From strawberry vine to your table

June brings one of the region’s most anticipated harvests — strawberry season. For a few fleeting weeks, local fields burst with rows of bright red berries, offering the unmistakable sweetness and flavor that only fresh-picked fruit can deliver. It’s a seasonal tradition that invites families outdoors to enjoy sunny days and fill baskets at nearby U-Pick farms.

           While spring fades into summer, strawberries reach their peak here, ripening throughout June and rewarding pickers with fruit far sweeter than supermarket varieties shipped from afar. The short harvest season makes each bite feel like a celebration of early summer.

            And the enjoyment doesn’t end at the farm. Back home, those ruby-red berries can take center stage in everything from simple snacks to homemade desserts and refreshing seasonal recipes, bringing a taste of our Long Island summer to every table.

Classic Strawberry Shortcake
The quintessential treat is always in style.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room
  temperature
• 1 package (16 ounces) strawberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cups milk

            Hull strawberries and cut each in half. Combine half of strawberries in a bowl with 2 tablespoons sugar. Combine cream and vanilla with remaining sugar and set aside. Stir cream occasionally to dissolve sugar.

            Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and trace outline of an 8-inch circle. Set aside.

            Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. With a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in 4 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until dough just comes together. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle using outline on parchment paper as a guide. Bake about 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

            Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on pan. Using a serrated knife, slice crosswise in half and carefully separate. Spread insides with remaining room temperature butter. Combine strawberries and cover bottom shortcake layer with half of the strawberry mixture. Replace top cake layer on bottom layer and cover with remaining strawberries. Serve warm, cut into wedges and drizzled with sweetened cream.

Strawberry Arugula Salad
This colorful salad makes a healthy, flavorful statement on your summer table.

• 5 ounces arugula
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 pound strawberries, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion (about ½ small onion)
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta, or 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup halved and thinly sliced radish (about 3 medium)
• 1 medium jalapeño, very thinly sliced (omit if sensitive to spice)

Balsamic vinaigrette:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ tablespoon maple syrup or honey

1 clove garlic, pressed or minced

Pinch of fine sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

            Assemble the salad: On a large serving platter or in a large serving bowl, layer the ingredients as listed.

            Prepare the vinaigrette: In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until fully blended. Taste, and add more salt or pepper if needed. The dressing should be nice and tangy, but you can add more maple syrup for balance if desired.

            When ready to serve the salad, drizzle vinaigrette on top, and toss to combine. Serve promptly. (If you’re planning to have leftovers, store the salad and dressing separately and toss before serving.) Stored separately, leftovers will keep well for 3 to 4 days.

Strawberry-Ricotta Pastry
Perfect for a party or simply indulging yourself, these addictive pastry puffs make it hard to stop at one.

• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 basket fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 cup homemade, part-skim or whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 400 F.

            Cut both puff pastry sheets into nine squares. Make slit in corner of each square toward middle of pastry. Fold corners to other corners to create pinwheel shape. Brush pastry with 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and ground cinnamon then sprinkle on each puff pastry.

            Bake 12-15 minutes until pastry is golden brown and raised.

            In medium saucepan on medium to high heat, pour in remaining granulated sugar and water. Once sugar is dissolved, pour in fresh strawberries. Bring mixture to boil then simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are broken apart and semi-thick sauce is created. Let chill in refrigerator 2 hours. To chill faster, put in freezer 45 minutes.

            In medium bowl, using mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In separate medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until fluffy. Return whipped cream to ricotta mixture and whip 1-2 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.

            Spoon ricotta cream into center of each puff pastry pinwheel. Spoon strawberry compote in middle of ricotta mixture.