Summer Produce Simple Recipe Roundup

It’s right about this time in summer, early to late August that I feel there’s a sudden shift with people wanting fall recipes. Maybe we aren’t ready to cook up all the chilis and stews, but we are ready to look at least look into fall recipe planning. But I just look outside and the garden is saying ‘hold up!’. Summer produce is still in full swing. So the pumpkin everything recipes are going to have to wait a little longer.

I thought it would be fun to share a few very simple yet flavorful and delicious recipes that truly highlight summer produce. I’ve got a berry compote, a spicy basil walnut pesto, and an heirloom tomato burrata salad. All three are made with ingredients that just scream summer to me. Berries, tomato, basil, and jalapeno. The best farmer’s market finds.

Starting this roundup first with this berry compote. When berries are in season I can’t help but to buy loads of them. And while our family does a good job of making a dent, sometimes I just go overboard on the berry buying and it leaves us with a need to use them up before they go bad. I’m a big fan of freezing berries for smoothies later. But making a compote is what I’m loving lately. It works with whatever berries you have on hand. I love a mix, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

▪️ 1 1/2 packed cups of fresh berries, larger ones chopped up
▪️1 tbsp chia seeds
▪️1/4 cup water
▪️1 tsp maple syrup, you can add more but this was plenty sweet for me
➖Heat berries in a pan and add water.
➖Stir in chia seeds and maple. Cook down for about 10 minutes.
➖Using a wooden spoon, breakdown berries to the consistency you want.
➖Store in a glass jar for up to a week

Next up, some garden pesto. For a twist on traditional pesto I added a jalapeno. It adds a nice little kick. Plus it’s a good way to add more produce from the garden. Jalapenos are sometimes a hard thing for me to use up, we grow so many.

▪️ 2 cups packed basil
▪️1 chopped jalapeno
▪️2 garlic cloves
▪️1/2 cup to 1 cup walnuts, depending on preference
▪️1/4 cup parmesan or 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast if vegan
▪️Juice from 1/2 large lemon
▪️Salt & pepper to taste plus olive oil (about 1/4 cup )
➖Mix everything except the oil in a high speed blender or food processor. Start drizzling the oil in slowly until you reach your desired consistency. You may want more or less.

Last up is almost literally summer on a plate. Juicy, tasty heirloom tomatoes with burrata with basil sprinkled over. For this one I used 2 heirlooms cut into larger bite sized pieces. I give a good pinch of salt and pepper to them. That’s really all they need. I place a small ball of burrata in the middle that I break apart when I serve. Then it’s all topped with some freshly cut basil. Summer on a plate!