Seasonal Recipes

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to Edible Communit ies!

And hel lo summer! We offer these recipes to help answer

two pressing summer issues. First , what to do with al l that

glor ious produce that tends to pi le up after v is i ts to the

farmers market ( including al l the bunches of herbs that

are so tr icky to resist and often equal ly t r icky to use up) .

And second, what to br ing to the party.

Summer barbecues, picnics, potlucks, backyard part ies,

meet-ups at the park … summer is the t ime for casual

gather ing. These dr inks, salads, s ides, and desserts were

designed to be toted along for the r ide or offered to a

group i f you’re host ing. No quickly wi l t ing salads, no fussy

last-minute prep.

—Molly Watson

editor in chief , Edible Communit ies

RECIPES

Molly Watson

@mollywatsonaf

RECIPE PHOTOS

AND STYLING

Erin Scott

@erinscottstudio

DESIGN

Bruce Cole

@ediblesf

Cover photo:

Adobe Stock

ABOUT EDIBLE COMMUNITIES: Edible Communit ies is a network of more than 80

individual ly owned publ icat ions across the US and Canada united by a s ingle miss ion: to

connect people to their local food, how it ’s produced, and who makes i t . We bel ieve that

local ly sourced, sustainably produced food matters to our health, to our communit ies,

and to the future of the world around us.

Contact Us: info@ediblecommunit ies.com

Mail : 369 Montezuma Ave, Suite 577, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Phone: 866-825-6053

2 melon mint Agua Fresca

3 Cherry Lime (Gin and) Tonic

4 Fennel Cucumber Chopped Salad

5 Colorful Summer Bell Pepper Slaw

6 Corn Salad with Jalapenos and Cilantro

7 Minty Potluck Green Beans

8 Crunchy Sweet Peach Celery Salad

9 Herby Potato Salad

10 Smooth and Chilly Spanish Gazpacho

11 Chilled Avocado Zucchini Soup

12 Spiced Summer Fruit Cobbler

13 Corn Cake With Berries

Summer Recipes

Sweet summer melon becomes a refreshing beverage with a visit to the blender.

Any melon works here—both watermelon and cantaloupe are classic choices for agua fresca—

but honeydew’s more delicate flavor is remarkably light and drinkable, and when combined

with the additional green from the lime and the mint, it just plain looks refreshing. Feel free

to make it ahead and cool it in the fridge, just know that the mixture will separate—a quick

stir will bring it back together. You can strain the mixture before serving for a more “agua” effect.

2 | ediblecommunities.com

Serves: 8

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 honeydew melon

2 limes

1/2 cup granulated sugar

About 3/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves

Chilled still or sparkling water optional

1. Peel, seed, and chop the melon. Put the chunks on a baking sheet and put in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.2. Zest the limes—large strips of zest will be easiest to deal with. Put the zest, sugar, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl and let cool.3. Put the syrup, the melon, and ½ cup of the mint leaves in a blender. Cut the 2 zested limes in half and juice them into the blender as well. 4. Whirl to blend thoroughly. You may need to work in batches. When everything is whirled and blended, pour into a pitcher or other serving vessel. Dilute with chilled still or sparkling wa-ter to taste, if you like.5. Serve over ice, garnish the remaining mint.

INSTRUCTIONS

MELON MINT AGUA FRESCA

Cocktail or mocktail, this drink is a refreshing spin on a summer classic.

An overabundance of cherries one weekend led to me putting them in everything—on

pancakes, in salads, even making a cherry-centric salsa. A pitcher of cherry lemonade

was whipped up, which led to the possibility of a cherry gin and tonic. The pretty color

was too tempting for the children present, so cherry tonic mocktails were on order.

They were just as good as the cocktails. Arguably, they were even better. So add the gin

or not, as you see fit—or for gin-haters consider vodka or tequila, if you prefer. Know this

recipe doubles or triples easily; it halves and quarters equally well. For a lighter version,

use half tonic water and half soda water.

