Strawberry and Vanilla Velouté -- Velouté de fraises à la vanille

How the idea started:

I swear, the oddest happened. At the beginning of winter, I took one of my azaleas inside just because it was going to be unhappy alone in its pot outside. One day, I am sitting at the dinner table and look at it wondering, "Funny, it almost looks like there is a flower there!". You are not awake yet. A few days later, I saw this:


I cannot believe I had tricked my plant into thinking it was Summer! Maybe I can do this with you? ;-)

Swim swim, swim. It could almost be Spring then. A real strawberry bath, soft, fragrant, delicate.

This dessert is simple (yes, très très simple!) and just delicate. With it comes the taste of wine (I should put a bit more next time), the velvety feel from the yogurts, and the fragrance of the vanilla. On top, if you like strawberries (I love them), this makes for a very nice dessert fix when you get bored of the simple traditional piece of fruit or yogurt. In fact, there is a reason why I made this treat. Back again to past loved times, it simply reminds me a lot of a typical dessert I had as a kid: I know many people would be horrified by the look of it but here it is: mash freshly picked strawberries with a fork, then add cream (liquid texture, type heavy cream) and sugar. Simple but I can only tell you how great that was. When I was only 12, I remember cycling for 10 kms to visit a friend's in the next door village. We would run to her mum's huge vegetable garden, pick baskets of fresh ripe strawberries and have them as described before, as a snack. After that, I would happily cycle back home. Le vrai bonheur d'une petite fille! (Pure happiness of a little girl). Even writing it makes me smile and happy. Those were the good times I think, the ones country children like me, ah, have!

And so, I have always felt deprived to not be able to have a vegetable garden. It would be hard considering that we only have about over 350 square feet behind the house, already cluttered with my little herb corner which takes a big chunk of space. Still, last year I planted a few strawberries plants in my tiny garden, and whenever I would see a strawberry turn red, it was utter joy! Rushing to the garden, picking it, looking at it and, yes yes, sharing it! Don't know how I managed to do this one, but I did! And every year, I want to plant more! May it rain a bigger garden! Merci!

I do not always feel that I have to spend 2 hours making desserts, so making this particular one was very rewarding. It is fresh (quand même!), sweet and, well, I like the colour, does it count?
Once at our favorite wine store (Marty's Fine Wines in Newton), I asked our friend Peter what wine to buy (He is just the best with recommendations). I needed a fruity red wine. He told me to go with a Beaujolais nouveau, which I did.

So here it is, to a very simple strawberry dessert! Tchin-tchin! Cheers!

Strawberry and Vanilla Velouté


You need:

  • 500 g strawberries
  • 3 plain yogurt (Velouté or Bulgare, best equivalent I have found in the States is from the brand Liberty, vive les canadiens! you can find it at Whole Foods), about 380 g
  • 15 cl fruity red wine (I took Beaujolais nouveau)
  • 15 cl water
  • 35 g sugar (I used evaporated cane sugar)
  • 1 whole vanilla bean

Steps:

  • Clean the strawberries under fresh water and remove the green parts.
  • In a pot, pour the wine with the water. Add the vanilla (open in 2 halves) and the sugar.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to let infuse for about 10 mns.
  • Poach the strawberries in the syrup for 5 mns.
  • Remove the vanilla bean and mix the strawberries with the syrup.
  • Add the beaten yogurts.
  • Pour the velouté in individual bowls or a big one and place in the fridge.
  • Decorate with vanilla beans (just for the picture, ah!)

I made Matcha tea madeleines with it (recipe to follow). You can just now take a deep breath. C'est bon, non?

Adapted from Elle A Table.

15 Comments

  • Mijo ·

    Ouh la la, les photos qui tuent. Vivement le retour des fraises dans le jardin.

  • fiordizucca ·

    am i in time for a couple of cups?! :)))

  • Riana ·

    WOW! They look beautiful..!! We got snow yesterday--first time in 20 years so half my garden is dead.

    The fraise-vanille velouté looks yummmy!

  • sophie ·

    j'aime beaucoup la première photo! Félicitation et je suis comme Mijo, vivement les fraises

  • Martine la banlieusarde ·

    Aaaah, tout ce rose... ça donne envie du printemps, décidément! Je dois avoir un petit côté azalée moi zaussi...

  • Anita ·

    Oh Bea, this is so pretty! Pink is my favorite color, and I love strawberries, so this whole entry is just perfect!:) Very springlike! I like the vanilla bean in the first shot!

  • Kat & Satoshi ·

    pink is so vibrant!! this entry is so up-lifting. it is all cloudy and rainy over here, so it was a nice eye-opener!

  • Ivonne ·

    Bea,

    It has been a long day but I could not go to bed without checking your blog first. And I am so glad that I did.

    I love the story of the azalea. I love flowers and I know how rewarding it is when the plant gives you the gift of the bloom!

    And I also agree that gardening is one of life's greatest pleasures.

    The dessert ... c'est incroyable! I cannot wait for strawberry season!

    Bonne nuit (I shall have SWEET dreams!)

    Merci!

  • rob ·

    Bea, those look gorgeous. Do you think it's the kind of dish that might even improve after a day or two in the fridge?

    I saw strawberries just the other day at the market and almost bought a package. They're the perfect antidote to winter. Well, that and the azaleas.

  • rowena ·

    So THAT is what I should have done with my azalea! (Well to be honest I just plain forgot about it when we were moving) Poor thing is brown and frozen solid outside.

    Bea this is just so spring/summer pretty with all of those vivid colors. I'm curious to hear about the matcha green tea madeleines

  • Béa ·

    Mijo,

    C 'est bien vrai, vivement le printemps, il arrive!!

    Fiordizucca,

    Sorry :-) they are all gone!

    Riana,

    Wow, you got snow, in the South of France?? I bet people did not know what to do with it! ;-)

    Sophie et Martine,

    Merci de votre message! ;-) C'est vrai que ces azaleas sont belles dans la maison, ca donne envie de chanter ;-)

    Anita,

    Thanks! ;-) This pink was beautiful indeed. And an easy dessert full of fun! Nice on your table, esp with the matcha tea madeleines I have to say.

    Ivonne,

    Merci! ;-) I hope your dreams were sweet! Yes flowers and garden are amazing, aren't they? I just love the feel to put my hands in dirt, go figure! ;-)
    Rob,

    You are totally right, I think one day after is even better. I had made that a day before my dinner and tasted both nights and I preferred it the second day as the flavour opened up!
    Rowena,
    Yes the green tea matcha madeleines are coming. I am actually about to make a second batch! ;-) Too bad for the azalea but next Spring, you will be pleased. luckily they are sturdy flowers
    Kat,
    Glad this put some sun in your day. I keep looking at my azalea and wondering how pretty it was. A friend of mine thought it was fake when she first saw it, as we could not believe it was true!

  • Ceendy ·

    What a beautiful blog :)
    I love your Azaleas, no wonder they inspired you to make this summerlicious strawberry dessert!

  • Peter Rietkerk ·

    So beautiful and impressive! I can't wait to try it!

  • Mijo ·

    Velouté very flavourful with the strawberries of the garden of my parents.

  • Rebecca ·

    What beautiful photography! I would love to try this, but do not know how to convert (don't know the measurement for "15 cl") the ingredients for the red wine and water. I can see myself wowing my friends with this - Please help!