The Best of Summer Produce
Summer produce won't last long! Make the most of it with our best recipes using tomatoes, corn, watermelon, zucchini, green beans and peaches.
Photo: Kat Teutsch
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Cherry Tomato Salad with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing
Pick up some multicolored cherry tomatoes at the farmers market (or from your garden) and dress them with a creamy, tart buttermilk-basil dressing.
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Pappardelle with Corn
Showcase the flavors of summer in a quick pasta sauce made with straight-from-the-cob corn and tomatoes.
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Fruit and Gorgonzola Salad with Prosciutto
For a quick weeknight side or light dinner, saute peaches and plums with onions and a simple vinaigrette, then serve warm with fresh greens, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto.
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Photo: Antonis Achilleos
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Garlic-Caper Green Beans
Garlic and capers are two simple ingredients that pack a mean punch. They work together in this simple recipe for a big-flavor side dish that's done in 15 minutes.
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Watermelon Cucumber Salad
Juicy watermelon is the star of this savory salad. Toss it with crispy cucumbers, sliced onion and creamy goat cheese. Soak the red onion in cold water for 10 minutes for a more subtle onion flavor.
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Ashley's Basil Gnocchi
Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to any dish, and they're bountiful in the summertime. Mix chopped basil into these simple gnocchi, then pair with a classic combination: chopped fresh tomatoes, pine nuts and Parmesan.
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Photo: Kat Teutsch
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Blueberry Coleslaw
Michael Symon's unexpected cabbage-blueberry pairing will be the salad everyone's talking about at your next picnic.
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Photo: Matt Armendariz
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Ugly Tomato Sauce
Those overripe tomatoes may look as if they were forgotten in the sun, crushed by a milk carton, dropped on the kitchen floor — or maybe all three! But don't throw them out. Waste less and use those cracked, bruised beauties to make a sweeter, better-tasting sauce all at the same time.
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Wok-Fired Okra Sambal
Okra is a Southern staple, but here it gets a kick from a few Asian ingredients: chili paste, oyster sauce and fried shallots. You can buy fried shallots in tubs or jars at Asian markets, or just fry thinly sliced shallots in 350 degree F oil until crisp.
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Photo: Quentin Bacon ©
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Fresh Peach Cake
Ina adds two layers of peaches to a coffee cake-like batter to make this dish, which is equally delicious for breakfast or a cookout.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Grilled Ratatouille
Bobby's ratatouille gives veggie lovers an excuse to fire up the grill and showcase fresh, seasonal tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and squash.
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Photo: Antonis Achilleos
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Tomato Salad
When summer tomatoes are abundant, you'll want to make this simple, fresh salad every night.
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Photo: Antonis Achilleos
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Broken Lasagna with Zucchini-Tomato Sauce
The solution to too-heavy-for-summer baked pasta dishes: lasagna, undone. Broken lasagna noodles topped with shredded zucchini, tomatoes and cheese makes for a lighter, summer-friendly version of an Italian favorite.
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Photo: Andrew Purcell
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Fettuccine with Summer Vegetables and Goat Cheese
Goat cheese melts into the hot fettuccine to make a sauce for this summer vegetable pasta toss.
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Ratatouille Soup
Turn in-season summer vegetables -- eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers -- into a savory, comforting soup.
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Photo: Brian Kennedy ©
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Zucchini Pancakes
Ina admits that zucchini can be a bit boring, but it takes on new life as a dinner side dish when paired with red onion in pancake-form.