Serves 6


INGREDIENTS

12 ripe sweet cherries

1/4 cup lime juice

3/4 cup dry gin (optional)

24 ounces tonic water

Lime slices for garnish (optional)


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pit the cherries and put them in a cocktail shaker or a large glass. Use a muddler or the back of a large spoon to gently crush them.2. Add the lime juice and gin, if using. Let sit for a few minutes. Cover and shake vigorously for 1 minute—you really want the cherry flavor to blend in with everything.3. Fill 6 glasses with ice and strain the cherry-gin mixture in equal measures over the ice. Add tonic to fill the glasses or to taste and garnish with a lime slice, if you like. You can spoon in the crushed cherries from the shaker or not—your call.

CHERRY LIME GIN AND TONIC

A salad so chopped, you can eat it with a spoon.

This particular spoon salad is also remarkably green. And crunchy. And cooling. And it’s

begging to be messed with—swap out other veggies (jicama is a stellar option). Add more

sprouts, leave the sprouts out. Crumble on some cheese. Add chopped nuts. Toss in chickpeas.

You can make this in any order you like, but I prefer to make the dressing first and then just

pile in the ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

1 small clove garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or mild honey

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard/ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

(plus more to taste)

For the salad:

2 small heads fennel

1 small cucumber

2 celery stalks

1 green pepper

1 jalapeno (optional)

8 springs mint

1/2 cup toasted pepitas

1 cup sprouted lentils and/or other le-

gumes

1 cup kale sprouts or other micro greens


Serves: 8Prep time: 30 minutes

FENNEL CUCUMBERCHOPPED SALAD

1. Peel and mince the garlic and add it to a large salad bowl along with the olive oil, lime juice, agave, mustard, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust. You want a very bright, vibrant dressing, so go ahead and add more lime juice and/or salt and/or pepper to make it really “pop” on your tongue. 2. Trim and dice the fennel. How big? You want a pretty small dice—the goal is to have all the salad components more or less the same size, and pepitas are the size they are, so a dice about as wide as a pumpkin seed (or a bit bigger) is ideal. Add the fen-nel to the dressing.3. Peel, de-seed, and dice the cucumber. Add to the bowl.4. Trim and dice the celery, into the bowl it goes. 5. Trim and dice the green pepper, add it to the bowl.6. Trim, de-seed, and dice the jalapeño, if using, and, obviously, add it to the bowl.7. Toss everything with the dressing. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if you want.8. Remove the mint leaves from their sprigs and stack them on a clean cutting surface. Roll them into a little bundle and cut into thin rib-bons. Scatter the mint, pepitas, sprouted lentils, and sprouts on the salad.

INSTRUCTIONS

Simply sliced bell peppers make a vibrant, crunchy—and super easy—salad.

This dish is all about the chopping. And the pepper. The bell peppers and the black pepper,

of which there is a lot in the dressing. We’re calling it a slaw because the peppers are thinly

sliced, and once they sit in the dressing a bit they wilt in a slaw-like way. If you want to keep

them crunchy, cut them into larger, square, bite-size pieces instead.

It’s great for picnics and potlucks and buffets, since sitting around is something it does very

well. The fennel is optional since it’s such a strong flavor, use as you see fit.

Serves: 8


INGREDIENTS

3 bell peppers (red, green, and yellow or

orange is the best mix)

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon aged sherry vinegar


1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly and coarsely

ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional

4 ounces feta, optional


1. Remove and discard the stems and seeds from the peppers. Cut them in skinny strips—the skinnier the better, but even is also good. Set them aside.2. Peel and mince the garlic. Put it in a large salad bowl with the vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. 3. Add the peppers and toss to coat. Add more salt and/or pepper to taste. 4. If using the fennel seeds, crush them in a mortar and pestle (or using the bottom of a small frying pan) and sprinkle them on the salad.5. If using the feta, cut into small chunks and scatter on top and serve.

INSTRUCTIONS

B E L L P E P P E R S L A W

Fresh and crunchy raw corn is a beautiful canvas for summer salads.

