Southern Spoonful: Sunny Summertime

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The story below is from our May/June 2022 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you! 

Enjoy these recipes that celebrate the joy of fresh fruits and vegetables!

Have you been anxiously awaiting the arrival of fresh summer produce? Dreaming of your first bite of red ripe tomato picked that morning from your garden, bursting with fresh tomato flavor? Strawberries and raspberries that taste like freshly picked sunshine? And the ultimate summer treat, peaches so juicy that when you bite into them the juice runs down your chin.

Wait no more, summer produce has arrived and I am so happy to celebrate with you by sharing some of my favorite summer recipes. One of my best childhood memories was when my Dad churned fresh peach ice cream in our big wooden ice cream churn in the back yard. To celebrate that memory I am sharing a fun “ice cream in a bag” recipe that children will enjoy “shaking up” and my favorite Fresh Peach Pie.

As the summer progresses you will most likely find an abundance of summer squash. What to do with all that squash? Make Spanish Calabacitas. This fun medley of summer squash, corn and chilies will remind you of summer succotash with a spicy twist.

Ranch Tomatoes

8–10 servings

  • 3 fresh summer tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • Kosher salt (I like Peg’s Salt for this recipe – made in Staunton, Virginia)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp ranch dressing
  • 1 Tbsp julienned basil
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped oregano
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 2 Tbsp lemon olive oil

Place tomato slices on a large plate. Sprinkle tomato slices with salt and pepper. Spread ranch dressing evenly over tomato slices. Sprinkle tomato slices with basil, oregano and parsley. Drizzle lemon olive oil over tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve very well chilled.

Calabacitas

Calabacitas translates to “zucchini” in Spanish. This flavorful dish will remind you of summer succotash.

4 servings

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup chopped yellow onion (Vidalia onion, if available)
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped into small pieces
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup canned green chilies or canned Hatch green chilies, drained
  • 1 Tbsp Clark and Hopkins Chesapeake Bay Pepper Sauce
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 ear corn, cooked
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 2 oz crumbled Queso Fresco
  • Garnish: fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges

Cut zucchini and yellow squash in half lengthwise, then cut each half into ¼ inch slices. Set aside.  Remove kernels from corn and set aside.

Melt butter in large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stir and cook until onions are beginning to brown. Add red bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes or until red pepper is beginning to soften.

Add salt, cumin, black pepper, pepper sauce, chilies, zucchini and yellow squash. Stir and cook over medium low heat for 5 minutes or until zucchini and yellow squash are cooked. Add corn and stir. Add Mexican cheese blend and stir, continuing to cook over low heat until cheese is melted.

Remove from heat. Sprinkle each serving with Queso Fresco, squeeze a lime wedge over each serving and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Clark and Hopkins Chesapeake Bay Pepper Sauce is available at Wine Gourmet or online.

Fresh Peach Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie.

Almond Coconut Crust:

  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. To prepare crust, process almonds in food processor or blender until finely ground. Place ground almonds and coconut in a bowl. Mix to combine. Cut butter into small pieces. Add sugar and butter to almonds and coconut. With a large spoon, mash and mix butter and sugar into almonds and coconut. Reserve 3 tablespoons for topping.

Press almond coconut mixture in bottom and sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 5 minutes, watching carefully so crust does not burn. Place remaining mixture on baking sheet and bake for 2 -3 minutes while crust is baking. Remove crust from oven and allow to cool.

Filling:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 6 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar, divided
  • 1 tsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest + more for garnish
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced (frozen peaches may be used if fresh peaches are not available – thaw peaches before placing them in pie)
  • 1 cup whipping cream

To prepare filling, mix sour cream, 4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, orange juice, orange zest, salt and vanilla in a bowl. Spread filling on bottom and sides of crust. Cover filling with peach slices in a circular pattern. Whip cream into soft peaks and whip in 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar. Cover peaches with whipped cream. Sprinkle toasted almond coconut topping over whipped cream and sprinkle with orange zest. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ice Cream in a Bag

This “soft serve” ice cream is meant to be eaten right out of the bag. A fun ice cream treat that children (with some adult supervision) will love to make.

Makes 1 serving

  • 1 cup half and half
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups ice
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • Ice cream toppings (mini chocolate chips, mini M&M’s, crushed cookies or Oreos, sprinkles, finely chopped strawberries or peaches)

In a small resealable plastic bag, combine half and half, sugar and vanilla. Push out excess air and seal.

Into a large resealable plastic bag, combine ice and salt. Place small bag containing ice cream mixture inside the bigger bag, remove excess air and seal. Wrap the large plastic bag in a large kitchen towel (to keep your hands from getting too cold).

Shake bag vigorously, 7 to 10 minutes, until ice cream is hardened.

Place ice cream toppings in small bag with ice cream and stir to combine toppings with ice cream.

Fresh Raspberry Margarita

My margarita recipe has a secret ingredient – seedless raspberry jam!

  • For each cocktail:
  • 1 ½ ounces blanco tequila
  • 1 ounce triple sec
  • 1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
  • 2 tablespoons frozen limeade
  • 8 fresh raspberries
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • Garnish – fresh raspberries and lime peel twist

Place tequila, triple sec, raspberry jam, limeade and raspberries in a blender container. Add ice and cover. Blend until ice cubes are finely crushed. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

The story above is from our May/June 2022. For more stories, subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition. Thank you for supporting local journalism!