As the summer heat wave continues to blanket many parts of the country, no cook wants to spend a lot of time over a hot stove. Menu items that feature fresh, seasonal ingredients and require little or no cooking are the way to go—starting with these five recipes.
Gazpacho, the Spanish cold soup, makes many menu appearances during the summer months. The classic is a tomato-based blend flavored with garlic and thickened with bread, but many variations have evolved using other vegetables and even fruits.
GM Jeremy Fry of Menno Haven Retirement Community developed a partnership with Spiral Path Farms to source organic produce. Each week, the chefs at Menno Haven, which is managed by Cura, incorporate some of the produce into weekly menu specials, like this dish.
Kick the mayonnaise to the curb for this sandwich. Chef Scott Samuel demonstrates how to elevate a plain turkey sandwich with a condiment made with in-season blueberries.
Photograph courtesy of California Avocado Commission
Avocado Caprese Salad
Caprese salad has Italian roots, but at the Bruin Plate restaurant at UCLA, the kitchen flavors it with a Thai-inspired dressing. The salad contrasts the season's juicy, ripe tomatoes with creamy avocado slices.
Photo courtesy of The Cafe at Glen Ellyn Public Library
Asian Medley Salad with Shrimp and Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette
The Glen Ellyn Public Library boasts its own cafe, where visitors can enjoy salads, sandwiches, snacks and more. For this popular salad, shrimp, sugar snap peas, carrots, radishes and purple and green cabbage make a colorful base for a toasted sesame seed vinaigrette.
University of Florida’s solution for feeding students in the midst of construction of a new dining hall has turned out so well, it will almost be a shame to see it go.
The endlessly colorful cuisine of Mexico is always in season, but Cinco de Mayo is a great time to bring some new recipes to the party, starting with El Rio Picante, an alternative marg, and finishing with DIY churro sundaes.
Last summer, a group of college and healthcare chefs came together at the University of Michigan for FoodService Director’s 2023 Culinary Immersion. Here are some of the recipes they developed.