The sun is up and so are the temperatures, but the good news is that summer fruits and vegetables have arrived with the summer sun. In the South, we enjoy a very long growing season, and I try to keep a variety of plants in my tiny garden almost year-round. We can enjoy farm fresh produce by “eating with the seasons,” but summer fruits and vegetables are most bountiful at our house. The list of farm-fresh options is almost endless and you can find so many great things at your local farmer’s market. These recipes are just a few of the things that we enjoy in the summer.
Variations on the Tomato Sandwich
Like many, a fresh ripe tomato may be my favorite summer food. I could eat one with every meal. The tomato is a summertime staple, and served as a sandwich with only a juicy fresh tomato, or with the addition of bacon, or a variety of toppings, it is tops at our house.
Tomato Sandwich with Homemade Mayonnaise
My grandmother, like most southern grandmothers, would serve her tomato sandwich with a little homemade mayo on a piece of white bread that was cut in a circle. The sandwich was open face, with a little salt and pepper and maybe a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Pretty much perfect.
Homemade Mayonnaise
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 tablespoons vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or lemon juice, if you prefer
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
Blend all ingredients except oil. Then, slowly add oil in a steady stream until a mayonnaise like consistency forms. Store in the refrigerator.
Turkey and the Wolf’s very BEST Tomato Sandwich
I have written about my love of the tiny hole in the wall restaurant, Turkey and the Wolf, in New Orleans that was named Bon Appétit magazine’s best new restaurant in New Orleans in 2017. Their sandwiches are delicious works of art with multiple textures (crunchy sunflower seeds) and flavor profiles (herbs/lemon juice). I read the chef and owner’s, Mason Hereford, recipe for the best tomato sandwich and have made his version several times. His version has a few steps but worth the effort.
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
8 thick slices white bread
1/2 cup mayonnaise (preferably Duke's)
1 cup roasted, salted, and hulled sunflower seeds
Kosher salt and Fresh ground black pepper
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Handful of fresh dill
2 lemons, halved
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spread butter on each side of bread slices and toast in batches in skillet until golden brown.
Spread mayonnaise evenly on one side of each bread slice. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on four slices. Sprinkle salt and lots of pepper on both sides of tomato slices, then pile on bread slices that have sunflower seeds. Top tomatoes with equal portions of basil and dill. (It will seem like a lot, but go for it.) Squeeze on every last drop of lemon juice. Top with remaining bread.
Classic BLT
I know many people have a definite opinion about the type of bacon (thick or thin) and lettuce (iceberg or butter), but I pretty much like it all. I want my bacon cooked crisp, my lettuce ice cold, and my tomato fresh.
8 slices of good bacon, cooked crisp
2-4 pieces of lettuce, ice cold
4 slices fresh bread, I like to use seeded rye, if possible
4 slices fresh ripe tomato (allow to drain on a paper towel for a few minutes after cutting)
Salt, pepper, and season salt to taste
Homemade mayonnaise, if available
Grilled Tomato and Pimento Cheese Sandwich
To make pimento cheese:
2 pounds extra sharp cheddar cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Velveeta cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade if possible)
1-2 small jars chopped pimentos, drained
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Grate cheese and add drained pimento, seasonings, and mayo. Mix well and store in refrigerator.
We always like it very spicy, but feel free to adjust seasoning to taste.
To assemble sandwich:
Spread a thin layer of pimento cheese on one slice of bread, top with a slice of fresh tomato, and top with another slice of bread. Spread with softened butter and grill over medium high heat until toasted. Repeat on other side. Serve immediately.
New and Improved Tomato Pie
Tomato pie is a staple at our house when fresh basil and fresh tomatoes are in season. If you are “mayonnaise adverse,” simply leave it out.
The “new, improvement” came when I read a suggestion that you slice, sprinkle with a little salt, and allow tomatoes to drain on paper towels for about 1 hour before preparing. The pie is more flavorful and with less liquid from the tomatoes.
1 pie crust, thawed (store bought is fine)
3 large tomatoes, sliced, sprinkled with a little salt, and allowed to drain on paper towels for at least 1 hour.
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1-2 tablespoons chopped basil, more for garnish
Sprinkle tomatoes with a little salt and allow to drain on paper towels for a few minutes. Mix cheese, mayonnaise, garlic salt and basil until thoroughly combined. Spread on bottom of pie crust. Top with sliced tomatoes. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Watermelon and tomatoes: two of my favorite summer treats. This recipe is from Rebecca Wiggs and I found it in the Belhaven House and Garden Club’s cookbook, Salads, and Sips. The salad and the cookbook are both winners.
