Our Favorite Sumer Recipes
Plus, activities for the solstice
Our CSA Pickup has started again, and the summer solstice is approaching, and the combination has me feeling inspired to make some of our favorite summer recipes.
Last year, I shared my big list of Staple Recipes—those budget-friendly meals that I make again and again. That post was popular, so I thought I’d give you all a shorter list for this season of eating on the porch, having popsicles for dessert, and enjoying fresh produce.
Summer Staple Recipes
Vegetarian Sushi. We got a sushi rolling kit last summer, and it has been fun to make sushi with our daughter. We usually fill our rolls with carrots, avocado, and mushrooms, and have enjoyed trying fillings such as spicy eggplant or tomato maki.
When I have produce leftover from our CSA pickup, I chop it and roast it, then mix it with whole wheat pasta and olive oil dressing for a veggie-forward meal I simply call CSA Pasta.
We also love a Stuffed Poblano for dinner. I used to have a recipe from BrokeAss Gourmet, but it disappeared from the internet years ago, and I make it from memory. I get two poblanos per adult, halve them lengthwise, and roast them (cut side down) until they blister. Then, remove and set aside. For the filling, I sauté corn, diced sweet potato, and diced onion in a skillet. Once the poblanos are stuffed, you can sprinkle them with a little cheese and roast them until that is golden. Or without cheese is good too. Diced avocado and grapefruit for a side. Delicious.
Grilled Eggplant or Tofu Steaks are also a nice summery main dish. Slice the eggplant or tofu thickly and marinate in soy sauce, some liquid smoke, and chili garlic sauce, and let sit for an hour-ish before cooking them on a grill pan. They are great with a green salad or quinoa.
Green Shakshuka is perfect for when you have an abundance of leafy greens from the garden.
Pizza with Red and Yellow Peppers (so refreshing)
White Bean Orzo with Feta and Lemon (or vegan feta!)
Mediterranean Lentil Salad (This is great for potlucks. Just double it.)
Summer Blackberry Salad + Cashew Ricotta (easy to adjust to the produce you have)
Olive Tapenade (Great with a crusty bread and a glass of white wine. To make it vegetarian, I left out anchovies and added extra capers.)
You know I love Deb at Smitten Kitchen. She’s never led me astray. Lately I have also been diving into the cookbooks The Weekday Vegetarians Get Simple, Big Vegan Flavor (hello, preserved lemons!), and Plantyou: Scrappy Cooking—she has a recipe for “bacon” made from banana peels that I am going to try before summer is through.
Mascerated Berries Inspired by Chef, Made by Julio
Everything my husband cooks for dinner is delicious and a little extra. A lot of what he makes is inspired by one of our favorite movies, Chef. As a special treat, he sometimes prepares macerated berries for dessert. I got him to type up his recipe for me:
Equal (ish) parts blackberries, raspberries, and quartered strawberries mixed with 1/4 cup of sugar and a few tbsp of an acid (lemon juice, lime juice, or Cointreau). Mix thoroughly with fresh mint leaves, chiffonade, and let sit for 90 minutes - 1 day (the longer, the better).
While it sits, caramelize 1/2 cup of sugar over the stovetop on a very low setting. It will take a long time to turn to caramel, but once it does, it can burn quickly. Do not add water; do not stir. Once sugar is completely caramelized, pour onto parchment paper (not wax paper) on a baking sheet and make even. Let cool for 30 minutes.
While that cools, make whipped cream. Take whipping cream and an arbitrary amount of sugar along with a whisk, and keep whisking until your whipped cream is at your desired level of stiffness. If it’s too loose, keep whisking. A French whisk makes this easier; otherwise, it’s a good arm workout. Put in the fridge once whipped.
Chiffonade some more mint.
Once the caramel is completely cool, cover with an additional parchment sheet and pulverize with a mallet or knife sharpener.
When berries are ready, scoop a generous portion into a bowl. Top gently with whipped cream (should be cloud-like in texture). Sprinkle some mint chiffonade on top, then sift caramel dust on top with a sieve.
Eat, and enjoy the sugar rush and crash.
What is your favorite meal to cook in the summer? Have you tried any of these? Let us know in the comments!
Activities for the Summer Solstice
I never took down the winter spiral I made for the winter solstice and see it whenever I look out the window, so I have been anticipating the summer solstice for weeks. Here are some activities I have in mind. I think we are definitely going to do The Sandlot for family movie night. And popsicles in lieu of a bonfire, because drought.
Do you have plans for the summer solstice? I would love to know your ideas.
Here are some links that may help with the activities above:
Flower crown tutorial from Northwoods Folk or Herbal Academy
Summer Reading with Lit Hub (but also go to your public library!) So far, I have read In Watermelon Sugar (so strange, I can’t stop thinking about it), The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Picnic at Hanging Rock. Next is Consider the Lobster.
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