Seriously Simple: Celebrate spring with crushed strawberry ice cream
For me, springtime means fragrant, juicy, ruby red strawberries. I just can't get enough of them. I make lots of Seriously Simple strawberry desserts that highlight their unique flavor. Sometimes I pour warm white chocolate over them; or I'll make zabaglione custard and drizzle it on sliced strawberries. This ice cream, with crushed and chopped strawberries, is one of my favorite seasonal desserts.
What to look for when selecting strawberries? You should be able to smell their heady, sweet aroma. If you don't smell anything, pass on them because they won't have much flavor. They should be fully red with no green or white around the stem. Try to select organic, because pesticides can linger on the berry. Strawberries are best served at room temperature to experience their full flavor.
This ice cream has a double taste of strawberries, both crushed and chopped. The frozen canister ice-cream makers that require little churning and only 20 minutes of freezing time may have taken the old fashioned “charm” out of ice-cream making, but they have certainly made it easier. If your ice cream maker holds less than 2 quarts, divide this recipe in half. Serve it in glass ice cream bowls with sliced strawberries and a crispy cookie.
• Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple Parties,” and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.