1 (3 pound) watermelon, remove rind and seeds, and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 large tomatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 cup (about 4 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup fresh mint and parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic or champagne vinegar
Salt/pepper to taste
Carefully toss together all ingredients and season to taste. Serve immediately.
Gammie’s Favorite Gazpacho
I am not a big summer soup person (too hot) but gazpacho is worthy of a try. It is easy, healthy, and delicious when the vegetables are fresh and in season.
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
8 ripe tomatoes, peeled and smashed
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 clove, garlic, peeled and chopped
1 small sweet onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
9 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups cold tomato juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Be sure to run the chopper until vegetables are smooth and completely blended. Chill until very cold. Pour into chilled cups.
May be served with additional chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, a splash of balsamic syrup, and croutons for garnish.
Carol Summer Corn Dip of Salad
I can remember my mother serving this at virtually every meal in the summertime. My sister loved it and she would add drops of Tabasco and serve it on top of saltines.
I have served it over shredded lettuce as a salad, and it is just as good as an appetizer with scoops corn chips. Any way you serve this, it is delicious.
1 regular can white shoe peg corn, drained
4 medium tomatoes, diced and drained
1 medium bell pepper, cut in small dice
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped pickled
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lemon pepper
Mix all the ingredients as directed and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Do not add additional mayonnaise, as it will make lots of juice as it sits. Refrigerate and serve within one to two days of making.
Pickled Okra
Whether it is in a Bloody Mary, on a big charcutier platter, or in a salad; pickled okra adds something special.
Soak small to medium okra in ice water for one hour.
For each pint of okra use: 1 teaspoon red pepper, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon mustard seed, 2 teaspoons iodize salt, one cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup water and three cloves of garlic, peeled, and smashed.
Drain and pack okra in sterile jars. Bring vinegar and water to a boil. Add seasonings to each jar, and then pour vinegar mixture over okra.
Seal according to canning instructions. Store in the refrigerator or cupboard, if properly sealed. Allow to pickle for three weeks.
Stir Fried Baby Okra
When my kids were little, we would make trips to the farmers market as our afternoon outings. They loved to go pick out their favorite fruit or the biggest watermelon. We always asked them to stand at the okra table and pick out all the “baby ones” for us. The kids would hunt through the big table and look for all the little ones (about 1 or 1 1/2 inches long). These are super tender and perfect for a quick stir fry.
1 pound baby okra, washed and stems removed
1 tablespoon canola oil
Kosher Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Heat oil in the bottom of a wok, cast iron skillet, or heavy bottom skillet. When oil is almost smoking, carefully toss in okra and stir around for about 1 minute. Allow okra to cook on high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Allow some dark brown marks and a little char. Toss in salt and pepper and serve hot.
Hot Vidalia Onion Dip
I know we can get Vidalia onions year-round, but they seem to be sweeter and best in the summer.
3 large Vidalia onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I have used Swiss, mozzarella, and spicy Monterey jack but any cheese will work.)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Tortilla chips, Fritos, or crackers for serving.
Preheat oven to 375°. Sauté the onions in the butter. Blend in mayonnaise, cheese, Tabasco, and garlic. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly and serve with chips or crackers.
Corn
We like to eat corn fresh off the cob, and you can cook it in the microwave for a few minutes per ear. To get the corn easily out of the husk without any of the silk. Place the fresh corn, in husk, in the microwave and cook for about three minutes per ear. Carefully remove corn from the microwave using a towel. While the corn is still hot, cut the large end (the stem) completely off about 1 inch from the bottom. Holding the tip of the corn by the husk, gently shake the corn out of the husk, leaving almost all of the silks behind.
Slather corn with butter and a sprinkle of salt. Enjoy.
Another great option with sweetcorn is the super easy sauté recipe.
2 tablespoons butter or a combination of butter and olive oil
3 cups fresh corn kernels, about 6 ears
A pinch of salt/pepper to taste
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced or chopped
Heat butter in a large sauté pan and cook onion until onion is tender and translucent. Add corn kernels and turn up the heat to high. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once corn is brown along the edges, turn off heat and mix in herbs. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm.
