We all know about supporting local and sustainable foods. However, we sometimes neglect to really dive into what is seasonal. The Summer passes quickly but what an opportunity it is to use presently the abundant fresh crop of vegetables and fruits. Brings me back to judging the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa 2020 & Okanagan 2019 both held at the end of January. How we wished then that there was a better selection of fresh produce available at that time of year for the competing chefs to use – rather than having to import kale from California. Right now we can choose vegetables including peas (mangetout & English), green beans & Romanos, zucchini (small, green & yellow), baby carrots, and varieties of new little potatoes. Like particularly those yellow-fleshed Sieglinde, Yukon Gold, & Bintje but also those many red-skinned ones. Fruits are versatile with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, rhubarb, and blueberries such a treat. Waiting on the wild blackberries to ripen. Remember to collect and enjoy next month all the colourful juicy tasty tomatoes – especially heirloom. Always follow the wise rule that “the better the quality of your ingredients the less you need to do with them!” Recipes are so flexible and easy. We are passionate followers of Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Everything in his books and contributing articles in The New York Times seem to work. An example included here is his Broccolini and sweet sesame salad with green beans & snow peas from his book “Plenty”. Also using a lot from Ultimate Veg by Jamie Oliver like his Summer Tagliatelle that includes those Yukon Gold potatoes and green beans with the pasta. Try adding your oil & vinegar dressing on the warm potatoes for optimum flavour enhancement. Use your fresh herbs in salads and everywhere else. Your Summer dishes don’t have to be hot or cold – try tepid or lukewarm “tiede” instead.
Please give us your Summer dish idea to try out. Enjoy!
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