These toasts are tangy and sweet. The strawberries are the focus but the goat cheese and basil give it a solid savory edge. These are so good during strawberry season when the berries are at their peak.
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Roasted Summer Veg with Cheesy Polenta and Garlicky Beans
This is an especially flavorful dish that’s perfect for the end of summer when the evenings are beginning to cool but you’re still swimming in summer produce. At first glance it may seem that there are a lot of components. However the timing for all of them flows really well, so as soon as you finish one, you move on to the next, and they all end up being ready within the same window. The polenta will need to be stirred periodically throughout the prep time, but otherwise each task is pretty self contained.
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Whole Wheat Cherry Tomato Galette with Caramelized Onions
The whole wheat pastry dough helps balance out the rich flavors of the caramelized onions and sweet cherry tomatoes. This is best served right away while the dough is still crisp and flaky. If you need to make caramelized onions, make sure you do those ahead of time so they are able to cool before going in the galette.
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Corn and Zucchini Galette
This recipe is great for early summer, before any tomatoes have arrived at the markets! The flaky pastry dough is rich and this galette is best served alongside a fresh salad.
If you already have the dough made (and I would recommend always making one or two extra because they freeze beautifully), then this requires very little hands-on time. I love to make galettes when having people over for dinner – all the work can be done well before anyone arrives.
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Cherry Spinach Salad with Basil Vin
The cherries in this salad provide a bold and delicious burst of flavor. Like most salads loaded with goodies, everything will sink to the bottom. This is especially true for this salad as the cherries are heavy. Make sure you are getting plenty of the good stuff in each portion when serving.
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Basil Vinaigrette
This is a delicious dressing in the summertime when basil is abundant. The walnut oil adds depth to the flavors and I love its addition here. However if you don’t have walnut oil but you do have a giant pile of basil, olive oil will also work.
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Strawberry Arugula Salad with Basil and Feta
Strawberries and basil is such a summery and satisfying combination of flavors. If you can, try and find local strawberries to buy. The ones found in the grocery stores are bred to be able to travel and aren’t as tender or flavorful as what you can find at your local stand. If you do find yourself in front of the strawberry section at your grocery store, look for berries that are red, rather than white, at the top. These will be more likely to have been picked when close to ripe.
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Roasted Summer Veg and Potato Herb Salad
This herb and vegetable focused potato salad is a great addition to the summer table. I like to combine everything when the potatoes are hot, so that the goat cheese gets a little melty and coats everything. It makes for a slightly messier appearance, but a more balanced bite. I like the tang that the goat cheese adds but you could also use feta or leave the cheese out altogether. The dish will still come together just as well if the ingredients are at room temperature. This salad is delicious cold, making it a great dish to make up ahead of time or to share with friends at a BBQ. Either way, this is a dish best served outside. Enjoy!
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Basil Pesto
Basil is one of my favorite summer smells. In addition to adding it to just about everything I eat in the summer, I love making pesto. Basil Pesto is a classic summer staple and one that freezes really well. Basil plants are prolific producers, so I like to make large batches to freeze and use later. Whenever I have enough basil on hand, I’ll double the quantities below. Basil Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, but I’ve always used walnuts. Pine nuts are a little too pricey for me and I love the flavor of walnuts. Whether you use pine nuts or walnuts, the important thing is that they’re toasted dark.
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Summer Spinach Salad with Hummus
This salad is a great way to use up some of that summer garden produce. I used lemon cucumbers because that’s what I had from my garden, but any cucumber variety will work nicely. Spinach bunches can vary quite a bit in size, so make adjustments if what you have seems like too much or not enough.
You can use store-bought hummus, but if you have time to make your own, it’s worth the extra effort. This salad is especially good with warm hummus spooned over the top. The hummus acts as a type of dressing and helps the salad feel more substantial.
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