Quick pickled vegetables, marinated soba noodles and a miso ginger vinaigrette create many layers of flavor in this dish with little cooking. The noodles just need to boil briefly, and all the other components can be made ahead for a cool addition to a summer menu.
Chef Jen Carroll uses a pizzelle maker to form potatoes into crisp carriers for ice cream. This unique take on the ice cream sandwich gives the summertime treat a whimsical twist.
Chef Harold Jurado of Ramenwell in San Francisco takes avocado toast in an Asian direction by adding a tuna poke mixture and Sriracha hollandaise on top. Garnishes of togarashi and dried kumquats carry out the theme. There is enough Sriracha hollandaise to create more toasts or use in another application.
Photo courtesy of National Watermelon Promotion Board
Watermelon Granita Punch
Mixologist Tony Pereyra makes this cooling watermelon ice with fresh watermelon juice, then scoops it on top of a tropical summer punch. The granita can also be served on its own, scooped for a dessert or refreshing snack. Watermelon juice is simple to make with a blender; just puree cubes of seedless fruit and strain.
This sandwich is filled with Italian-style deli meats and cheeses, including salami, capicola and provolone. The ingredients are arranged on a split round of crusty bread that’s been drizzled with house-made vinaigrette. Then the sandwich is wrapped and a heavy weight is placed on top to compress the sandwich and blend the flavors.
Going beyond typical plant-forward recipes, R&D Chef Sarah Bodner introduces new ideas that can be replicated all year, not just at special Earth Day events.
The summit, which is part of the USDA’s and Action for Healthy Kids’ Healthy Meals Incentives, allowed operators from small and rural districts to connect and find ways to improve their programs.