Summer is the perfect time to go to a farmer's market. But what do you make with all that beautiful produce you find there? Here are few ideas using the best of summer produce to make delicious dishes! |
|
|
Summer can just be... hot. And there are times you just don't feel like actually cooking. Enter in this shaved vegetable salad. I made my prosciutto crisps in the toaster oven and used a very small pot to blanch the asparagus tips, so there was very little heat generated that my a/c had to accommodate for. It is bright, tangy, and delicious, and uses the best of farmer's market veggies. But, feel free to shave any veggies you find - zucchini and yellow squash would also be delicious additions. If you don't know how to finely chop a shallot, this video is perfect to help you. | | |
|
|
Serves 2-3 as a side Ingredients: For the dressing: 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon (I prefer Maille) 6 tablespoons olive oil For the salad: 3 slices prosciutto 1/2 pound asparagus 1 large carrot 1 parsnip 2 radishes 1/2 cup julienned snow peas 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese (I used Purple Haze by Cypress Grove that had lavender and fennel pollen!) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Procedure: Place all the ingredients for the dressing except the oil in a blender and puree. While motor is running, drizzle in oil to emulsify. Alternatively, put all ingredients in a cup and use immersion blender to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Tear prosciutto into pieces and place on parchment or silicone mat-lined sheet tray. Place in preheated oven and bake until crispy, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Shave asparagus stalks with vegetable peeler, leaving tips intact. Bring small pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Add asparagus tips and cook until bright green. Remove from water and place in ice bath to immediately stop cooking. Shave carrot, parsnip, and radishes with peeler or mandolin. Place all vegetables in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss with dressing and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. |
|
|
What could be more reminiscent of summer than tomatoes? I love the baskets of grape and cherry tomatoes in all colors of the rainbow that you can find at the farmer's market. What better way to showcase them than with this super simple tart? It uses store bought puff pastry and a creamy ricotta mixture to make the perfect dish to take to any gathering, as it also tastes delicious at room temperature. If halving all those tomatoes seems daunting, check out this "hack" for getting it done very quickly. | | |
|
|
Serves 8 Ingredients: 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided 1 cup thinly sliced red onion (see how to slice them properly for cooking here) Pinch baking soda 1 teaspoon lemon zest (see the best way to zest here) 15 ounces ricotta 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus additional as needed 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 sheet frozen puff pastry Dijon mustard, as needed (I prefer Maille) 12 oz halved cherry tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves Procedure: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set aside. Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add onions. Season with salt and add a pinch of baking soda. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are well caramelized. (If you want to see why this works, watch this video.) In a small bowl, mix together zest, ricotta, Herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Roll out puff pastry until almost the size of the parchment. Score dough 1/4" from each side, creating a 1/4" border around the entire piece of puff pastry. Using a fork, dock dough in the center, being careful to leave the border undocked. Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard over docked area. Spread ricotta mixture over the Dijon. Sprinkle onions over the top of ricotta. Place tomatoes, cut side down, over the top of ricotta mixture. Sprinkle thyme leaves over tart. Place tart in preheated oven. Bake until crust is browned and tomato skins have begun to shrivel, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut and serve. |
|
|
Corn and Black Bean Salad |
|
|
Corn is another vegetable that screams summer for me. I always like using fresh corn right off the cob, but you can use frozen corn to make this recipe all year round. You can grill it, roast it, or boil it - whichever works for you, and it will still be delicious. The recipe does ideally call for corn milk. It helps sweeten the dressing and make it a bit starchier to stick to the veggies. If you have never used corn milk before, here is a video showing you what it is and how to get it. | | |
|
|
Serves 6-8 as a side dish Ingredients: For the dressing: 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoon finely chopped shallots 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice Corn milk from 4 small ears of corn (or you can use about 1/4 cup fresh corn kernels) 6 tablespoons neutral oil such as avocado, canola, or vegetable Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste For the salad: 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well 1 medium bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and diced in to 1/4” pieces (about 1/2 cup) (see how to do this here) 1/2 cup green onion tops (green parts only) 2 tablespoons minced cilantro (see a hack for getting leaves off the stem here) 2 cups fresh or frozen corn, cooked 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese Procedure: Place all the ingredients for the dressing except the oil in a blender and puree. While motor is running, drizzle in oil to emulsify. Alternatively, put all ingredients in a cup and use immersion blender to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Place all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Serve immediately or let sit up to overnight to allow the flavors to meld. |
|
|
My husband loves beets. Loves them. I have a hard time with them, though it really has very little to do with their flavor. I simply had to handle them too much at a restaurant where I once worked (every person who has ever cooked professionally has something like this). But, I knew he would like these so I made them, and I have to say - they were pretty yummy. The little nuggets of feta inside are a perfect little surprise. The key to a souffle is properly separating your eggs. If there is even a DROP of yolk in the whites, they won't whip properly. Here is the easiest way I have found for separating them. | | |
|
|
Makes 8, 6-oz soufflés Ingredients: Butter, as needed for greasing ramekins Finely grated Parmesan cheese or fine dry breadcrumbs, for dusting ramekins 9 ounces cooked beets, peeled (I roasted mine, but you could also boil, pressure cook, or microwave) 1 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 4 large egg yolks 5 large egg whites Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Procedure: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously butter the soufflé dishes (including the rims), coat them with finely grated parmesan cheese or dry breadcrumbs and tap out the excess. Place on a sheet tray and set aside. Place milk and cooked beets in a blender and puree until smooth. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk to remove any lumps. Cook until the roux begins to bubble. Add the milk mixture slowly, whisking constantly to remove any lumps. While continuing to whisk, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks and cheese and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the 5 egg whites on medium speed until they form medium peaks, being careful not to overbeat. Whisk one-fourth of the egg whites into the beet mixture to lighten the mixture. Fold in the remaining whites just until there are no more streaks of whites. Transfer the soufflé batter to the prepared soufflé dishes, filling each one to 1/4 inch below the rim. Place tray in the preheated oven and bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the soufflés are just set and browned on top. They should still jiggle slightly (if they jiggle a lot you need to cook them for another 2-3 minutes). Serve immediately. |
|
|
Want more recipes? Check out our website for all our previous newsletters/recipes. |
|
|
Get recipes delivered straight to your inbox once per month! |
|
|
Stirring is Not Cooking is a member of the Amazon Associates program and may receive a commission for any product purchased through the links on this page. |
|
|
|
|
