Strawberries are the first berries of the summer season and with the Mattituck Strawberry Festival around the corner, it is obvious why their presence is cause for celebration.
Over the years we have celebrated the Mattituck Strawberry Festival featuring strawberry recipes from strawberry sangria to a strawberry salad with goat or feta cheese drizzled with balsamic reduction.
For Meatless Monday, we are making a Fluke crudo with jalapenos and cucumbers along with strawberry vinaigrette because other than strawberries, Fluke season is my other favorite part of the late Spring/early Summer on the North Fork. There is nothing like the firm white meat of a fresh Fluke that you can catch yourself if you are lucky enough to snag a spot on the Orient Star; and take a vacation day or two to fish during the week because most weekends are sold out far in advance. Try this with your favorite local white or with a strawberry sangria.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. of fileted fresh fluke from Southold Fish Market (if you didn’t catch a spot on the fishing boat)
10 to 12 hulled and sliced strawberries
1 small jalapeño, deveined/seeded, sliced thinly
1/4 of small cucumber, minced into cubes to sprinkle on the fish
small bunch of fresh basil/regular or Thai basil, rolled and sliced, chiffonade style
The dressing
1/8 teaspoon of North Fork Sea Salt plus more for sprinkling directly on to the raw fish
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
2 to three strawberries, smashed
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Muddle together and shake until emulsified/or briefly pulse in blender
Slice the fish and arrange on individual plates or a large serving platter. Sprinkle sea salt over the fish and place back in fridge.
10 minutes prior to serving, arrange the cucumber, sliced jalapeno and chopped basil on to the fish and drizzle the dressing on top.
