Making the Most of Summer Produce
One of the things that I love about summer is the abundance of fresh produce that is available. Here, in California, we’re fortunate to have numerous farmer’s markets and farm stands to augment the grocery stores with numerous different types of fresh vegetables, fruits, and increasingly pastured meats. I have been attempting to try to prepare vegetables and fruits that are new to me and that I seldom try. Not only does it allow me to experiment with new foods and recipes, but I also find myself less intimidated by “strange veggies” since they are no longer so strange. Here are some things that I do to experiment as well as waste less:
–I experiment with different ways to prepare the same veggie, for example, boiling, roasting, grilling and sautéing. I tried this with asparagus and found that roasted asparagus is my favorite.
–I look to combine multiple fruits and veggies together into a large stir-fry or a big salad. One of my favorites is to combine a fruit and a vegetable in a salad, like a fruit and mixed green salad.
–I ask for tips at the farmer’s market of how to prepare things. Last week, one stand recommended adding the sauteed veggies to a big frittata, for a great artichoke, asparagus and cooked greens frittata.
–I often try vegetables in the simplest way possible, like these radishes with butter which are often served in France before dinner
Radishes with butter
1 bunch of radishes, trimmed and halved
butter, softened
coarse sea salt
Spread butter on the radish halves and sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.
shared at Pennywise Platter, Frugal Friday, Food Renegade, and Works for Me Wednesday
I love radish with butter and sea salt on a nice piece of bread. The perfect summer appetizer! Pickling or canning are my favorite ways to save the best of summer for a cold winter day. Thanks for some additional ideas.
Hi Jacky, I have been exploring pickling more.
I used to eat radishes with butter when I was a kid! (I’m 55.) Can’t eat them any more–my stomach doesn’t like them. But I sure enjoyed them ‘back in the day.’
Don’t forget to make good use of your freezer, too. I’ve been freezing strawberries and have started freezing blueberries for next winter. Nothing like blueberry muffins in January when there’s 14 inches of snow on the ground (I live in New York, btw).
Clare, great point about the freezer.
Radishes and butter one of my Dad’s favorite out the garden snacks. I was just talking about this one. The hot spicy bite of the radishes with the creaminess and sweetness of the butter. Yum. Makes me wish I had planted some this year.
Lisa, it is a fabulous combination!
Because I succession plant a lot of veggies in our garden, I end up with several different veggies in small amounts. I like to steam and freeze them as mixed veggies which we saute directly from the freezer in the winter.
I’ll have to pass the radish recipe along to my sister who is growing a lot of them this year. Me, I’m not so fond of radish.
Hi Barb, I wish I had your gardening skills. My efforts stall out at herbs and flowers. Radishes are interesting. I never used to like them until I tried the radishes (raw) with butter and sea salt. Then, I tried sauteed radishes. The cooking turns the sharp, bitterness into a mild sweetness. I’ll post a recipe at some point.