Kernels just cut from the cob and mixed with bright pickled red onions, hot jalapeños,

herbaceous cilantro, and salty cotija in a crazy mix of spicy sweet salty goodness. Once

you’ve enjoyed corn this way, use this recipe as a template—add tomatoes or red peppers,

toss in some avocado. Or use a shallot or garlic vinaigrette and add tomatoes, basil, and

mozzarella instead of chiles, cilantro, and cotija.

INGREDIENTS

For the pickled onions:

1 small red onion

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the salad:

4 ears sweet corn

2 jalapeños

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

4 ounces cotija cheese

red pepper flakes


Serves: 6Prep time: 30 minutes 1. Peel the onion, cut it in half lengthwise, and

cut into very thin slices. Put the slices in a bowl, cover with the lime juice and apple cider vinegar. Sprinkle in the sugar and salt. Stir and toss to dissolve the sugar and salt and set aside.2. Shuck the corn. Use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels (pro tip: set the tip fo the cob in a big bowl and cut down so the kernels drop into the bowl). 3. Remove the stems from the jalapeños, cut them in half lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds, cut them crosswise into very thin slices. 4. Toss the corn, onions with their pickling liq-uid, and chiles together—the pickling liquid acts as the dressing.5. Chop the cilantro and toss it into the mix. 6. Crumble the cotija over the top and serve.

INSTRUCTIONS

CORN SALAD WITHJALAPENOS

The mint is part of their charm, for sure, but other herbs with a similar flavor intensity work as well: cilantro or dill come to mind. The single jalapeño in this dressing doesn’t tend to make these beans all that hot, but feel free to

leave it out (or, better yet, add another one for more heat!). While I wouldn’t want to encourage

anyone to be lax about food safety, there’s nothing in these green beans that is going to go too

bad too fast, so they are a good item for buffet tables, picnics, and the like when food will maybe

be sitting out a bit longer than is optimal, no matter what the host’s intentions.

Serves 6-8


Cooktime: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound green beans

1 clove garlic

1 jalapeño

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup loosely packed mint

leaves

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive

oil

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for

blanching

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

1/4 cup chopped almonds or

pistachios (optional)

1 fresh red chile for garnish

(optional)


1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water.2. Meanwhile, trim off and discard the tough ends of the green beans. Peel the garlic and de-stem and de-seed the chile. Put the garlic and chile in a blender with the mint (reserve a few leaves for garnish, if you like) lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Whirl to make a smooth dressing.3. When the water comes to a boil, add the green beans and cook until just barely not-raw, about 1 minute. Drain or lift from the water and immediately dunk in the ice water to cool off the beans. When the beans are cool, drain or lift from the ice water and dry on a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towels.4. Put the beans in a baking dish and pour the dress-ing over them. Toss to combine. Let them sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature and up to overnight, covered and chilled.

Note: the longer they sit, the more intense the

dressing will get.

INSTRUCTIONS

MINTY POTLUCKGREEN BEANS

Peaches and tomatoes have a lot in common—soft, sweet yet acidic—so if peaches are nowhere to be found, know that tomatoes can take their place here.

If you want to guild the lily that is this salad, consider adding browned garlic slices to the

mix. Peel and thinly slice 3 garlic cloves, heat about ¼ cup vegetable oil in a small frying

pan, cook the garlic until golden brown, transfer to layers of paper towels to cool and drain.

Scatter over the salad with the peanuts for some intense flavor.

Serves: 6


INGREDIENTS

For the salad:

1 bunch celery, about 8 stalks

3 ripe peaches

2 serrano or Fresno chiles

2 green onions

2 cups loosely packed herb

leaves—a mix of mint, cilantro, and

basil

1/2 cup roasted peanuts

For the dressing:

1 garlic clove

1 serrano chile (optional)

1 inch fresh ginger

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar


1. Make the dressing: Peel and mince the garlic. Remove the seeds from the chile and mince it. Peel and finely grate or mince the garlic. Combine the ginger, chile, and ginger in a small bowl or measuring cup with the vinegar, oil, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside.2. Prepare the salad: Pick off and reserve any leaves from the celery. Trim the celery stalks and cut them into thin slices on the diagonal. Peel and pit the peaches, if using; cut them into thin-ish wedges.3. Arrange the celery and peaches on a platter or wide, shallow bowl. Drizzle with about half the dressing and toss to coat. Remove and discard the stems and seeds from the chiles, then cut them into thin slices; cut the green onions into slivers. Scatter them, the celery leaves, and the herbs over the salad. Drizzle everything with the remaining dressing. Chop the peanuts and scatter them over the top. Serve.

