From jam to muffins.. these strawberry recipes are the pick of the bunch
Great value recipes in association with Morrisons
BRITISH strawberries are lovely at this time of year – but they are not around for long, so make the most of them.
For decades people simply turned the abundance of our summer fruit into jam. But there are several ways of preserving them, meaning you can have strawberries all year round.
Here are some ideas to make your punnets last longer, including an easy jam recipe that will impress your family and friends. Just remember to wash the strawbs first!
One punnet strawberry jam - £1.20 per jar
MAKES one jar. Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes. A serving contains 42 calories (2 per cent of recommended daily adult intake), 0g fat (0 per cent), 0g saturated fat (0 per cent), 10g sugar (11 per cent), 0g salt (0 per cent).
YOU NEED:
230g hulled strawberries, washed and dried (1 punnet)
230g granulated sugar (equal to strawberry weight)
1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Knob of unsalted butter (optional)
METHOD: Put 2 sterilised small jars – or one 250ml capacity jar – in the oven at 140C for 15 minutes
and leave there until needed.
Put 2 small plates in the freezer to chill. Place the strawberries in a large saucepan and crush with a masher before adding the sugar and lemon juice.
Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until all the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Test a drop of jam on a chilled plate and place in the fridge for 30 seconds.
Run your finger through the drop and if tacky, it is ready.
If not, boil the mixture for another minute and retest until ready. Skim any scum off the top with a spoon and add a knob of butter to disperse any remaining scum if you wish.
Ladle into 2 small 125ml clip-top jars or 1 250ml jar and seal them immediately.
Alternatively, you can use a glass with a wax paper disc, leave to cool and then put cellophane on with a rubber band.
TIP: To sterilise jars simply, use them straight from the dishwasher.
Strawberry Muffins - 13p per muffin
MAKES 8. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 25 minutes. Each muffin contains 323 calories (12 per cent of the recommended daily adult intake), 7g fat (10 per cent), 1g sat fat (5 per cent), 14.5g sugar (16 per cent), 0.7g salt (12 per cent).
YOU NEED:
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
125ml milk
1 egg
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
100g caster sugar
225g plain flour
150g chopped fresh strawberries. If using frozen, simply thaw a little, then chop and add to the muffins.
METHOD: Preheat oven to 190C/gas 5. Grease an eight-hole muffin tin or line it with paper cases.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, milk and egg. Beat lightly.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Toss in the chopped strawberries and stir to coat with flour. Pour in the milk mixture and stir together.
Divide equally between the paper cases/ muffin tin holes. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the tops feel springy. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from tin.
TIP: Freeze muffins for a tasty treat in the future. Just let them cool completely then pop in freezer bags.
Strawberry smoothie - £1.24 per serving
SERVES 1. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Plus freezing time. A serving contains: 433 calories (22 per cent of the recommended daily adult intake), 5g fat (7 per cent), 1g sat fat (5 per cent), 50g sugar (55 per cent, 0.3g salt (5 per cent).
YOU NEED:
40g oats
250ml skimmed milk
1 medium banana
14 frozen strawberries
½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp honey
METHOD: First, freeze your strawberries – wash, dry then hull them, put them in freezer bags and place in the freezer.
Once they are frozen, remove them from the freezer and blend, along with all other ingredients until the smoothie has reached the desired thickness. If it is too thick, add water as required. Best served cold with a straw and a strawberry on the side of the glass for added colour.
TIP: Add 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed for extra vitamins and fibre.