Summer House Cooking: Putting the season's vegetables to good use

While the tomatoes in my garden are still too green for anything, even green tomato pie, the corn is already sweet, the zucchini already plentiful and the onions ready for their close-ups at my local farmers market in Lyme.

As many of you know, I'm very attached to our little market, which is one reason why it was such a pleasure for me to write about it for the August issue of Bon Appetit magazine.  The story, which is now available online, includes 8 recipes that are favorites of mine for the season:

• SUMMER CORN SOUP (pictured above) -- not only do I love the flavor and texture of this soup, I love that you get to use everything corny to make it, including the cobs!
• TOMATO AND TAPENADE TARTLETS -- so sophisticated looking; so easy
• CAPER-ROSEMARY TUNA WITH HERB SALAD -- worth firing up the grill for, even if the tuna only cooks on it for a very few minutes 
• GRILLED SCALLOPS AND NECTARINES WITH CORN AND TOMATO SALAD -- I love the combination of sweet scallops, nectarines and corn with the bit of acidity you get from tomatoes (I also love the surprise of nectarines in a main course)
• GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH CAPONATA SALSA -- think eggplant as bruschetta
• GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN AND MOROCCAN COUSCOUS SALAD -- one of my summer go-to recipes
• GRILLED FLANK STEAK WITH SPICY PEPPER AND WATERMELON SALAD -- the salad, a mix of bell peppers, fiery sriracha sauce and cool watermelon, is perfect with steak, but just as good with chicken or fish
• ZUCCHINI TAGLIATELLE WITH MINT, CUCUMBER AND LEMON -- no pasta here, just zucchini sliced on a mandoline or v slicer to look like tagliatelle; it's fun and it's good with so many things -- I served it with roasted salmon last night

I hope you'll take a look at the story (I don't know how long it will be up, since links get updated so frequently) and that you''ll enjoy the read.  And I really hope you'll cook from the recipes.

Comments

[Pamela]

Dorie, I bought the magazine recently and was delighted to find your article in there. Everything sounds delicious, but I am really excited about making those tartlets and the lemon chicken! Yum! Keep up the EXCELLENT work!

[Avi]

I'm especially looking forward to making this Grilled Eggplant with Caponata Salsa. How true -- bruschetta but with eggplant as the base. I wonder, if you sliced the eggplant a bit thinner, you could stack it on a piece of fresh bread and then spoon the salsa on top. Just an idea for something a little heartier if you're making a meal out of the eggplant alongside, say, a fresh summer salad.

[katie]

I loved the story in the magazine. It made me smile from ear to ear!

[Eileen]

All of these recipes sound fantastic. I'm especially looking forward to making the tomato and tapenade tartlets. Planted 20 heirloom tomatoes this year that I grew from seeds, but like you, am still waiting to get a ripe one. Thank you Dorie.

[Robert]

thanks Dorie, love your baking. love your cooking!
the nectarines with scallops is amazing. Do you cook that corn first; i did; it just doesnt say; so its raw??
thanks for all the inspiration!

[Maria]

My mouth is watering after reading the titles of those recipes! I just love summer! Our tomoatoes are still green too, but we go to the local farmer's market every week to get produce! I can't wait to try these recipes!! Thanks Dorie!