7 Exciting Ideas for Summer Produce

By Chloe Grabham

There is something special that distinguishes summer produce from the other seasons. It’s a sensory delight from the sweetness of that first bite into a fuzzy peach, the instant cooling relief from a juicy slice of melon and the magic perfume of tomatoes and basil growing harmonious in earth soaked by a summer afternoon storm. 

It’s easy to get stuck in our ways, especially when it comes to cooking in the kitchen. This list is here to inspire and get you thinking outside the produce box with new ways to use up those last bits of beetroot, to create unusual food combinations and help transform compost bound bits of produce into crowd pleasers!

Stone fruit - more than a delicious ingredient to throw into your fruit salads and desserts, get creative with nectarines,peaches and plums by adding them to your next salad. Try combinations of stone fruit with rocket, spinach, finely chopped herbs, olive oil, honey and freshly torn mozzarella. Add an extra layer of texture and flavour by lightly grilling the fruit first, giving them a golden touch of carmelisation.

Cucumbers - summer is their time to shine, and with the warmer weather, cucumbers bring a refreshing respite to the table. Make a scandi inspired salad by finely chopping cucumbers mixing in some sour cream, a little grated garlic, dill, salt and pepper. You can add a little extra flavour with ground carraway seeds and a sprinkle of smokey paprika too. Make it ahead and let it cool in the fridge before serving.

Tomatoes - available in all shapes and sizes, if you find yourself stuck for ideas with the humble tomato, especially when they start to get a bit tiresome and not so firm, try slow roasting them to make a quick and flavoursome sauce. Slice a mix of tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, mix in some finely chopped garlic and roast low and slow. Once cooked smoosh all the tomatoes together to make a super simple sauce, ideal for burgers, serving with a BBQ feast or even on top of eggs for a fancy brunch.

Zucchini - this versatile veg is commonly grilled and roasted, but one fresh way to enjoy it during the summer days is in a pasta dish. Fried up with some garlic and herbs like thyme or sage, toss it through your pasta of choice, squeeze in some lemon juice, throw in some pine nuts and gently stir through some goats curd. Light, easy and ready in no time.

Basil - fragrant and one of the quintessential smells of summer, basil is a welcome addition to many dishes. Yes pesto may seem like the obvious choice when wondering what to do with an abundance of basil, but why not try making a basil chimichurri? Chopped with coriander, cumin seeds, shallots, garlic, lemon, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, this sauce is ideal with freshly grilled seafood.

Beetroot - fans of kale chips you will be pleased to know that you can also use beetroot leaves to make beetroot leaf chips! Wash, pat dry, cover with olive oil and salt and roast to perfection. 

Strawberries - take these little red ruby pops of joy to the next level with this simple and slightly unusual flavour combination. Macerate the strawberries in a bowl with balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Leave in a bowl in the fridge to absorb the flavour for about 3 days. These are divine to serve on top of pancakes, ice cream, a dollop of mascarpone and straight from the bowl.

At Lyttleton we stock an array of fresh and seasonal produce, available in store and for delivery on Thursdays. You can order a produce box, filled with fresh seasonal and organic fruit and vegetables, phone in with your order and let us shop for you, or pop into the Store and stock up on summer time favourites today!