A Featured Menu: Summer Farmer's Market Finds

While we find inspiration in many unexpected places, one of our main sources of inspiration when it comes to entertaining is height-of-the-season ingredients. From curating a balanced menu to helping narrow down a theme or a color palette and a final place setting of functional dishes for the meal, simple food ingredients are a perfect starting point to helping the decisions domino into “done.” 

What better place to find those height-of-the-season flavors than at your local farmer’s market? Rather than spend time leafing through cookbooks (a favorite pastime, however!), sometimes all it takes to get out of a “cooking rut” is a quick lap around your local farmer’s market to nudge you out of your go-to grocery list.  

 

Plus, while hot, it’s the perfect way to kick off a Saturday morning in summer (or any season!). Taking advantage of the vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients from your local farmer's market can transform your dining experience into a celebration of summer’s bounty. Hint: we love using Brightland's Seasonal Produce Calendar to inspire new dishes.  

 

A Guide to Late Summer Produce 

 

• Artichokes: Artichokes are a flavorful summer delicacy with tender leaves and a rich, nutty taste, reaching peak tenderness and flavor in late July/August. 

• Fennel: Fennel offers a crisp, refreshing anise flavor that's perfect for refreshing salads, with a bulb that is especially sweet and juicy during the late summer months. 

• Peaches: Peaches are the quintessential summer fruit, bursting with juicy sweetness. 

• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are sun-kissed and bursting with rich, tangy flavor in late summer, making them a staple for summer menus. 

• Cucumbers: Cucumbers are crisp,refreshing, and perfect for cooling down. 

• Melon: Melons, like watermelon and cantaloupe, are at their juiciest and most refreshing in late summer, ideal for sweet, cooling snacks. 

• Peppers: Peppers are vibrant, sweet, and full of flavor in late summer, making them perfect for grilling or adding fresh to dishes. 

• Berries, berries, and more berries! Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, and Blackberries are abundant, sweet, perfect for everything from desserts to snacking. 

• Apricots: Apricots are a small but mighty summer fruit, offering a sweet-tart flavor that's at its juiciest in late summer. 

• Eggplants: Eggplants are at their peak with a firm texture and rich, slightly sweet flavor, perfect for grilling or roasting in late summer. We love making Eggplant Caponata with locally grown eggplants. 

• Figs: Figs are a luscious summer treat with a honeyed sweetness. 

• Corn: Corn is the ultimate summer vegetable, with sweet, tender kernels that are at their best for grilling or boiling in late summer. 

• Radishes: Radishes provide a peppery crunch that’s crisp and refreshing in late summer, perfect for adding bite to salads. 

• Swiss Chard: Swiss Chard offers tender, nutrient-rich leaves that are vibrant and slightly sweet, with peak freshness in late summer. 

• Green Beans: Green beans are tender and crisp, making them perfect for fresh salads or side dishes like our favorite Green Beans and Dill Sauce. 

• Squash: Summer squash, like zucchini, is versatile and mild, with a tender texture that shines in late summer harvests. 
• Plums: Plums are juicy and sweet with a slight tartness, reaching their peak ripeness and flavor in late summer. 

 

A Curated Menu: Farmer’s Market Finds – Summer Edition 

 

While there are many recipes from our tried-and-true recipe collection that feature summer seasonal produce, we were inspired to share a curated menu of complementary recipes as a done-for-you idea to take one more step out of the process and make it easier to host a late summer get-together! 

 

It’s a hard feat with so many amazing seasonal recipes to choose from, but if we had to choose the perfect curated menu to help late summer produce shine, it would have to be this:  

 

Appetizer: Grilled Seasoned Artichokes with Lemon Sauce Recipe  

 

With a smoky flavor combined with a citrus-infused dipping sauce, these whole, grilled artichokes make a quick and delicious appetizer that will leave you craving more. The simple seasoning and tangy lemon sauce served with keeps this appetizer satisfying but light enough to save room for the main course and dessert. 

 

To eat, pull off an outer petal one at a time and dip the base of the petal into the sauce. Pull through teeth to remove the soft, pulpy portion of the petal (yum!). Toss the “empty” petal in a designated discard bowl. 

