pour into the processor, through the top:

½ Cup unsalted butter, melted

Pulse just until the dough comes together.  Then roll out the dough, nip and tuck to fit into the buttered pan, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let it cool.

Into the cooled crust slice lots of berries, until the crust is about, say, one-half full.  If you like, add in some ripe mangoes.  In the processor, combine and macerate:

a good handful or two or three of fresh strawberries,

1/3 Cup granulated sugar (or to taste)

3T corn starch

Put all this into a saucepan and heat until it thickens, stirring often.  Pour the macerated berries over the sliced berries and chill.