Five Simple Summer Recipes to Enjoy All Season Long

By Amy S. White

 

Summer is the season of warm sunshine, outdoor adventures, and, of course, delicious produce picked fresh from the garden or purchased from a local farmers market. From backyard barbecues to picnics in the park, opportunities to celebrate the flavors of the summer abound. These five recipes make surprising changes to elevate typical summer staples. Sweet, savory and outside the box, they are sure to become new favorites to enjoy all season long.

 

1. Peach and Prosciutto Bruschetta

Forget that overdone tomato and mozzarella bruschetta. Few things capture the essence of summer quite like the sweet juiciness of ripe peaches. To make this dish, simply grill halved peaches until they’re caramelized and slightly charred. Combine them with salty prosciutto, soft cheese, crunchy bread and the smoky flavor of the grill, and you have an elevated toast that’s bursting with incredible flavors and textures.

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Ingredients:

1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices

1 package soft cheese of your choice (such as brie or camembert)

6 slices prosciutto, torn in half

2 peaches, cut in half, pit removed

Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze, to taste

 

Directions:

Place the baguette slices on a cookie sheet and broil to toast to desired color. Spread each piece with a thin layer of cheese. Place half a slice of prosciutto on top of the cheese. Grill the peach halves just long enough to warm them through and get grill marks, about 4 minutes total. Slice the peaches and set them on top of each toast. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

 

2. Berry, Basil, and Burrata Salad 

This recipe is a play on caprese, the ubiquitous salad of mozzarella, basil and tomato. The twist is burrata, a gorgeous little pouch of fresh mozzarella enveloping a soft creamy center of curds that shines with its rich buttery flavor and touch of milkiness. This cheese pairs wonderfully when balanced with sweet strawberries, bright basil and crunchy marcona almonds in a salad that captures the essence of summer in a bowl. 

 

Ingredients:

1 ball burrata cheese

4-6 strawberries, hulled and sliced

4-6 basil leaves, torn

A handful of marcona almonds, chopped

Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Arrange cheese and strawberries in a dish. Sprinkle with basil and chopped almonds. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper. 

 

3. Garlic Scape Pesto

Pesto is the pasta sauce of summer. Typically, pesto is made with basil, but this recipe uses garlic scapes. What is a garlic scape? Those curly flower stalks of the hardneck garlic bulb! The season for these is quite short, but they can be found at farmers markets in early summer. They taste like garlic, yes, but spicier. And removing them before the actual garlic is harvested allows the plant’s energy to focus on the bulb and develop more flavor. Fresh, green and herbaceous, this pesto sauce bursts in your mouth like a firework. A bonus? It’s easily freezable so this summery sauce can be enjoyed all year round.

 

Ingredients:

8-10 garlic scapes

1/3 cup nuts of your choice (pinenut, walnuts, pistachios work great)

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

A pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Combine the garlic scapes, nuts, cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until the mixture begins to break down. With the processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until all ingredients are incorporated, about a minute. Store in a lidded container or jar in the refrigerator for about a week or freeze for later use. 

 

4. Grilled Corn on the Cob

Does a single vegetable evoke summertime more than corn on the cob? New Englanders are known for boiling corn on the cob, creating a kitchen full of steam on already hot summer evenings. The solution? The grill! Grill corn on the cob right in the husk for an easy, no fuss side. Soak the cobs in cold water first to prevent the husks from burning and to add a little moisture. The moisture inside the husk steams the corn and the grill adds a subtle touch of smokiness.

 

Ingredients:

Fresh corn on the cob (1-2 per person)

Directions:

Soak the corn, still in the husk, in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Grill the corn in the husks over medium-high heat. Rotate the cobs every 3 to 5 minutes, until all sides of the corn are cooked, about 15 minutes total. Use kitchen towels or oven mitts to remove the husks from the corn, then enjoy with or without butter and salt.

 

5. Granita

No ice cream maker? No problem. Granita is summer’s spectacular dessert. This semi-frozen dessert with an icy texture and refreshing flavor hails from Italy and is so simple to make. Start by dissolving sugar in water to make simple syrup. Flavor it with whatever summer produce inspires the tastebuds that day: watermelon, berries, herbs, even wine! Freeze the mixture in a shallow dish and, every now and then, use a fork to scrape and stir the mixture. This process gives granita its characteristic texture similar to a snow cone. It is the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer’s evening. 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 cups fresh fruit juice, or puree

 

Directions:

Combine the sugar and water and heat over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved, taking care not to boil the mixture. Set aside to cool. Stir together this simple syrup with the fruit juice or puree until combined. Pour into a shallow, freezer-safe dish. Place in the freezer and leave it alone for about an hour. Scrape the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes or so after that, for up to 6 hours depending on your container and freezer, with the goal of breaking up the ice crystals. When it is completely frozen, scrape it into serving bowls and enjoy.

Find the freshest ingredients for summer recipes like these at one of your favorite area farmers markets (be sure to check social media for opening dates and lists of vendors).