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Photo: Brian Kennedy ©
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Tomato Sauce
Alton begins his tomato sauce by roasting Roma tomatoes with onion, garlic and herbs, then adds white wine to the puree for a full-bodied flavor. This diverse sauce can be used in everything from pastas to soups to sandwiches.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup - Pappa al Pomodoro
A blend of ripe tomatoes and whole basil leaves rejuvenates day-old Italian bread in this satisfying summer soup recipe.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Brioche and Berry Bread Pudding with Lemon Fondant
Tyler takes advantage of seasonal summer fruit and citrus flavors by topping his individual-sized bread puddings with a simple lemon fondant and a few berries. The spongy brioche is just the thing to soak up the berry juices and the delicate fondant.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Bulgur-Stuffed Summer Vegetables
A mixture of bulgur, chopped peppers and cremini mushrooms makes a hearty stuffing for halved bell peppers and zucchini. Use an assortment of eye-catching red and yellow bell peppers for a festive and filling vegetarian dish.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Quick Farmers Market Pasta
Tyler creates a simple yet versatile tomato sauce by cooking sweet cherry tomatoes in garlic and olive oil. Zucchini and fresh artichokes, available at summer farmers markets, make the perfect accompaniment for the zippy tomato sauce.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Summer Sorbet
Finish off a summer meal with a few scoops of Alton's refreshing fruit sorbet. Try using different combinations of berries and stone fruit, such as blueberries and peaches.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Stuffed Tomatoes
Serve a triple blend of mushrooms and panko in gorgeous vine-ripened tomatoes. The goat cheese-and-parsley topping turns golden brown after a few minutes under the broiler.
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Photo: Renee Comet ©
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Zucchini Bread with Lemon Honey Butter
Summer is prime time for zucchini. This version of zucchini bread, which yields two loaves and comes with a side of honey butter, is perked up by lemon zest and a touch of cinnamon.
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Photo: Stephen Johnson ©
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Perfectly Grilled Corn
Bobby's recipe for grilled corn on the cob guarantees kernel perfection. Ramp the dish up by serving the ears with two butters: one flavored with herbs, the other with spices and garlic.
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Photo: Kat Teutsch
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Refrigerator Pickles: Cauliflower, Carrots, Cukes, You Name It
Use Ted Allen's easy method for pickling freshly-picked vegetables to enjoy summer's bounty just a little bit longer; these pickles will last up to 3 months in the fridge.
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Photo: Con Poulos
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Heirloom Tomato Pie
With a cheesy cornmeal crust and an onion-laced filling, this light, savory pie lets in-season tomatoes shine.
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Spiced Green Salad
Spice up your salad with a simple dressing: Toast allspice and cumin in a skillet, then toss with lemon, olive oil, salt and sugar. Make this flexible dish with whatever salad greens you find at your local farmers' market.
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Panzanella-Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes
Claire stuffs meaty heirloom tomatoes with a simple bread salad: Just mix cracker sticks, garlic-flavored olive oil, red-wine vinegar and onion with the juicy tomato pulp.
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Photo: Antonis Achilleos
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Eggplant Salad
Whether you are buying a white or deep-purple eggplant, be sure to pick one that is free of bruises and not overly soft. Layer it between noodles and cheese in lasagna, fry and top it with tomato sauce or let it star in a warm salad with fresh herbs and lemon juice.
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Photo: Antonis Achilleos
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Herbed Summer Squash
With just five ingredients you can turn summer squash into a tender and flavorful side dish.
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Photo: Antonis Achilleos
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Bacon, Peach and Arugula Sandwich
If you love BLTs, you'll love this twist on the classic sandwich.
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
Strawberries and rhubarb are a quintessential spring pairing and making jam with them is a wonderful way to preserve some of their bright flavor long after the season is over. In this recipe, we've bumped up the tart rhubarb to help balance the sweetness of the strawberries and sugar. We've also suggested ways to boost the flavor with simple mix-ins. This jam makes a delicious topping for ice cream or yogurt, or a simple and elegant way to fill a cake in place of frosting.
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Photo: Teri Lyn Fisher
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Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Using only a handful of pantry ingredients, a Mason jar, and a few hours in the refrigerator, you can make classic dill pickles that are just as tangy and flavorful as those prepared according to more traditional (and labor-intensive) canning techniques. Plus this recipe can be scaled with ease, meaning you can make just one jar or ten in a matter of minutes. So if you're a pickle lover but short on time, this method is for you.
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Apricot Jam
Making jam is one of the best ways to harness the flavor of apricots during their short season, to enjoy during the colder months. In this recipe, we give the fruit's natural pectin a jump-start by macerating the apricots with sugar and lemon before cooking; the acid in the lemons activates the apricot's pectin, reducing the cooking time and preserving more flavor and color. We also added a touch of vanilla to coax out the mellow notes of the fruit and balance the mixture's tartness. Apricot jam tastes great with scones or slathered on rustic bread--or swirled into vanilla ice cream. It's also the classic choice for melting and brushing over pastries and fruit tarts.
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