The fact that it’s already the first of August doesn’t surprise me one bit. Summer always goes by so quickly. My dad had a garden many summers. He had varying success. He would get tomato plants that grew big and bushy but never set a bloom. The war against tomato worms was ongoing.
He was a chronic over-planter so when we did have a harvest, we had zucchini and squash galore. The neighbors never minded getting the excess though. When we had excess tomatoes, mom would blanch, peel and freeze them. She then used them for vegetable soup and chili in the winter.
Even when he had tomato plants and a garden, he would stop at any driveway with a table and vegetables for sale. Other gardeners’ overstock would become our dinner. His drive home from work became a shopping spree.
He didn’t grow green beans but I snapped many during the summer. He would get produce he knew my mom would know how to cook.
August is the peak of summer produce. It’s a time to celebrate fresh, peak-season ingredients like juicy peaches, sun-sweet tomatoes, zucchini, and sweet corn.
Sometimes the easiest summer meal is made up of vegetables.
Corn Soup
Ingredients
2 ears of corn, shucked
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 cups new potatoes
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions
Cut the kernels off the cobs and cut the cobs in half. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add 2½ cups water, the corn cobs and potatoes and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard the cobs. Transfer three-quarters of the soup from the pot to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth and then return it to the pot with the remaining soup. Add the cayenne and season with salt and pepper.
Melt the remaining butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to turn golden and smell nutty, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the sesame seeds to the hot butter and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute.
To serve, drizzle the soup with the sesame seed brown butter. Puree until smooth and then return it to the pot with the remaining soup. Add the cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to turn golden and smell nutty, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the sesame seeds to the hot butter and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. To serve, drizzle the soup with the sesame seed brown butter.
Low-Carb Zucchini Enchiladas
Ingredients
Zucchini: 8 zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons kosher salt
Filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bunch (90g) scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 medium (91g) poblano peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
1 cup (195g) cooked black beans
1 cup (175g) canned corn, drained
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (130g) enchilada sauce
Hot sauce, as needed
Assembly:
2½ cups (650g) enchilada sauce
1 cup (113g) shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Directions
Prepare the Zucchini: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds from the zucchini; discard the seeds and place the flesh in a colander. Be generous when scooping, making as much room as possible for the filling without breaking the zucchini. Season the zucchini with the kosher salt and toss gently to combine. Place the colander in the sink and let sit for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the zucchini from the colander, pat it dry with paper towels and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the zucchini are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the Filling: In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and poblano peppers and sauté until the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the black beans and use the back of a spoon to mash and break them up slightly. Stir in the corn and chicken, and toss to combine. Season the filling with the cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the 1 cup enchilada sauce and hot sauce, to taste, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Set the filling aside.
Assemble the Enchiladas: Pour ½ cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan, spreading evenly. Arrange the roasted zucchini boats in an even layer on top of the sauce. Using tongs, fill each piece of zucchini generously with the filling, repeating until you’ve used it all up. Pour the remaining 2 cups enchilada sauce evenly over the zucchini and filling, and top with the shredded cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro. Use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds from the zucchini; discard the seeds and place the flesh in a colander. Be generous when scooping, making as much room as possible for the filling without breaking the zucchini. Season the zucchini with the kosher salt and toss gently to combine. Place the colander in the sink and let sit for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the colander, pat it dry with paper towels and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the zucchini are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Make the Filling: In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and poblano peppers and sauté until the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the black beans and use the back of a spoon to mash and break them up slightly. Stir in the corn and chicken, and toss to combine. Season the filling with the cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the 1 cup enchilada sauce and hot sauce, to taste, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Set the filling aside. Assemble the Enchiladas: Pour ½ cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan, spreading evenly. Arrange the roasted zucchini boats in an even layer on top of the sauce. Using tongs, fill each piece of zucchini generously with the filling, repeating until you’ve used it all up. Pour the remaining 2 cups enchilada sauce evenly over the zucchini and filling, and top with the shredded cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.
Sweet Corn, Asparagus, Tomato Salad
Ingredients
4 to 6 ears of sweet, white corn removed from the cob
1 large bunch of asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup teardrop & cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons
3 Tbsp red onion, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
In a large saucepan filled with heavily salted boiling water, cook corn kernels for 4 minutes. Add asparagus pieces to corn and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Drain into colander and immediately plunge into a large bowl of ice water. Once cooled, strain, shake off excess water and place in large bowl. Toss in tomatoes and basil. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together red onion, lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Pour dressing over veggies and season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to use.
Oven-Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated (I recommend Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1/2 a lemon, juice
1-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Place green beans on baking sheet. Toss in olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread in an even layer after tossing.
Sprinkle grated parmesan over green beans, covering evenly.
Transfer green beans to the oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and the cheese is melted and slightly crispy. The beans should be fork-tender, with a slight bit of resistance – you still want a little crunch to them (not mushy)!
Remove green beans from oven and top with freshly squeezed lemon juice and parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper, as needed. Serve hot!
