In the heat of August, it can be hard to get too excited about cooking over a hot stove or oven. With the recent summer bounty of tomatoes and peaches, it's easy to make use of fresh produce without breaking a sweat! Here are two very simple, but delicious, ideas for how to use the recent bumper crop.
Peach, tomato & basil salad
Serves approx. 4
Ingredients
- 3 large heirloom tomatoes
- a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 peaches
- a handful of fresh basil
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 shallot, minced
Instructions
- Prep salad ingredients: Cut large tomatoes and peaches into small cubes; cut grape tomatoes in half (or quarters, if you prefer); tear basil leaves into small to medium sized pieces. Lightly salt the tomatoes once you cut them.
- Make the dressing: Mix oil, vinegar, minced shallot, and a small pinch of salt and pepper into a sealed container or jar; shake vigorously. Add more of any ingredient to taste. (Detailed guidance available here.)
- Arrange the tomatoes, peaches, and basil on a plate and dress lightly. Serve alongside your favorite entree or for a special treat, top the salad with fresh burrata cheese and torn prosciutto. Enjoy!
Peach and tomato toast
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 heirloom tomato
- 1 peach
- 4 slices seeded bread (I like the seedy whole grain from Lost Bread Company; you can find them at the Saturday Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza)
- 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese or farmer's cheese (you can use more if you want a more cheese-forward toast); I like the dill farmer's cheese from Chaseholm Farm, also available at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket
- Olive oil
- Salt (preferably a larger flaky salt)
Instructions
- Toast bread -- I like to do it in the broiler with a dash of olive oil to get it extra crispy
- Thinly slice tomatoes and peaches
- Spread a thin layer of cheese over the toast
- Layer tomatoes and peach on top of the cheese
- Top with a little drizzle of oil and a few salt flakes
A Simple (but delicious!) tomato sauce
From CSA member Camie Hoan
When we got the bag of tomatoes during tomato season... I was very overwhelmed. A colleague overheard my convo about CSA tomato overload, and she gave me the idea of throwing it in the oven, so here is my version from her inspo! I will apologize in advance for my lack of precision on... anything!
ingredient:
1x bag-o-tomatoes (approx 2 large, 4 medium, any smalls!) I basically used the whole brown bag from CSA 3 small onions - from CSA
4 large segments (half clove) of garlic - from CSA
handful of basil - was not from CSA but could be...
olive oil- 3 glugs- hahah idk- like 1/2 cup
salt (hmm like maybe 3/4 tbsp... idk i eye these things)
sugar (hmm like maybe 1/2 tbsp... idk)
parm- for after
bag of pasta//carb of some sort//whatever edible shovel of choice is ok too
what you'll also need:
large bowl
sheet pan/ baking pan
Directions
Wash the tomatoes and basil (get your kids to help!)
Preheat oven to 380F degrees
Rough chop the tomatoes, onions, basil and garlic (I rough minced but you can also just throw in large smashed pieces) and put all in a large mixing bowl, glug in some olive oil and throw in the salt and sugar. Give it a mix so everything is coated and gleaming. Be generous with the olive oil, it should look like it just had an all day spa glow up
Place contents in the pan, spread evenly. Place in oven.
Cook pasta of choice. I went basic here with penne (its the end of the week and groceries are sparse) but I'm really curious about Cascatelli (anyone?)
Do the first stir of the tomatoes, lets say 10 minutes in, then every 5 minutes x2 there after. Then it should look something like the final photo, if not, keep cooking until it does.
Put the tomato sludge into drained pasta, mix and voila a meal is made.
You can also put this on bread or any edible shovel of choice instead of a carb. This is also great to make and save for the rest of week, should be good in fridge for 5 days in a closed container.
Ok, it's obv that i'm not a writer or a PROPER cook but I am a mom and these are delicious things your kids will eat! Good luck and godspeed.
Creamy Corn Pasta With Basil
Every year, PHCSA Coordinator Colleen Kestner looks forward to corn season specifically for this pasta. She discovered this Melissa Clark recipe a few years ago as a way to use up the mid-season bounty of corn, but now can’t wait for it every year. It satisfies the creaminess and smokiness of a carbonara but with a fresh summer twist.
by Melissa Clark for the New York Times
Serves 3-4
12 ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle
4 ounces of pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling (skip if using pancetta or bacon)
1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)
2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, more for serving
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste
⅓ cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Fresh lemon juice, as needed
Fine sea salt
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile, sautée pancetta or bacon until crispy, if using, then remove from pan and set aside, leaving rendered fat in pan. If not, heat oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.
Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s O.K. if the butter browns; that deepens the flavor.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.
Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the pancetta (if using), the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm pasta bowls and garnish with more scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.
