5 Summer Vegetables and What to Make with Them

Source: 5 Summer Vegetables and What to Make With Them

Now that we're in the swing of all the season's produce, it's time to take advantage of the berries, stone fruits, and Summer vegetables at the farmers market. My current obsession with produce spans far and wide and includes vegetables like zucchini, tomatillos, and okra. Make the most of what you're seeing this season when you keep reading!

  • What to Buy: Zucchini Squash: Zucchini - or courgettes, as they're also known - are abundant and inexpensive right now. Savor their delicate texture and flavor until the end of August.

  • What to Make: Zucchini Crostini: Meld zucchini, feta, dill, and lemon zest together for a Summer salad that takes just minutes.

  • What to Buy: Corn: Ears of white and yellow corn, plump with sweet baby kernels, are ripe and ready for the picking. Once they've been picked, they should be consumed as soon as possible.

  • What to Make: Mexican Street-Food-Style Grilled Corn: Mimic Mexico's famed elote asado by grilling juicy ears of corn, then slathering them with rich crema, dried chiles, and crumbly cheese.

  • What to Buy: Tomatillos: They may be green and tomato-shaped, but tomatillos are anything but tomatoes. These husked fruits add a citrus-like punch to Latin American dishes.

  • What to Make: Mexican Salsa Verde: Eschew purchasing salsa verde, a staple of Mexican cooking, in favor of making it yourself at home. This version's inflected with a little heat and smokiness from chipotles in adobo.

  • What to Buy: Early Girl Tomatoes: There's a reason why Early Girl tomatoes are a favorite of California cuisine matron Alice Waters. They're usually grown using a sustainable, water-saving farming technique that fully realizes their fresh-from-the-garden juiciness.

  • What to Make: Tomato-Mayo Sandwich: Enjoy Early Girl tomatoes at their most pure expression with one of their simplest, most unadulterated preparations: atop a toasted slice of bread that's been slathered with mayonnaise and showered with sea salt.

  • What to Buy: Okra: Fresh okra are available through early Fall; for the most tender results, select pods that are firm and not too large.

  • What to Make: Summer Skillet Stir-Fry: A quick and easy skillet stir-fry is a light, bright way to celebrate peak-of-the-season specialties like okra, cherry tomatoes, and jalapeños.