When you are blessed with a lot of ripe strawberries all at once, you may be looking for savory ideas in addition to sweet. To get you started, here is a lovely, bright strawberry salsa, spiked with ginger, lemon, balsamic, and fresh herbs – and including radishes, scallions, and (optional) chive blossoms because they are all harvested locally at the same time as strawberries. You can spoon the salsa over warm crostini that have been spread with goat cheese. You can spoon it on grilled swordfish, grilled shrimp, or grilled chicken.

As a bonus, I’ve included a way to turn the salsa into a grain salad (see below). In that recipe, you’ll mix the salsa with cooked (and cooled) quinoa, tiny roasted diced beets (if you like), and more ginger, balsamic, lemon and herbs. Top with chopped roasted almonds. (Or you could use pecans or pistachios if you prefer.) If you’re going to make the salad, the trick is — while you’re making the salsa — to chop extra ginger, gather a few more herbs, and squeeze a little extra lemon juice. Then set those extras aside for the salad. While you’re making the salsa, make the quick-roasted beets (if using).

With both the salsa and the salad, it’s important to season to taste. Strawberries vary in sweetness, herbs vary in intensity, and even lemons vary in acidity. So start with amounts I recommend, let the salsa or salad sit for a few minutes, stir, taste and adjust as you please. This is summer cooking and it’s a great time to build your confidence in tweaking a recipe to your liking.

A note on herbs: I like a combination of thinly sliced mint, sliced chives, chive blossoms, and a bit of garden parsley here, because I am slightly allergic to cilantro (very sad). But when it comes to herbs like mint, cilantro, basil, and Thai basil, they can often be subbed for each other, or even better, combined. So use whatever you have on hand or in your garden. Parsley is nice because it doesn't discolor like the other herbs so you might want to save it and the chives for garnish.  

Strawberry Ginger Salsa

Makes about 2 ½ cups

  • 8 ounces (about 1 generous pint) ripe strawberries, cored and cut into small (¼- to 1/3-inch) dice
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or small-diameter spring onions (or a combination)
  • 4 to 5 small radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger*
  • ½ teaspoon minced fresh jalapeño
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint, basil, or cilantro, plus small leaves for garnish*
  • 2 teaspoons (or more) chive blossoms (optional)*
  • Big pinch of salt
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice*
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar*
  • Pinch or two of organic cane sugar (or to taste)

*(plus more if making salad, see below)

1. Put the strawberries in a medium nonreactive bowl. Add the scallions or spring onions, the radishes, the ginger, the jalapeño, the sliced herbs, and most of the chive blossoms. Toss gently with a small silicone spatula.

2. Drizzle 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) balsamic vinegar over the strawberry mixture, season with salt and sugar, and stir gently. Let sit for 5 or 10 minutes, stirring gently a couple times. Taste and adjust the seasonings with more lemon juice, salt or sugar.

3. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining chive blossoms and small herb leaves. Alternatively, spoon over grilled chicken or fish, or use a slotted spoon and top a crostini spread with warm goat cheese. Or use in quinoa salad below.

 

Strawberry Herbed Quinoa Salad

Serves 4

  • 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (follow package directions)
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ to ¾ cup quick-roasted small-diced beets (or other root vegetable)(optional, but advised!)
  • 1 recipe Strawberry Ginger Salsa (above)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • Organic cane sugar
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons chopped mint, basil, or cilantro (optional)
  • Chive blossoms for garnish (optional)
  • 2 or more tablespoons chopped toasted almonds (or other nut)

 

1. Put the cooled quinoa in a mixing bowl and season very well with salt. (If it has been cooked without salt, it will be bland. Season, stir, taste and repeat if necessary to be sure that it would seem tasty to you if eaten on its own.)

2. Add the quick-roasted beets and the Strawberry Ginger Salsa to the quinoa, and stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Add a teaspoon or so of fresh ginger and stir.

3. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar over all, add a big pinch of sugar, and mix well. Add any fresh herbs you wish and half of the chopped almonds. Stir again and taste. Adjust seasonings any way you like, adding more ginger, lemon juice, balsamic, salt, sugar or herbs! Serve at room temperature, garnished with additional almonds (and chive blossoms if using).