Summer is my favorite season. I love just about everything that grows in this season, flowers and food alike. For the last couple of months, Stearns Farm CSA includes fresh flowers every week, so I’ve been cutting 25 blooms every other week to take home. They’re included in my share so I don’t have to pay extra and I can choose whichever blooms I’d like (they have at least a dozen kinds of flowers). I love setting my table with fresh food and a vase of fresh flowers.

While I was at the Natick Farmers Market on Saturday, I picked up some cod from Jordan Brothers Seafood and half a dozen ears of corn because they are one of my favorite vegetables. This past weekend it was too hot to fire up the grill (record heat for this time of year!), so I poached the cod in a pan with vegetable stock, fresh corn, and green and purple beans. Add the remaining broth from the pan to a cup of homemade pesto, and spoon it over the fish for extra flavor. I made a ton of pesto last week with garlic, kale and basil also all from Stearns Farm.

For a quick side dish, I made cole slaw with cabbage and carrots from my CSA. Last time I made cole slaw I had one head of purple cabbage and one green cabbage, and the mix with orange carrots was so beautiful. Sadly, I had no purple cabbage this time but it still tasted great. I tried mixing equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise into the slaw dressing this time, instead of just using straight mayonnaise like I’ve made in the past, and my husband says this version is tastier and creamier.

And because it was so hot, I made homemade strawberry ice cream. I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker that I got last year for my birthday, and this is the first time that I’m breaking it out of storage this summer. It’s no longer strawberry season, but I froze a quart-size bag of strawberries back in June when I picked them fresh at Stearns Farm. We can’t eat ice cream all the time, but I never make it with heavy cream or whole milk like the recipe says. The consistency will change if you substitute too many things, so just experiment with the ingredients in small batches until you find one you like. I’m sure your family won’t mind taste-testing several versions of ice cream while you find that perfect combination! 

This meal tasted great because all of the ingredients were fresh and in season, and I felt good about what I was eating because I know it was all responsibly sourced.

Poached Cod with Corn and Green and Purple Beans

Total time: 25 minutes

Makes four servings

In my basket:

1 lb Green and Purple Beans (from Stearns Farm, Framingham MA)

2 fillets of Cod (from Jordan Brothers Seafood, Brockton MA)

1 Ear of Corn, kernels cut off (from Freitas Farms, Middleborough MA)

Homemade pesto (recipe here)

From the pantry:

2 tsp Olive Oil

1 shallot

¼ cup Water or Vegetable Stock for more flavor

1. Cut both ends off of the beans and remove center string, rinse. Season both sides of the cod with salt and pepper. Cut kernels of corn off of the cobb. Mince the shallot.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high until hot. Add beans, corn and shallot and cook 1-2 minutes or until starting to soften.
3. Press the beans into a flat layer on the bottom then place the cod on top. Increase temperature to high, add stock. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the fish is opaque and the vegetables are tender. Transfer cod and vegetables to a serving dish.
4. Continue to cook down the remaining broth until about a ½ cup is left. Gradually add broth to pre-made pesto until desired consistency. Transfer to a serving dish.
5. Scoop vegetables and a piece of cod onto a plate, spoon as much pesto over the top as you want. Enjoy!

Cole Slaw with Local Cabbage and Carrots

Total time: 20 minutes hands on

Makes four servings

In my basket:

1 head Green Cabbage (from Stearns Farm, Framingham MA)

5 or 6 medium Carrots (from Stearns Farm, Framingham MA)

1 bunch of Cilantro (from Stearns Farm, Framingham MA)

From the pantry:

¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ cup Sour Cream

1 tbsp Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Sugar

1. Using a mandolin shred the carrots. Finely chop the cabbage into thin strands. Mince the cilantro. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add more salt or sugar to taste.
3. Let sit in the fridge for an hour before serving so that the flavors combine.
4. For best taste, serve the same day as made. Cole slaw can be refrigerated for a few days. Enjoy!

 

Strawberry Ice Cream

Total time: approx 2 hours 30 minutes

In my basket:

1 ½ cup fresh or frozen Strawberries (from Stearns Farm, Framingham MA)

From the pantry:

¾ cup whole milk (I substitute Almond Milk)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Pinch salt

1½ cups heavy cream (I substitute Sweetened Condensed Milk, or you could use plain Yogurt)

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Put the strawberries into a food processor, pulse until strawberries until finely chopped. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk to combine the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla, cream, strawberries, and all the juices.
3. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl of the Cuisinart, and mix until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. The ice cream should have a soft, creamy texture. Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite summer recipe? Post your recipe below and I’ll give you a shout out next time!

 

Alice Kathryn Richardson is a new media photojournalist and creator of The Clean Food Club. She previously spent two years working on Deserts in the District, a series of short-form documentaries exploring food access and hunger in Washington, DC. She is committed to supporting local and sustainable food businesses by telling their stories with photo and video. Follow her on Twitter @AKR_Pictures.