Zucchini Boats
These are easy to prepare and make a perfect side dish.
6 medium zucchinis
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 425°. Trim end and cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Remove seeds creating a “boat.” Brush zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, roast, cut side down in oven for 12 minutes.
While zucchini is roasting, prepare stuffing by combining breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, panko, and about 3 tablespoons olive oil in a separate bowl. Mix well.
Turn the zucchini cut side up and spoon about a tablespoon of panko mixture into each. Return to the oven and roast an additional 8-10 minutes.
Sautéed Fresh Yellow Squash
This has to be one of my favorite ways to eat yellow squash and it could not be easier.
6-8 small fresh yellow squash
1/2 or 1 whole Vidalia onion
Garlic salt, and pepper, to taste
A pinch of dill, if desired
In a medium size skillet, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and toss in the chopped onion and squash. Allow to cook on pretty high heat tossing frequently but allowing both to get a nicely browned.
Sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper, dill weed and cook until onions are tender or about eight minutes. Enjoy.
*A friend gave me this recipe tip: He adds about three to four farm fresh eggs to the hot squash mixture and scrambles them in the skillet. He has received rave reviews from his buddies with this recipe. I have not tried it but it sounds like it would be delicious.
Cucumber and Onion Salad
2 cups cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced, seeded if necessary
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons rice or white vinegar
1/2 cup warm water
In a bowl or serving platter, arrange cucumbers and onions in layers. Mix water, sugar, vinegar, and chili flakes in a small bowl until sugar has dissolved. Pour over cucumbers.
Carol’s Cucumber Salad Spread
I love a fresh cucumber sandwich and this is an easy, make-ahead version.
2 to 3 cucumbers, grated and sprinkled with 1 teaspoon salt (allow cucumbers to drain for about 30 minutes)
Combine:
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 to 2 drops hot sauce
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh chives
A dash black pepper
2 tablespoons dill seed, if available
1/4 teaspoon or pinch of sugar
Toss mixture with cucumbers and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Use as delicious sandwich spread, dip or salad topping.
Fresh Green Beans with Lemon Zest
1-pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 red or sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested and then juiced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Blanch the green beans in a pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes until they are tender-crisp. Drain and plunge in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and dry.
When ready to serve, heat skillet with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook onion until translucent. Toss in green bean and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon zest and lemon juice.
Blackberries with Half and Half
Blackberries really remind me of summer, and this may be the easiest and one of the best summer desserts.
I grew up on farm and we had hundreds of blackberry bushes. Not the thornless kind like we can find now, but the wild ones full of gigantic thorns, but delicious blackberries. My mother would get us up early and declare our family rule: “You eat what you pick.” This rule was established after my sister and I would either hide in the shade while she picked, or we would eat every blackberry picked straight from the bush and came home with an empty bucket.
Thank goodness for grocery stores and farmers markets. Now, I can enjoy this simple dessert almost year-round without fear of the thorns.
2 cups fresh blackberries
1/4 cup white sugar
1 -2 cups half and half
Wash berries and toss with sugar. Smash a fest to get some juice. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve or overnight. Divide berries in 4 bowls and top with half and half.
Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Ice Cream
Summer would not be summer without homemade ice cream. This recipe is one of the best I have ever tasted and uses our new state fruit, the blueberry.
It makes about 3 pints of ice cream so you can increase or decrease based on your freezer size.
1 1/2 cups + 4 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces of cream cheese, a room temperature
1 cup of sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups fresh blueberries
In the bowl of electric mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, place 1 1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, and the sour cream, and mix until thoroughly combined. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring milk and cream to a low simmer until just steaming or about three minutes. With mixer on low add half the warm milk to the cream cheese mixture. You are “tempering” the mixture so you do not scramble the eggs.
Add mixture back to sauce pan. Stir mixture constantly over medium heat until thick, about 4-5 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil.
Put mixture in refrigerators until cold, stiffing occasionally until cool. Once cooled, place mixture in an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions.
While ice cream is freezing, mix blueberries with the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Smash several during cooking. Cook until sick and syrupy or about three minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
When ice cream is frozen and ready, remove about half of the ice cream from the machine and transfer into a large freezer safe container. Press in about half of the blueberries on top of ice cream and swirl mixture. Add the rest of ice cream and blueberry mixture swirling to incorporate.
Allow to freeze overnight and serve when ready.
