Author: Arushi Mukherjee

It’s officially the season of patio dining, outdoor grilling, picnics, and family barbecues. With things slowly returning to normal, food is gradually bringing people back together again. Quick, refreshing recipes with in-season items can be the perfect addition to the sweltering days ahead. From sweet to savory, the produce in the warm weather months can be the perfect canvas for a wide variety of recipes. Let’s explore the possibilities of some of the greatest produce hits between May and September!

The best things to cook with this summer:

Yellow Squash

This seasonal gourd has a delicate flavor that really takes on a new profile depending on the cooking method. Grilling hits the natural sweetness of squash with a charred note that balances any dish with a smoky note. Yellow squash blossoms are also a perfect note of floral that can spice up a flatbread, salad, or can be eaten on their own, deep fried. The thin skin on squash is super tasty when sautéed quickly in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. Because its white flesh is hardy, it can also handle a charcoal grill and serves as a lighter side to meats and fish.

Tomatoes

Although a controversial fruit/vegetable, those who have a taste for tomatoes will love the bright and bursting flavors of summertime tomatoes. They become almost citrusy in the summer and are one of the most versatile seasonal ingredients. They are a wonderful addition to salads and pastas, seasoned lightly with salt, pepper, and maybe a little olive oil or balsamic. Uncut, they can be grilled for a short time over high heat on charcoal grills or roasted in pans or the oven. Like squash, the smoky flavor imparted in the cooking process can complicate the natural sweet flavor nicely. They can be added into a light pico de gallo, a bruschetta topping, or a cold soup like gazpacho, perfect for an outdoor evening.

Beets

The blood red variety of beets is the most iconic, but golden beets are an overlooked companion to the regular version. Both serve as a welcome addition, texturally and flavor-wise, to summer salads, especially chilled. They don’t take to the outdoor grill as well as other vegetables, but they caramelize beautifully and develop a deep nutty flavor when oven roasted. They pair well with balsamic, goat cheese, or a tart element like lemon juice. Beet greens are also a lovely summer dish by themselves – they taste like a cross between spinach and kale and have a slight bitterness that cuts the richness of other dishes.

Jalapeños

Perhaps even more versatile than the tomato, jalapeños can be sweet, spicy, or both. Jalapeños can offer a kick in salsas and sauces when blended with seeds, and they can also be small bursts of heat when sliced onto savory recipes like chili or tacos. They can be reduced down with a little bit of sugar and seasoning to form jalapeño jam, a unique addition to charcuterie, sandwiches, and marinades. Charred jalapeños can be served on the side, or in meat and seafood dishes for a smoky and spicy companion to the umami flavors. If the flavor of jalapeños is for you but the spice isn’t, then slice them lengthwise, scrape out the spicy seeds, and prep how you normally would.

Avocado

Our generation has been criticized for overusing this fruit, but avocado is often just what is necessary to complete a summer dish. First, the obvious: guacamole. Guacamole makes most things better, and serving it as a party dip is often a filling and healthy option. Avocado also adds a creamy element to salads, mixing with the dressing to emulsify the salad and give it texture. Fried avocado makes for another great appetizer or topping – it gives the usually soft fruit a crunchy exterior that pronounces the earthy flavor it provides. Avocado can also be added to no-bake desserts that are popular in the summertime, like puddings and mousses, to improve texture and thicken. They go wonderfully in spring rolls, on eggs and toast, and in sushi or vegetarian sandwiches. They can also serve as a vessel – with their pits removed, the indent in each half can be a receptacle for stuffings of all kinds, from ceviche to Greek salads.

To sum up…

While each season has its own beautifully ripe produce, something about the warm breeze outside and the time away from school makes summer produce taste that much sweeter and more satisfying. While these are just some of the highlights that you should be sure to have in your kitchen over the next few months, the possibilities are endless: strawberries, arugula, corn, eggplant, figs, the list goes on. So, grab a tall, cold glass of water, and get to cooking under the summer sun!

Spring has sprung, what now?