Whenever I catch the start of an Iron Chef episode (which usually happens around midnight, when I should be going to bed), there are certain secret ingredients that I hope to see, like fresh strawberries, that will make me stay up for another hour to watch the results.
Then there are the ingredients that will almost definitely make me turn off the TV and go to bed, not out of anger or frustration (well maybe just a little), but because I don’t find it beneficial for me to stay up to watch someone prepare mackerel five ways.
I mean, how many ways are there to make fish, really?
Goodnight mackerel.
Goodnight moon.
The ingredients that I hope to see when the magical metal lid is lifted in that cloud of dry ice are more along the lines of, well…fruit.
Citrus.
Berries.
You get the idea.
Foods that so kindly lend themselves to savory and sweet as well. An Iron Chef episode with no sweet dishes is a sad time for me.
One secret ingredient that would float my culinary boat would be the strawberry.
I have yet to catch a Battle Strawberry on Iron Chef, but rest assured that it would be one for which I would deem appropriate to lose a little sleep. Beautiful, vibrant, delicious and sensual, strawberries are not to be taken lightly.
And they’re so versatile.
So with warmer weather just around the bend and berries on the brain, I have compiled this (probably less gourmet) Iron Chef menu with five different ways* for you to sink your teeth into a strawberry.
Orange Glazed Strawberry Scones from Le Petit Brioche
Warm Strawberry and Bacon Orzo Salad from How Sweet It Is
Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse from The Alchemist
Strawberry Mojitos from In Good Taste
Salmon with Strawberry Salsa from Annie’s Eats
Strawberry Sangria from In Good Taste
58 Comments
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April 12, 2012 at 3:13 pm[…] and once the shortcakes were done—yum. Not crazy about strawberry shortcake? Here’s some other great ideas for this gorgeous red fruit! And, next time we go on vacation, my packing plan will include the […]
Vanessa
May 4, 2011 at 6:56 pmThat strawberry cheesecake mousse looks amazing. Off to check it out 😀
Emily
May 2, 2011 at 5:54 amI want them all!
Angie@Angiesrecipes
May 2, 2011 at 5:18 amwow Some really awesome ideas and each recipe is a treasure!
Baking Serendipity
May 2, 2011 at 3:58 amStrawberry cheesecake mousse sounds best to me, but I love all these recipes! Awesome post 🙂
Amanda
May 2, 2011 at 12:41 amI absolutely love strawberries! Fantastic pictures. I can’t wait to try the orange glazed strawberry scones.
chopinandmysaucepan
May 1, 2011 at 7:34 pmThe mojitos would be my fav 🙂 Brilliant looking drink.
Lisa
May 1, 2011 at 4:04 pmI think I’m digging the strawberry mojitos. Beautiful photo of strawberries at the top, well..the rest are mouth watering too. Great post!
Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather
May 1, 2011 at 12:38 pmThose orange glazed strawberry scones are getting me excited, they look devine!
Rivki Locker (Ordinary Blogger)
May 1, 2011 at 11:50 amThose scones look fantastic. Thanks for these suggestions. As soon as berries are in season, I go picking with the kids. We pick TENS of pounds each time we go (and pay a FRACTION of the price compared to farmer’s market prices) and they don’t usually last more than a day or two. Mostly we eat them plain. but I try to make a couple of pies too. This will be a great addition. Thanks!
theUngourmet
May 1, 2011 at 5:17 amI would definitely stay up late for Battle Strawberry! I can’t wait for local berries here in Oregon!
-Kim
Angela
May 1, 2011 at 2:49 amI would totally choose you as the Iron Chef in battle strawberry!
Reeni
May 1, 2011 at 1:01 amI would love to see strawberries and more fruits and vegetables in general on Iron Chef! I groan a little when I see fish or meat and sometimes turn it off. These are all delicious – the orzo salad really jumped out at me!
Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets
April 30, 2011 at 11:32 pmI love the variety of sweet and savory dishes here. Great round-up. For several years I’ve always made at least one strawberries & cream dessert every spring/summer. My friend is still talking about my strawberries & cream cupcakes from last year 🙂
Roz
April 30, 2011 at 3:26 pmThanks so much for these Esther (and Maris!). Bacon/orzo/strawberries??? I think I love you!! 🙂 That is a must try. Have a good weekend.
Alexandra (Veggin' Out in the Kitchen)
April 30, 2011 at 7:11 pmI love strawberries!!! These ways to use them look perfect! 😀
<3
Heavenly Housewife
April 30, 2011 at 6:57 pmWonderful recipes. I’m trying to grow some strawberries this year. I hope I have an abundance of pretty berries to try out all these lovely dishes.
*kisses* HH
Dewi
April 30, 2011 at 4:20 pmHow delightful! Love those orange glaze scones.
Laura
April 30, 2011 at 1:37 pmCan’t wait to make some strawberry salsa! And strawberries with orzo sounds pretty good too! Thanks for sharing all these recipes – I just got a whole bunch of strawberries and was in great need of recipes like these!
Euniece@innerpeacehealthytreats&runningfeet
April 30, 2011 at 12:30 pmYUMM THE salmon and strawberry salsa looks so fresh! i definately have to try that one out!
Candace
April 30, 2011 at 11:20 amI’m with you. I would love to catch the Iron Chef showdowns using citrus or strawberries. The recipes that you have featured look soooo good. That Warm Strawberry Bacon Orzo Salad is a must make and the strawberry mojitos? Perfectly refreshing after an afternoon of strawberry picking. I am so looking forward to strawberry season in NH and you’ve increased my anticipation with your post! Thanks so much for stopping by to see me and commenting. I hope you have a fantastic weekend. Candace
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
April 30, 2011 at 7:15 amI love eating seasonally and putting together recipes like this is a very thoughtful way of encouraging everyone to Maris! 😀
Melissa (MelissaLikesToEat)
April 30, 2011 at 3:57 amI don’t normally like “fruit with my food” but those pictures have me thinking twice! 🙂
Sukaina
April 29, 2011 at 8:02 pmFantastic round up Maris. My 2 year old is a strawberry addict so these are soem great ideas for me to try for her.
