Summer Recipes

Summer is the peak of the season for northeastern fruit such as peaches,cherries, raspberries, blueberries, and melons. Many of our favorite vegetables, such as tomatoes and sweet corn are best when picked at thepeak of ripeness and eaten while still very fresh. This is a great time of year to visit the farmers markets.

Enjoy seasonal fruit for breakfast or a snack.
Make a salad of fresh local tomatoes, basil, peppers, cucumbers, and onions.
Grill fresh sweet corn in the husk with your summertime barbecues. If the corn is very fresh, it needs very little cooking and can even be eaten raw.
Grill vegetable kebobs with onions, peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, and eggplant.

Cold Soba Noodle Salad

8 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles
6 cups water
1 bunch sunflower sprouts or pea shoots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red radishes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped cucumber

Dressing:
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
2-inch piece grated fresh ginger
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Put soba noodles into a pot of 6 cups boiling water and cook until tender, no more than 8 minutes. Rinse with cold water when finished cooking.
Mix all vegetables and noodles in a large bowl.
Combine ingredients for dressing in a separate bowl, then pour dressing over noodles and mix well.


Summer Barley Salad

1 cup barley
2 ¼ cups water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 bunches arugula
½ cup sunflower seeds
1 carrot, chopped
½ bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 or 2 lemons

Place barley, water and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 45 minutes.
Wash arugula and chop into small pieces.
Place sunflower seeds on a cookie sheet and toast for 5 minutes in a 350-degree oven, being careful not to burn them.
When the barley is cooked, let it cool and then transfer to a large mixing bowl, mixing it with all ingredients. Add salt and pepper if desired.


Late Summer Corn Salad

4 ears of corn
½ small red onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Boil corn in a large pot for 5-10 minutes. Remove from pot and cool by running under cold water. Cut kernels from the cobs and place in a large mixing bowl.
Mix with all other ingredients.