Memorial Day weekend is the official kickoff to summer—time to embrace the ingredients and lighter cooking that make the season special. These five recipes will inspire great meals for the sunny days ahead.
Squash blossoms appear just as the zucchini and summer squash pops up on the vine. Chef Mitchell Steller of Downtown Wine Merchants in Oakland, Calif. stuffs the yellow blossoms with an herbed ricotta mixture and serves them over a spring green fava bean puree.
A housemade barbecue sauce really sets apart ribs, chicken and other foods destined for the summer grill. At The Brewer’s Table in Austin, Jaime Chozet starts with a flavorful beer mustard, blending mustard seeds, dark beer, honey, dark brown sugar and spices.
Photo courtesy of National Watermelon Promotion Board
Watermelon Ice Pops
These ice pops provide childhood nostalgia with grownup flavor. Chef Mai Pham purees summery watermelon with raspberries, ginger and cayenne for a refreshing sweet-savory treat. Serve these ice pops as is or make them smaller and serve as garnishes for drinks (with or without alcohol).
The season for cold soups is getting into full gear, and chef Bastidas turns fresh spring and summer ingredients into a sippable starter or snack. Flexibility is the key here, as other vegetables can be used and different fresh herbs can stand in for mint.
Pesto is a summer classic, traditionally made with the abundance of fresh basil available now. The herbal sauce is often tossed with pasta, but at Monteverde in Chicago, Chef Sarah Grueneberg cross-utilizes it with potato salad, adding fresh summer beans for contrast.
Armed with a new core purpose, Central Washington University’s dining program has stepped up by building campus connections, boosting staff engagement and overhauling training.
