Four fabulous foods for summer

Published 12:01 am Sunday, June 19, 2011

Summer should be the easiest time of year to eat right.

With so much fresh produce and fair weather surrounding us, how could we eat anything but whole foods?

And yet, we do. It’s so easy to order pizza or just drive through.

Maybe all we need is a little culinary inspiration.

Enter Everett foodie Vanessa Edwards, the outreach coordinator for the Sno-Isle Foods Co-op in Everett, which is set to host a variety of Eat Local, America events throughout the summer. Check www.eatlocalamerica.coop or www.snoislefoods.coop for updates.

Today Edwards shares her favorite nonrecipe recipes for four of her favorite summer treats.

Carrots

Rainbow-colored carrots — yellow, red, white, purple and orange — are available by the bunch in high summer.

But they aren’t as sweet as some of the more popular orange varieties, which can make them less than ideal for fresh crunching.

Edwards has found a savory, tasty solution.

“I put them in coleslaw with cabbage, corn and cilantro and finish it with a ginger-soy vinaigrette.

“You can eat that as a side, on pulled pork or on fish tacos.”

Peaches

Ripe Washington peaches make for great fresh eating, of course.

But have you ever tried them grilled?

That’s Edwards’ favorite trick for a quick summer dessert or breakfast.

She slices them in half, removes the pits and places the soft flesh sides down over high heat for two or three minutes.

“I like to put creme fraiche or a homemade ricotta right on top,” she said. “It just cools the heat and then you drizzle it with honey.”

Tomatoes

Insalata Caprese, a salad in the style of Capri, Italy, may sound fancy and taste amazing, but it’s ridiculously easy to make and a good match for the local heirloom tomatoes that become available in July and August.

Slice tomatoes thickly and top them with slices of fresh mozzarella and basil leaves, followed by a drizzle of olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.

Grab a knife and fork and “eat it just like that,” Edwards said.

If you need a more substantial meal for lunch or dinner, put the salad between two thick slices of crusty bread from the Snohomish Bakery and grill the whole thing to create the perfect panini.

Blueberries

Impress your summer guests with a blueberry compote.

Put about 8 ounces of blueberries in a pan over medium-high heat until they burst and release some of their juices.

Reduce the heat and give the pan a squeeze of lemon juice and a teaspoon of sugar. Cook and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid thickens slightly.

Let the mixture cool and serve it over lemon curd, ice cream, pancakes or pudding.

“It would work in yogurt and you could call it a parfait,” Edwards said. “I like it on fresh biscuits and Whidbey Island vanilla ice cream.”

Blueberry green salad

2 quarts young mixed greens, torn
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper
2 ounces blue cheese, broken into chunks

Toss together greens and blueberries. Combine remaining ingredients, except blue cheese and mix well. Pour desired amount of dressing over greens and toss. Sprinkle blue cheese over the top.

Carpinito Brothers Farm, Kent, courtesy of Puget Sound Fresh.

See www.pugetsoundfresh.org for more recipes that use local ingredients.