Anne
April 29, 2011 at 7:36 pmI get strawberries once a week in my CSA box! My husband doesn’t LOVE strawberries but I don’t think he’d say no to those mojitos…delicious looking!
Tessa
April 29, 2011 at 7:01 pmLove this post! I just had to toss a half-full container of moldy strawberries because I didn’t get to use them in time. Thanks for the round-up 🙂
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique
April 29, 2011 at 4:36 pmYum! Everything looks awesome. Have great weekend. 🙂
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
April 29, 2011 at 4:08 pmMmm, there’s nothing better than the first bunch of strawberries in spring, and you’ve got me craving them like crazy now! Great assortment of dishes and ideas in the post, Maris. Thanks for sharing, and have a great weekend.
Lora @cakeduchess
April 29, 2011 at 3:34 pmI love fresh strawberries and all of these recipes are fabulous! I’m particularly drawn to the orange glazed strawberry scones;)Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Susan
April 29, 2011 at 1:33 pmAll of those recipes look wonderful! There is nothing like a sweet, fresh strawberry. It will be another month or so before berry picking time here.
Rosa
April 29, 2011 at 12:53 pmGreat ideas! Everything looks scrummy.
Cheers,
Rosa
Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook
April 29, 2011 at 12:36 pmGorgeous berries! Everything looks so good, who could choose?
Jessica
April 29, 2011 at 12:02 pmOh I am loving the idea of the berry smash muffins. No lie my 2 yr old is obsessed with muffins so I see myself making this probably later today! Love all your ideas for using strawberries. The more we cook with real fresh ingredients the less work we actually have to do!
Maria @ Scandifoodie
April 29, 2011 at 3:40 amOh adorably strawberries! I love them in salads and on their own, they go really well with haloumi cheese as well!
Simply Life
April 29, 2011 at 12:54 amoh I ‘d love a tasting of all of those! 🙂
Tara
April 29, 2011 at 2:34 amStrawberry Cheesecake mousse sounds so good, as do the scones! I love strawberry season. I really like them in a salad with pecans, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegrette!
Bee
April 29, 2011 at 2:06 amI can’t wait for strawberry season to crop up here! Overpaying to pick my own flat of them is totally worth having a huge strawberry supply to play with 🙂
Kate@Diethood.com
April 29, 2011 at 1:38 amStrawberries are my favorite berry… there’s so much that you can do with them, as presented above in all those yummylicious recipes.
I will tackle the scones, while hubz makes the mojitos – he thinks he’s a mixologist… 🙂
Blomma
April 28, 2011 at 9:36 pmThe strawberry mousse look so delicious and the muffins, wonderful, merci pour le partage!
The Teenage Taste
April 28, 2011 at 8:42 pmStrawberries are one of my favorite types of berries. I’m loving the looks of that salmon…mmmmmm!
yummychunklet
April 28, 2011 at 7:58 pmI’ll take that strawberry mojito, please!
Lucy @ The Sweet Touch
April 28, 2011 at 7:23 pmNow to choose a recipe to use up all my strawberries – these all look tasty!
5 Star foodie
April 28, 2011 at 2:17 pmThese are awesome ways to use strawberries! Especially loving that strawberry salsa over salmon.
bellini
April 28, 2011 at 6:52 pmAlthough everything looks delicious, what really caught my eye were the strawberry mojitos. It seems to me to be the perfect way to herald in the season.
Marci
April 28, 2011 at 6:38 pmfresh strawberries are the best! i have a recipe for strawberry loaf and strawberry muffins. delish.
alyssa - fashion fitness foodie
April 28, 2011 at 6:38 pmBest. Post. Ever. Just bought 3lbs of strawberries on sale yesterday for 99 cents!
Mary
April 28, 2011 at 6:20 pmAll the dishes you’ve posted today sound delicious. I’ll have to make a couple of them when I get some time. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
NancyC
April 28, 2011 at 6:14 pmI definitely want to try those Orange-Glazed Strawberry Scones!
Blond Duck
April 28, 2011 at 6:04 pmIt looks fabulous!
MegSmith @ Cooking.In.College
April 28, 2011 at 5:48 pmI cannot wait for strawberries to come into season around here. These recipes are gorgeous and they sound delicious!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective
April 28, 2011 at 3:29 pmGreat ideas. The mousse looks fantastic!
Three-Cookies
April 28, 2011 at 2:59 pmThe mojito looks and sounds fantastic, its nice and sunny outside, wish I had one in my hands now.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen
April 28, 2011 at 2:18 pmCan’t get enough of fresh strawberries! That mousse looks heavenly!
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350
April 28, 2011 at 1:27 pmI love how versatile strawberries are, too. It’s amazing what you can do with them. Thanks for sharing some great inspiration.
Kate
April 28, 2011 at 1:07 pmWhat a great idea! I have seen awesome looking strawberries at the grocery store so this gives me a reason to buy some. Those strawberry mojitos are calling my name 🙂
Daryl
April 28, 2011 at 12:58 pmOh and i LOVE the plate the scones are on!
Daryl
April 28, 2011 at 12:57 pmI am now totally cravng the salmon, the scones, and the cheesecake mousse. Oye vey! Everything looks delicious and I am so excited for strawberry season to start.