Berry Delicious Dishes for a Light Summer Meal

We made it—summer is finally here! School is out, and so is the sun. It’s time for picnics, BBQs, and quality beach time. It’s no secret that now is the season for all of our favorite fruits and vegetables. Depending upon where you live, here is what you can expect to find in the produce aisle of your grocery store or local farmer’s market this month, plus some yummy recipes to kick off your summer. Happy grilling!

Fruits: apricot, banana, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, honeydew melon, kiwifruit, peaches, plum, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon
Vegetables: basil, beets, bell pepper, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, green beans, lima beans, mushrooms, peas, radish, summer squash, zucchini

Jalapeño-Spiked Strawberry Avocado Salad

Prep: 20 min
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach
3 ripe (not brown) medium-large avocados, diced
1 cup ripe strawberries, quartered
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
¼ teaspoon jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt, to taste

On a platter, arrange spinach leaves. Then add avocados, strawberries, red onion, and pine nuts in that order. For the dressing, whisk together jalapeno, olive oil, and lime juice; season to taste. Drizzle dressing on the salad, chill, or serve immediately.

Easy Strawberry Bruschetta

Prep: 10 min.
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 baguette, ends removed, cut in half, then horizontally
2 cups strawberries, quartered
1 pack soft goat cheese
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

In a mixing bowl, combine strawberries and sugar, then chill. Drizzle each slice of baguette with olive oil and toast until golden brown, rub with the garlic clove. Spread goat cheese on each slice. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with strawberries and fresh basil.

Simply Sweet Strawberry Pie

Prep: 45 min. - 1 hour
Bake: 425°F 60 min.
Yields: 6 servings

Dough:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1 ½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or vegetable shortening for a flakier crust)
¼ to ½ cup ice water

Filling:
5 cups fresh strawberries, washed, dried, and quartered
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
All-purpose flour, for surface

1. For the dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter and mascarpone; pulse until just combined but still coarse. Sprinkle with ¼ cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds between your fingers. Divide the dough in two, roll each half separately in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Gently toss strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and salt into a large bowl. On a floured surface, roll one half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness and line a 9” pan. Spoon in the strawberry mixture and dot berries with butter. Roll out the remaining dough, cut into 1” wide strips, and criss-cross it over the filling. Dip fingers in water and gently press top and bottom edges of dough together to seal, and then pinch sealed edges.
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and reduce heat to 375°F degrees. Bake until berries are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown; about 30 minutes. Let pies cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Unmold, and let pies cool completely on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

What dishes are you planning on whipping up during this sunshine-filled month of June? Share your recipes with us!