INSTRUCTIONS

CRUNCHY SWEETPEACH CELERY SALAD

The complete lack of mayo means this salad can be left out without too much worry of things turning bad.

We used teeny tiny “marble potatoes” for the photo of this salad, but using potatoes big

enough so they need to be cut up to be bite-size is even better—they soak up more of the

flavor from the dressing.

Serves: 8



Cooling time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds yellow Finn or Yukon gold potatoes

1 small red onion

1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, divided

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for cooking


1 bunch chives

1 cup flatleaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup fresh dill leaves


1. Cut the potatoes into equal size large (big bite) chunks. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with about 8 cups of water and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot to dry out a bit. Toss with ¼ cup of the vinegar and let cool.2. While the potatoes cook, peel the onion and cut into thin slices. Put them in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit about 10 minutes, drain, and dry on layers of paper towels. If using the caraway seeds, heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat and toast the seeds until fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside.3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat thoroughly. Let sit about 30 minutes so the potato soak up most of the dressing.4. Add the onions and toss just to combine. 5. Roughly chop the chives, parsley, and dill. Add to the salad. 6. Sprinkle with the caraway seeds, if using, and serve.

INSTRUCTIONS

HERBY POTATO SALAD

The single easiest way to make the most of ultra-ripe tomatoes.

We eat this Spanish classic at least once a week at my house during the height of tomato

season. It’s perfect for a no-cook dinner, for a make-ahead dinner, and for using tomatoes

that have gone a touch past perfectly ripe. A bit overripe isn’t just okay for this chilled soup,

it’s ideal.

The blend-strain-blend technique may seem like overkill, but it’s how to get an utterly

smooth, luscious, and integrated gazpacho.

Offer a range of garnishes for people to add as they like. By including egg or ham and plen-

ty of toasted bread or croutons, it’s pretty easy for this to serve as a light supper.

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 pounds extremely very ripe tomatoes

1/2 cucumber

1 piece baguette about 5 inches long

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Options:

1 clove garlic

1 shallot

1 hot chile

Possible garnishes:

Diced red or green bell pepper

Diced cucumber

Pitted and chopped oil-cured black olives

Chopped hard-cooked egg

Chopped ham

Toasts or croutons

Herbs of any sort10 | ediblecommunities.com

Serves 4-6Prep time: 45 minutesCooling time: 4 hours

SMOOTH AND CHILLYSPANISH GAZPACHO

1. You may need to work in batches, depending on the size of your blender; if you do, use about half the tomatoes in each, do the cucumber in one and the bread in the other, then combine.2. Cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and bread into fairly big pieces. Put them in the blender with the 2 vinegars and olive oil, and any garlic, shallot, or chile you’re us-ing. Whirl to blend until smooth.3. Run through a food mill or a strainer. Return to the blender, and blend again. Add salt to taste (it’s a lot of liquid and a lot of acid, so salt generously—start with 1 teaspoon, then add more to taste).4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to overnight. 5. Serve with the garnishes for people to add at the table.

INSTRUCTIONS

It ’s like avo toast in a bowl.

A lighter, brighter version of avocado soup. By whirling in some zucchini, avocado soup goes

from being beyond-rich to a smooth and creamy lunch or dinner. It’s tasty on its own, but you can

make it your own with an array of garnishes and even turn it into a full-on no-cook dinner.

