Recipes: Warm Cornmeal Shortcake With Strawberries

WARM CORNMEAL SHORTCAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Serves 8.

Note: From "Eating Local: The Cookbook Inspired by America's Farmers" by Janet Fletcher (Andrews McMeel, $35).

For cake:

• 1 1/2 c. sifted flour, plus more for pan

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 c. fine semolina

• 1/2 tsp. kosher or sea salt

• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan

• 2/3 c. sugar

• 2 eggs, at room temperature

• 1 c. buttermilk

For strawberries:

• 3 pints strawberries (or a mix of strawberries, raspberries and boysenberries), rinsed, stemmed, hulled and sliced

• 1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. sugar, divided

• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. brandy, or to taste

• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornmeal, semolina and salt until well-blended.

In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar gradually, beating constantly until mixture is pale and light, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract, beating until well-blended. Reduce speed to low, add half of dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated. Add buttermilk and beat until just blended, then add remaining dry ingredients and beat until just blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until cake is firm to the touch and beginning to pull away from sides of pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert cake to a wire rack, and cool completely, with cake facing top up.

To prepare strawberries: In a large bowl, gently combine strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar and brandy and let macerate at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut off ends of cake, then cut cake into 8 equal slices. Arrange slices on a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in oven until hot through and slightly crusty, about 5 minutes. Transfer slices to individual dessert plates. Spoon some of macerated berries and their juices over cake. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and serve immediately.

SUMMER GREENS WITH HAZELNUTS AND BERRIES

Serves 6.Note: From "The Heartland: New American Cooking" by Beth Dooley (Williams-Sonoma, $22.95).

For salad:

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 6 oz. mixed salad greens such as curly endive, chervil and dandelion

• 1 c. rinsed, stemmed, hulled and sliced strawberries

For vinaigrette:

• 1/4 c. raspberry vinegar

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 1/2 c. hazelnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 c. raspberries, crushed

• Pinch of sugar

Directions

To prepare salad: In a bowl, combine onion slices with ice water to cover and reserve.

To prepare vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together raspberry vinegar, shallot and mustard. Whisk in hazelnut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil). Stir in raspberries and sugar.

To assemble salad: Drain onion slices and dry. In a large bowl, combine greens, strawberries and onion and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat lightly. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Sprinkle hazelnuts over salad and serve.

STRAWBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIE

Serves 1 to 2.

Note: From "Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe" by Mollie Katzen (Hyperion, $29.95).

• 1 medium-sized ripe banana, peeled and sliced

• 8 to 10 large strawberries, rinsed, stemmed and hulled

• 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

• 1 to 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

Makes 2 quarts.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. From "Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes" by Andrea Reusing (Clarkson Potter, $35).

• 1 quart (about 3 c.) strawberries, rinsed, stemmed and hulled

• 3/4 c. sugar, or more to taste

• 1 1/2 c. buttermilk, preferably full-fat

• 1 1/2 c. heavy cream

Directions

In a large bowl, combine strawberries, sugar and salt. With a potato masher, coarsely crush the fruit, combining it with the sugar. Stir in buttermilk and cream and combine well. Freeze in an ice cream maker.

RHUBARB WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CANDIED GINGER

• 11/2 lb. rhubarb

• 1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed

• 1 tsp. minute tapioca

• Juice and long strands of zest of 1 small orange

• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

• 4 slices candied ginger, cut into thin strips

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse rhubarb, trim off ends of stalks and slice them crosswise into 1/2-inch chunks (if stalks are very thick, halve them lengthwise first). In a large bowl, toss rhubarb with sugar, tapioca, orange juice, orange zest and cloves. Arrange mixture in an 8- by 10-inch gratin dish. Cover with foil and bake until fruit is tender when pierced with a knife, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter strawberries over top of rhubarb, and let stand with a piece of foil placed loosely over top of gratin dish (the rhubarb's heat will open up the flavor of the berries, cooking them slightly). Served chilled or at room temperature, garnished with candied ginger.

STRAWBERRY WINE COOLERS

Serves 6.

• 1 lb. strawberries, rinsed, stemmed and hulled

• 2 oz. vodka

• Generous pinch kosher salt

• 2 750-ml. bottles off-dry white wine, such as American-grown Riesling, chilled, divided

• Ice cubes

Set aside 6 strawberries for garnish. In a blender, combine remaining strawberries, vodka, salt and 1 3/4 cups wine and puree on highest setting for 1 minute, until mixture is smooth and frothy. Strain mixture through a coarse-mesh strainer or colander into a quart-size pitcher to remove any large bits of pulp, pressing mash into strainer with a spoon to release as much liquid as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. When ready to serve, fill 6 large wine glasses with ice cubes and pour strawberry mixture until each glass is only half full. Top each glass with a couple splashes of cold wine, stir, garnish with a split strawberry on rim of glass and serve.

STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Makes about 1 pint.

Note: From "Gale Gand's Brunch!" by Gail Gand (Clarkson Potter, $27.50).

• 2 pints strawberries, rinsed, stemmed, hulled and halved

• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions