Risotto alle fragole e prosecco (strawberry risotto)

For ➍-➏*
2 tbs minced onion (or shallot)
3 tbs julienned celery
50 g unsalted butter
400 g short-grained rice (preferably Carnaroli, otherwise Arborio)
25 cl good dry sparkling wine**
simmering vegetable broth
350 g firm strawberries, hulled & finely sliced
4 tbs grated Parmigiano***

Sauté the onion and celery until well wilted in ⅔ of the butter, then remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Stir the rice into the butter and cook over a moderate flame, stirring, for 5-7 m.

Stir the onion and celery back into the rice, stir to heat through, and add the wine. Continue stirring until the wine is completely evaporated, then begin adding broth a ladle at a time.

The rice should be done in about 15 m.

Stir in the strawberries, cook stirring gently for 1 more m, turn off the flame, stir in the remaining butter and cheese, cover for 1 m.

Serve in individual portions: set aside the 4 prettiest strawberries, split them, and place them on top of the ristto in the bowls, garnishing with either mint or celery leaves.

*Cut down quantities by ¾ for ➍
**Use a dry white wine instead
***For a more creamy variation: add 12 cl cream to the risotto instead of cheese, don't use leek, use dry white wine, add salt and pepper when finishing cooking, decorate with a few mint sprigs. You could serve it with a thickened balsamico glacé around it.

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Fragole con limone e menta (strawberries with lemon & mint)

For ➍
300 g strawberries
lemon juice
caster sugar*
lemon zest
fresh mint*

Put glass serving bowls in the freezer for a few h.

Clean strawberries. Put in frosted bowls. Squeeze over a little lemon juice. Add a good sprinkling of caster sugar, a tiny bit of lemon zest and a little torn fresh mint.*

*Even quicker: replace the sugar and mint with a little high quality and colourless mint syrup to coat the strawberries.
**More elaborated is the balsamico way, that might be served with clotted cream or a cream combination.
In a small saucepan, combine 4 cl balsamic vinegar, 1½ ts sugar and juice of ½ lime (= ½ ts).
Bring to a boil and boil until syrupy, about 3 m. Pour into a small container and chill.
Whip together 15 cl of heavy cream and 10 cl cream cheese (or mascarpone), 1 tbs sugar and 1 ts vanilla until well combined. Store in a covered container in the fridge.
Toss 300 g strawberries, halved, with 2 tbs sugar, balsamic syrup and 1 ts fresh chopped mint. Chill for 30 m.
Serve strawberries over whipped cream cheese.

Witte rijstpap (White rice pudding)

For ➏
6 dl milk
110 g risotto rice
cinnamon stick
1 ts vanilla extract
20 g sugar
peel of 1 (non-treated) lemon
2 gelatin sheets
1.5 dl cream
1 tbs butter
1 tbs sugar
juice of 3 oranges
200 g strawberries
a shot of Pernod
2 star anise

Bring milk to a boil. Add the rice, sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon. Cook on mild heat for 30-35 m until the rice is soft.

Melt the gelatin in the mix.

Pour in a baking tin and cool in the refrigerator for 30 m.

Beat the cream and fold in the mix.

Lightly oil 6 serving cups. Pour rice in. Cool for 2 h in the refrigerator.

Caramelize 1 tbs of sugar in 1 tbs of butter. Add the orange juice. Thicken for a few m. Add 200 g strawberries, a shot of Pernod and 2 star anise. Cook mildly until mushy. Push through a fine sieve. Serve the remaining strawberry mash as a sauce.

Originally an Arab recipe, and spread from Baghdad to Spain, the mix of rice and sweetness was probably imported in the Low Countries during the Spanish rule in the 16th century. Rice still being an expensive product, it was reserved for feasts, as shown in the paintings of Brueghel.
The classic Flemish 'rijstpap' is made with rice and sugar, and saffron to add colour. It is served with brown sugar. This white fusion recipe is modern.
Read the related 'rijsttaart' (Belgian rice tart) recipe.

Quick & fluffy raspberry pastries

For ➍
4 sheets frozen puff pastry (12 x 12 cm), thawed
30 cl cream at room temperature
1 tbs powdered sugar
1 cup raspberries/strawberries
zest of 1 lime & 1 lemon
juice of ½ lemon

Preheat oven at 220°C.

Cut your dough into 2 pieces and place on a buttered baking sheet or silicone mat.

Cover with butter paper and baking beans so the dough can not arise. Put 8 m in the oven.

Remove the cakes from the oven, remove the paper and baking beans. Put the pastries in the oven for 3-4 m to brown. Let cool.

Whip the cream with the sugar. When the cream is pretty stiff, add the zest and juice. Stir gently.

With a nozzled pastry bag, spread the cream on the pastries. On the edges build a second layer of cream.

Put 4-5 raspberries/strawberries in the middle and dust with powdered sugar.

White chocolate & strawberry tart

For ➓ 

375 g sweet shortcrust pastry* 

200 g white chocolate 

500 g mascarpone 

450 g strawberries 

1 tbs icing sugar

 

Preheat the oven to 200 C°. Roll the dough on a flat surface, line a buttered flan tin (23 cm) , blind bake for 10 m. Remove the baking beans and paper and put in for a further 5 - 10 m until golden brown. Set on a wire rack and leave to cool.

Melt the white chocolate with 125 g of the mascarpone in a bain-marie. Transfer to a mixing bowl and, using an (electric) whisk, beat in with the rest of the mascarpone until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the pastry case and set the cake to chill in the fridge for 3 h.*

Wash the strawberries and remove the green. Puree 150 g of them in a food processor, then mix in the icing sugar. Set to chill.

When the cake is set and you're ready to serve, take it out of the fridge, cut up the remaining strawberries and spread them on the cake. Cut the cake up and pour some of the strawberry coulis over the individual pieces.

*Alternatively, use a ready-made pastry case instead. Or bake six rounds of pastry to put in an individual serving cup. Pour chocolate mixture over it and set to cool.

Bahia clericot

For ➍
1 bottle dry white wine
1 diced apple
1 peeled orange, sliced
2 peeled peaches, diced
½ pineapple, peeled & diced
a few cut strawberries
a few seedless grapes
1-3 tbs of sugar

Put all the fruit in a pitcher. Add sugar and enough white wine to cover the fruit. Let the fruit absorb the alcohol for a couple of hours in the fridge.

When ready to serve, add the remaining wine and a lot of ice.

*Essential is the combination of white wine and fruit, most fruit is suitable.

This classic Brazil summer breeze drink was invented in colonial Punjab in the 19th century. Let's call it Indian and English as well.
For a stronger version, see another clericot.