What are your favourite summer recipes?

[DandyCat]

I am a crazy seasonal cook and baker. I just love to roll with what's in season and enjoy my dishes using ingredients that are currently going through their tastiest time of year.
So, what's your go-to for the summer? I've been doing loads with tomatoes lately (hello heirlooms!) and munching away at peaches for snacks.

Since both tomatoes and green beans are delicious around this time of year, I end up making Greek Green Beans a lot, also known as Fasolakia (which basically translates to "little beans").
It's green beans cooked down with tomato, onions and garlic—sometimes you can add potato or carrot— then you add a healthy glug of olive oil and eat it with bread(my mom served it with mashed potatoes, which is also delicious), feta and olives. It tastes great cold, which is why it's often a summer dish!

For dessert I've been really digging ice box cakes or easy puddings. I made banana pudding for the first time and it was delicious! Also made this Lime Maria Ice Box Cake and it was too good.

 

[Maryn]

I make this one over and over during summer. I especially enjoy dinner being complete by mid-afternoon, just chillin' until it's time to eat. You can tell I had kids at home when I wrote this up.

Salmon Panzanella, a hearty salad that is a one-dish meal perfect for a summer evening

Servings: 4 Start to finish: 40 minutes

6.5 oz. dense white bread, ciabatta bread or white baguette, often 1/2 to 2/3 of a loaf
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (or less)
Kosher or sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound skinless salmon filets (any number of pieces to equal 1 pound) or shrimp
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (mixed colors look especially pretty)
1 ⁄ 4 cup minced red onion (one slice)
1 avocado, diced (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Tear or cut the bread into large chunks, about 1 1/2-inches in the largest direction. If you have someone helping in the kitchen, this is the job for them.

Place them in a clean plastic bag. Mix about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with ½ tsp garlic granules, ½ tsp. sea salt, ¼ tsp. pepper. Drizzle oil over bread chunks and toss inside the bag to distribute the oil. Spread them out on a foil covered baking sheet with a rim (like a cookie sheet) and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the bread starts to brown at the edges. Stir half-way through to minimize the risk of the bottom burning.

While the bread is in the oven, cut the cherry or grape tomatoes in half from the stem end to the bottom. This is also a helper job, impossible to do wrong.

Meanwhile combine the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil (or less; 1.5 to 2 seems adequate), the mustard, vinegar or wine, and salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir to blend well. Do the oil first, then the mustard will slip right off the spoon.

Remove the bread from the oven, transfer to a large bowl, and keep the oven on. Note: Do not mix anything with the bread now.

Place the salmon filets on the baking sheet, skin side down if it has a skin, on the same foil. Drizzle about half of the oil mixture over them, using a brush or the back of a spoon to distribute it evenly. Roast for 12 - 20 minutes until cooked through. (The thickness determines cooking time: 10 minutes per inch, minimum. I usually go with 20 minutes.) Remove and let cool slightly. If your salmon has skin, it will pull free easily once it’s fully cooked as long as it remains warm. The skin may stick to the foil, which makes it even easier.

Use your fingers or a fork to pull the salmon apart into large chunks. Add the halved tomatoes, onions and the warm salmon chunks to the toasted bread in the bowl, drizzle the rest of the dressing over them, and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

If you are preparing well in advance, combine everything except the bread and refrigerate. Stir in the bread just before serving.

 

[Brigid Barry]

Most of our green beans get made into dilly beans, aka, pickled green beans. They're delicious and the family loves them, unfortunately they take about six weeks to really soak up the flavor.

 

[DandyCat]

Most of our green beans get made into dilly beans, aka, pickled green beans. They're delicious and the family loves them, unfortunately they take about six weeks to really soak up the flavor.

I've never had pickled green beans but something tells me that they must be absolutely delicious (being a big fan of salty, briny, crunchy veggies).

 

[DandyCat]

@Maryn Ooooh Panzanella is a summer MUST, so so good. Your version reminded me of another great summer fish salad: the Nicoise!

 

[benbenberi]

I love a good salade Niçoise (best made with the good oil-packed tuna IMO) and also its more portable cousin, the pan bagnat -- take all the ingredients of a salade Niçoise, put them inside a good crusty roll or loaf, wrap it up, and press the heck out of it for at least a few hours so all the filling components get cozy with each other, the juices soak into the bread and you can fit your mouth around it. Great for a picnic!

 

[DandyCat]

I love a good salade Niçoise (best made with the good oil-packed tuna IMO) and also its more portable cousin, the pan bagnat -- take all the ingredients of a salade Niçoise, put them inside a good crusty roll or loaf, wrap it up, and press the heck out of it for at least a few hours so all the filling components get cozy with each other, the juices soak into the bread and you can fit your mouth around it. Great for a picnic!

That does sound scrumptious! And yes, oil packed is the go-to, a friend of mine just cooks the tuna himself but given how many steps this salad already has, I can never be bothered to do that

 

[Brigid Barry]

How on earth could I possible have forgotten grilled zucchini?! I'm losing it.

Super simple: cut the zucchini into whatever shape (spears or lengthwise slices tend to fall into the grill slightly less) you like, toss in your preferred oil, season with salt and whatever other seasonings you fancy, and grill until you have grill marks. Fast, easy, delicious.

 

[DandyCat]

How on earth could I possible have forgotten grilled zucchini?! I'm losing it.

Omg me too! I completely forgot about zucchini this summer, crap I should grab some when the farmers market comes around this week.

 

[Brigid Barry]

And squash tots (which I also add grated jalepeno and bacon to). I bought a potato ricer for this and beet fritters. Totally worth it.

 

[benbenberi]

I don't have a grill at home, but spent several recent weekends with one, and indulged in my favorite grilled eggplant: slice your eggplant not-too-thick, pour on some good olive oil (remembering that eggplant is a sponge, so it's always thirsty for more and that makes it better), season with salt & pepper & anything else you like on eggplant, give it at least 15 min to bathe in the oil, and grill it on both sides till it's soft & browned but not charred or crispy. To brighten it up you can add some lemon to the oil, or sprinkle it at the end. If you put some ears of corn on the grill at the same time, it makes a very nice summer meal.

 

[nebula_bebbula]

Summer is my preferred no-recipe time: corn on the cob looking good? Butter and salt is the only thing missing. Basil popping off? Caprese if there's mozzarella on hand, otherwise blend it up with parm, olive oil, any other leafy green on hand, and (almost) any nut (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts...)

And constant supply of frozen grapes and ice cream

I've always wanted to make that famous plum torte recipe but never gotten around to turning the oven on lol

 

[DandyCat]

I've always wanted to make that famous plum torte recipe but never gotten around to turning the oven on lol

My desire to make peach and strawberry rhubarb pies this summer ended up a mere idea due to not wanting to turn on the oven, so I feel you there lol

 

[benbenberi]

My desire to make peach and strawberry rhubarb pies this summer ended up a mere idea due to not wanting to turn on the oven, so I feel you there lol

It's not pie, but you can cook up the peach & strawberry rhubarb filling as a compote on the stove instead, and serve it over ice cream, or with crunchy toppings (granola might be nice, or crumbled cookies or meringues from the store), or both. Add whipped cream & enjoy!