Pro Tip: serve with an empty bowl for discards!  

Pro Tip: Once most of the petals have been enjoyed, claim the main artichoke heart as quickly as you can! It’s the best part with the softest “meat” or “flesh” of the artichoke, and don’t you dare let them end up in the garbage can! 

 

Main: Grilled Flank Steak, Charred Corn, and Avocado with Simple Herb Sauce Recipe  

 

This recipe is savory, satisfying and oh-so-summery with height-of-the-season corn and herbs. The perfect balance of flavors, we had to go with a grilled main dish – it IS the summer, after all! While flank steak might seem like a tougher cut of meat, we love these tips for choosing a perfect cut to cutting it correctly. 

  

Sides: Fresh Tomato Tart Recipe + Vibrant Vegetable Tian 

 

Fresh Tomato Tart 

A tomato tart is a classic summer recipe – especially to use that overstock of ripe tomatoes! This side is rich a creamy so you can satisfy yourself with a smaller piece to make the pie last longer, or cut yourself as big a slice as you please. It’s also super versatile, so you can also enjoy this for lunch with a simple green salad alternately. For this recipe, Duke’s Mayo is a must-use.  

 

Vibrant Vegetable Tian  

Describe recipe and why it makes a great summer side for this menu. Here are a couple of notes from me. 

Vegetable-packed with the perfect harmony of flavors, this recipe uses summer squash and zucchini, tomatoes (yes, again!) and sweet potatoes. It’s a perfect seasonal transition recipe, and you can even play with what you have on hand as you layer to customize to your taste and the changing seasons. Some popular swaps include eggplant and sweet onions. 

 

Dessert: Sweet And Easy Peach Cobbler  

 

There's almost nothing better than a homemade dessert, especially when it features seasonal peaches and a flaky, buttery topping. The best thing about a peach cobbler? With fresh peaches and ingredients everyone has sitting in their pantry, this dish comes together quickly with minimal steps. 

 

Cocktail: Grilled Lemonade Recipe  

The grill is already going for the artichokes and steak, why not round out the citrus hints woven throughout this menu with a fitting cocktail?! 

• Opt for one during appetizer course, then switch to a crisp glass of wine, or sip as you make your way through each course! 

 

Tips for Curating a Menu  

 

Here are five tips to help you craft the perfect menu for your gathering:  

 

1. A well-thought-out menu considers any allergies, vegetarian or vegan diets, and personal tastes.   
2. Balance flavors and textures: Aim for a mix of flavors and textures to keep the meal interesting both visually and in terms of taste.  
3. Use seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients. They not only taste better {in our opinion!} but also help support local farmers Pro Tip: Seasonal ingredients can also inspire the theme of your menu!   
4. Plan your menu in a way that flows naturally from one course to the next. Start with light appetizers, move to heartier mains, and finish with a delicious dessert.  

 

Tips & Tricks for Preparing This Summer-Inspired Menu 

 

Admittedly, this curated menu isn’t compiled of the easiest or quickest recipes in the lot, so if you’re wondering how to make it a bit more manageable to execute, we’re also sharing a few tips & tricks to help with that. Plus, you could always narrow down the effort level by losing the cocktail and opting for a crisp wine and dropping one of the sides. Here are a few helpful tips and tricks: 

• Read through all recipes thoroughly to familiarize yourself with the overall steps for each 

• Tasks to complete ahead of time:  

• Pre-measure and corral all ingredients for each recipe to be ready to combine. 

• Bake pie crust for Fresh Tomato Tart and have ready to fill and bake for round two. 

• Make sauces for artichokes and steak and store in refrigerator until ready to serve 

• Clean and prep all produce – especially the artichokes and julienning and layering the vegetables for the tian! These steps are among the more time-consuming, so if you can get these out of the way early, you’ll be set up for success close to dinner time. Try listening to a podcast or audiobook to help the time pass and make the tedious task more enjoyable! 

• Make peach cobbler ahead of time. While you’re enjoying dinner, you can pop it back into the still-warm oven from making the Vegetable Tian and Tomato Tart!