Life
12 Summer Recipes To Help You Make The Most Of This Season's Freshest (And Most Delicious) Produce
June is one of my favorite times of year, because summer recipes starring fresh, seasonal produce are just about as delicious as they come. Anyone who has ever taken a bite from a peach in the middle of January instead of June will be the first to vouch that produce eaten in season is usually more ripe, more flavorful, and oh yeah, cheaper, than what you'd find the rest of the year. Speaking from experience, I almost lost a tooth biting into an unripe peach one winter. Learn from my mistake, and embrace the abundance of produce that is coming into its peak this summer, and start cooking.
Whether you purchase your fruits and vegetables at a farmer’s market or your neighborhood grocery store, be armed this summer with the knowledge of what’s in season and how to cook with it for your next barbecue, picnic, or weeknight meal. Here are some of my favorite seasonal recipes from around the web.
Image: Naturally Ella
Farmer's Market Sweet Corn Ice Cream
Ice cream and corn? Yep, and you’re not allowed to knock it until you’ve tried this recipe from Pass the Sushi.
Image: Pass the Sushi
Peach, Blackberry, And Blueberry Graham Cracker Crumble
“Plump juicy berries and peaches coated in a sticky, sweet (natural) syrup and topped with a crispy buttery topping — is there anything better in life?” No, there is not. Check out this recipe courtesy of Cooking for Keeps.
Image: Cooking for Keeps
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
It’s blueberry season! Make this show-stopping dessert from Adventures in Cooking whenever you have a blueberry craving, or just need someone to impress.
Image: Adventures in Cooking
Oven-Roasted Rosemary Chicken Thighs, Sugar Snap Peas, & Quinoa
This is your ideal weeknight meal from I Am a Food Blog: rosemary, garlic, and lemon roasted chicken, hearty quinoa, and fresh sugar snap peas.
Image: I Am a Food Blog
Pork Tenderloin In Tangy Tomatillo Sauce
Originating in Mexico, tomatillos are more closely related to gooseberries than tomatoes. “To-may-to, to-mah-to,” this fruit is tasty — and it’s a great topping for beer-marinated pork tenderloin like this dish by The Kitchn.
Image: The Kitchn
Roasted Veg Tacos With Avocado Cream And Feta
Naturally Ella had me at avocado cream… and tacos. Loaded with zucchini, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, and red pepper, this is summer wrapped in a tortilla.
Image: Naturally Ella
Stacked Eggplant Parmesan
What’s Gaby Cooking knows eggplant Parmesan: breaded eggplant, red sauce, and three cheeses. Sometimes chilly summer nights call for something heartier than salad.
Image: Matt Armendariz
Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, And Honey Drizzled Tarts
A word about beets: if you’re eating the canned stuff and expect them to taste like the summer jewels they naturally are, you are mistaken. Fresh red and golden beets are made for tarts, as proven by this recipe from How Sweet It Is.
Image: How Sweet It Is
Parmesan Corn On The Cob
“So buttery, garlicky and loaded with Parmesan cheese goodness…” says Chungah An from Damn Delicious… and she’s right.
Image: Damn Delicious
Arugula & Radicchio Salad With Pomegranate, Pecans, & Pecorino
Your favorite peppery, leafy green plant is the perfect base for juicy pomegranate seeds, toasty pecans, and sharp Pecorino cheese. Try out this recipe from Big Girls Small Kitchen.
Image: Big Girls Small Kitchen
Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad
Traditional panzanella is made with bread, tomatoes, oil, and vinegar. Chef and Salt & Wind creator Aida Mollenkamp adds her own twist to the Tuscan favorite: sweet and slightly charred grilled peaches.
Image: Aida Mollenkamp
Roasted Apricot Breakfast
Set aside your misconceptions about apricots being old lady food. Joy the Baker knows how to do breakfast right. Fresh apricots are meant to be sprinkled with a bit of sugar, broiled, and accompanied with yogurt and granola.
Image: Joy the Baker