Serves: 6



Chill time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 onion

2 small to medium zucchini

4 cups homemade or fresh chicken or

vegetable stock

½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

2 garlic cloves

2 medium avocados

¼ cup lime juice

Optional garnishes:

Aleppo chile flakes

Any herb

Chopped chile

Crème fraîche

Freshly ground black pepper

Hot chile oil

Teeny tiny croutons

Toasted sesame oil

Toasted sesame seeds


1. Peel the onion and cut it into big pieces; peel and chop the garlic; trim and chop the zucchini. Put all the vegetables in a medium pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the zucchini is very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.2. Whirl the zucchini in a blender until smooth. Peel and chop the avocado, add it to the blender along with the lime juice. Whirl until smooth. Add more salt to taste.3. Cover, with waxed paper or plastic wrap di-rectly on surface to prevent browning, and chill at least 4 hours. 4. Taste, add more salt and/or lime juice, if you like, and serve with garnishes of your choice.

INSTRUCTIONS

AVOCADO ZUCCHINISOUP

Any summer fruit is welcome in this cobbler—berries, peaches, plums, apricots…

This is tasty with all berries or all peaches or all apricots … really any summer fruit can be

tossed in here to decent effect. The final result isn’t overwhelmingly sweet, so it works well

with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, or just for those who like to taste the fruit over

the sugar. It’s also remarkably good for breakfast and a lovely addition to brunch.

Serves: 4



INGREDIENTS

For the fruit:

6 cups berries or peeled and chopped

orchard fruit (peaches, apricots, etc.)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons instant tapioca or

tapioca starch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

For the topping:

2 cups flour


1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold salted butter

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus a few

tablespoons if needed

2 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional)


SPICED SUMMERFRUIT COBBLER

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F; position a cooking rack in the top third of the oven.2. Put the fruit in a baking dish. Add the sugar and toss. Sprinkle with the tapioca and toss again. Grate about 2 teaspoons lemon zest into the dish, then squeeze in about 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Toss again. Sprinkle on the black pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom. Toss again. Set aside while you make the topping.3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter in small chunks. Use a fork, pastry cutter, 2 knives, or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it looks like cornmeal with a chunk or two in it. Stir in the buttermilk. The batter should be loose enough to drop, stir in more but-termilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. 4. Stir the fruit mixture one more time, then drop the batter in spoonfuls over the top. Sprinkle with the coarse/extra sugar, if using. Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch drips!). Bake until the biscuit topping is browned and the fruit is bubbling in the center, 50 to 60 minutes.

INSTRUCTIONS

Featuring fresh corn rather than cornmeal, this dessert is chock-full of summer produce. The cake can be made the morning of a party or even the day before, then just assemble

with the whipped cream and berries before serving. For the glorious creation pictured, you

need two layers, but this recipe works very well if halved for a more humble, single-layer

cake you can eat plain or dusted with sugar or with a dollop of yogurt and berries on the

side … dare we suggest for breakfast?

.Serves: 8Prep time: 30 minutesCook time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 medium ears sweet corn

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

(plus more for the pan)

1/2 cup vegetable oil


3/4 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

For the garnish:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 pints berries


CORN CAKE WITH BERRIES

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter 2 round 8-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter that as well. Set aside.2. Shuck the corn. Using the large holes on a grater, grate the kernels into a medium bowl (this method gets more of the kernel from the cob than simply cutting them). Whirl in a blender with the milk and vanilla.3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.4. In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar until light-looking and fluffy. Separate the eggs. Add the yolks, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. 5. Beat in the corn mixture, then stir in the flour mixture just enough to combine everything (don’t overbeat). 6. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks—the beaters should pull up a peak of whites when lifted from the bowl, but that peak should droop back down. Stir about 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites. 7. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack.8. Whip the cream and sugar to hold soft peaks, use to “ice” the cake, adding berries to each layer.

A NOTE ON SUMMER COOKING

Summer cooking should be easy—think sliced tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few torn basil leaves or peaches sliced over ice cream—so don’t overthink it. Even when it comes to the grill. Season whatever you’re grilling and cook it until it’s done. Try not to muck about with it too much while it cooks. Flip things with two sides over once. Don’t push and mash and poke things—especially not to entertain your-self or because you feel like you need to “do” something. Most foods—burgers, chicken, steak, vegetables—fair better when allowed to just sit and cook. If you can bear it, give food a bit of time to sit and rest off the grill so the juices can settle and they can finish cooking before digging in.Easy.

Photo: Adobe Stock

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Seasonal Recipes