Summer's Near, So Strawberry Time's Here!

Nothing says summer's around the corner like fresh strawberries showing up in stores and markets.

And on The Early Show Tuesday, Bon Appetit magazine contributing editor Dede Wilson shared some of her favorite, mouthwatering recipes using the fruit. She also shared buying tips.

On the menu: strawberry shortcake, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry jam, and delicious citrus salad.

Right now, abundant crops of strawberries are coming in from California and the South -- Florida, Georgia and even as far north as North Carolina, and in just a few weeks, as the spring/summer progresses, they'll be available inexpensively and fresh throughout the country.

When purchasing strawberries, look for plump fruit with no blemishes. You also want to make sure they don't have large, seedy areas. Choose berries that are bright red, shiny, firm, and not bruised or moldy.

The taste of the strawberry has more to do with its variety, not its size. Small berries, like the ones you can find at most farmers' markets, and larger ones with the longs stems can all have wonderful flavor. If you can taste them before you buy them, so much the better!

If you go to the farmer's market, your sizes will most likely be smaller, and if you go to the supermarket, generally, they're bigger, so make sure you know how much you need for your recipe and bear it in mind.

If you buy at a farmer's market, use the strawberries as soon as possible and don't refrigerate them, for the best taste.

Of course, you can buy them at the farmer's market or supermarket and refrigerate for a few days, but you should serve at room temperature, as opposed to iced cold, which dampens the flavor.

RECIPES

Strawberry-Citrus Salad

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sliced hulled strawberries (about one 22-ounce basket)
3 large navel oranges, peeled, thickly sliced crosswise, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

METHOD:
Toss all ingredients in large bowl. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Summer Strawberry Jam

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8 cups halved hulled strawberries (about 5 pounds)

METHOD:
Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach candy thermometer to sides of pan and boil syrup until thermometer registers 225°F, about 6 minutes. Mix in strawberries. Return mixture to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until jam thickens and thermometer registers 216°F, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Transfer jam to small bowl and cool. Cover and refrigerate.

Strawberry Strawberry Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST
1 cup 10-ounce package shortbread cookies (such as Lorna Doone)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
10 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries (about 2 3/4 cups), thawed, juices reserved
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

TOPPING
1/3 cup strawberry or currant jelly
Three 1-pint baskets fresh strawberries, hulled, halved lengthwise

METHOD:

FOR CRUST:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Grind cookies in processor to coarse crumbs. Add butter and blend until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust until just golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

FOR FILLING:
Puree thawed strawberries and juices in processor until smooth. Measure 3/4 cup puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use); do not wash bowl. Add cream cheese and sugar to processor. Blend until smooth. Using on/off turns, blend in flour. Add eggs; process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add 3/4 cup strawberry puree, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract; process until well blended. Transfer filling to prepared crust.
Bake cake until center is softly set and edges begin to color, puff and crack, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Place hot cheesecake on rack. Refrigerate uncovered on rack until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

FOR TOPPING:
Using small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides. Stir jelly in heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Arrange berry halves atop cheesecake in concentric circles; brush with warm jelly to glaze. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.