Make Summer Last Longer with Carla Hall's Low-Cook Recipes
Savor the end of the season by spending minimal time at the stove.
Summer isn’t over yet! While Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer for many of us, that's not the case for Carla Hall. She’s making the most of the what's left of the season by putting together meals that highlight all the beautiful late summer produce available right now — and require little to no cooking. So hold off on the cozy sweaters and soon-to-be-ubiquitous pumpkin spice, and give summer the swan song it deserves. Carla’s low-cook recipes provide all the inspiration you need. Check out her classes on the Food Network Kitchen app to learn how to let all those early September fruits and vegetables shine, from tomatoes to corn to zucchini.
Don’t let beef have all the carpaccio fun! Follow Carla’s lead and make a colorful plant-based version. She arranges ripe peaches and juicy heirloom tomatoes on a platter, then tops it all off with jalapeno, shallot, grape tomatoes, fresh herbs and the easiest apple cider vinaigrette. The key to this dish is slicing each ingredient as thinly as possible, then it’s just a matter of assembly. The class is worth watching for Carla’s impressive knife work alone!
One of summer’s greatest pleasures is the bounty of fresh corn. Carla uses up four whole ears here, slicing off the kernels and pureeing them in the blender with buttermilk, aromatics, and in a genius twist, ice cubes (no refrigeration required for this cold soup!). She finishes each bowl with a topping of herbed grape tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.
Carla takes this summer essential to the next level with not one but two garnishes. First up is a pepper, onion and cherry tomato relish brightened with lime juice and zest and fresh parsley. But the piece de résistance? Quick-pickled shrimp. Boiled and flash-marinated with sweet onion, lemons, sherry vinegar and spices, the shellfish couldn't be more flavorful.
In this riff on West Indian callaloo, Carla substitutes zucchini for the traditional callaloo leaves, which can be hard to find in the U.S. The summer squash works wonderfully with the creamy coconut milk, spicy fresh ginger and warm spices in the soup. The best part? It’s equally delicious served hot or cold, so you can make this dish well into the fall. Be sure to tune in for Carla's class on September 15th for this must-try low-cook recipe!
