Summer Tomatoes, How I Love You So.

Are you part of a CSA this season? I’m four weeks into mine, and I’ve been sharing what I got every week and how I plan to cook/eat my way through it. This week I received my first couple summer tomatoes — all bright, red, and juicy!

Blueberries

Corn

Lettuce

Kale

Beets

Red potatoes

Squash

Green beans

Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Blueberries: Faith argued it already: 
panna cotta really is the perfect dessert. This week I plan to make her 
Rosewater Yogurt Panna Cotta with Blueberries. And get this: the whole dessert takes about four and a half minutes to make. Seriously. Such an elegant, quick summer dessert.

Corn: Any one of these 
10 corn and tomato salads would be terrific this week, but I’m particularly feeling Elizabeth’s 
Pan Fried Chicken Breasts with Corn and Tomato Summer Salad. Easy, delicious, colorful, healthy — a great weeknight summer dish.

Lettuce:
Stir-Fried Lettuce is a revelation. When Grace Young demonstrated it for us last year, we were all blown away by how delicious it was. Add in a few garlic chiles, as Grace did, and you won’t be able to stop eating it.

Kale: Do you ever put kale in smoothies? It’s one of my favorite ways to use it. I often freeze kale — after it’s been washed and thoroughly dried — so it’s ready to throw into smoothies when I need it. The key with any dark, leafy green in a smoothie is to balance it with a sweet fruit so that it’s not too bitter — a banana, or half an apple or orange. I find kale works best with a water or juice base, as opposed to milk or yogurt. One of my favorite combos is to pair a handful of kale with water (or coconut water!), whatever fruit I have on hand, a nub of ginger, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a some fresh mint. It’s very refreshing.

Beets: It’s been so ridiculously hot this week, so the thought of turning on the oven to roast my beets is not an appealing one. So this week I may

grill them instead

Red potatoes + Green Beans: Emma’s 
Potatoes, Green Beans, and Corn in Lemon Brown Butter Sauce will make excellent use of both my potatoes and green beans this week! And the salad is tossed in brown butter, so it’s basically incredibly delicious.

Squash: The summer squash is really starting to come in now. I’m planning to make a batch of this 
Simple Summer Squash Soup this week. It freezes really well, too!

Cucumbers: Want a crisp, super refreshing drink for your 5pm cocktail hour this Friday? This 
Cucumber-Rosemary Gin and Tonic is so delicious. I served it at my
spring vegetarian dinner for six, and it’s still a favorite. With any leftover cucumbers, I’ll whip up a batch of this
Cucumber Sauce to have around for salads, sandwiches, and grilled corn.

Tomatoes: YES. Tomatoes.
Tomatoes. So many things to do with tomatoes, but I’m going to savor the first of these by eating them in a classic 
Caprese Salad: drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and paired with mozzarella and basil. Heaven surely has this dish on the menu.

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What did you get in your CSA box this week, and what will you be making? Share your recipes — links encouraged!

(Image: Cambria Bold)