(Organic) Strawberry Fields Forever

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Over 80 percent of our nation’s strawberries are produced in California. Many farms spray synthetic pesticides on their fields. Not Smith Farms. Farmer McKay Smith relies on an arsenal of certified organic methods to keep pesky bugs and nematodes from eating into his yield.

Farmer McKay Smith buys young strawberry plants in September. He gets them from farmers in Northern California, so when he plants them on his Orange Country farm in October, the difference in climate fools the plants into thinking it is Spring. The strawberry plants start bearing fruit in January, extending the usual 4-month strawberry season to 6.

Strawberries from Smith Farms

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At The Gadarene Swine in Encino, chef Phillip Frankland Lee serves a dish inspired by the classic pairing of strawberries and champagne. (Photos courtesy of The Gadarene Swine) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

The Gadarene Swine’s Strawberries & Champagne

Yield: Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
2 strawberries, sliced
1 oz Pickled Cucumber Noodles (recipe below)
¼ oz roasted pecans, chopped
⅛ cup green apple, cut into matchstick slivers
Sweet & Sour Onions (recipe below)
Strawberry & Champagne Gazpacho (recipe below)
Wild arugula
Olive oil
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Sea salt

Assembly

In a shallow bowl, arrange the sliced strawberries like shingles in two rows, leaving roughly an inch between them. Lay the Pickled Cucumber Noodles in the empty space between the strawberry rows. Top the noodles with the Sweet & Sour Onions and apples. Sprinkle the pecans in the bowl around the strawberries.

In a separate mixing bowl, toss the arugula with olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt. Arrange the dressed arugula on top of the Pickled Cucumber Noodles.

Finally, pour the Strawberry & Champagne Gazpacho around the strawberries, making sure to leave them exposed.


Pickled Cucumber Noodles

1 cucumber, peeled
Vegetable Spiralizer or Zoodler (veggie noodle maker)

Kale Marinade Ingredients
1 cup white distilled vinegar
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

For the Kale Marinade: Whisk the vinegar and lemon juice together in a bowl. Season with sugar, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Reserve.

Remove the ends of the cucumber. Use the Vegetable Spiralizer or Zoodler to make your cucumber noodles. In a shallow bowl, marinate the cucumber noodles in the Kale Marinade.


Sweet & Sour Onions

Ingredients
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Sauté the red onion on high heat. Add the lime juice, sugar and salt immediately, stirring for about 1 minute (the onions will turn bright pink). Remove the onions from heat and transfer to a bowl, together with their juice. Refrigerate.


Strawberry & Champagne Gazpacho

Ingredients
2 cups strawberries
1 oz pineapple juice
2 oz champagne
½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 oz fresh Italian sweet basil
1 oz fresh mint
½ tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt

Instructions

First blend the strawberries, basil and mint together. Then, add the remaining ingredients and blend on high until smooth. Season the purée with sugar and salt, to taste. Strain and reserve in refrigerator.