When summer is in full force, cucumbers follow suit in the most overwhelming fashion.
They are piled high on the shelves of every grocery store, where they sell for a pittance. You’ll find them in all shapes and sizes at your local farmers’ market. And, if you happen to be growing a couple of plants in your backyard, by now your harvest is so abundant that you’re giving your cukes to anyone who will take them!
So what do you do with all these cukes?
The first cucumber sandwiches are exciting and delicious for sure, as well as the summer tossed salads with lots of cucumber in it, but if that’s all you do with your cucumbers, soon enough you’ll have lost your enthusiasm for this prolific veggie.
But cucumbers happen to be very versatile. And with a little creativity, they lend themselves to many wonderful dishes… like today’s recipe.
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These little fritters are the quintessential summer appetizer or hors d’oeuvre. Adults love them, kids love them, even picky eaters love them. They’re as addictive as they are easy to prepare. The basil leaves become crispy as they fry, while the lemon zest adds a bit of zing to the batter.
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Asparagus might be available in supermarkets all year long, but they are never as sweet and delicious as when you buy them from your local farmer or pick them from your own garden.
Here in the northeastern United States, this year’s crop has been particularly good due to the superb spring weather we’ve been having. The result: tender stems with high sugar content and loads of flavor.
So for the last several weeks, asparagus has been a main ingredient for many of my recipes: delicate soups, crunchy salads, melt-in-your-mouth tarts, creamy risottos and buttery pasta sauces.
No matter how fanciful the recipes they inspire might get, I adore the simple technique of roasting asparagus with a little olive oil and salt. The tips get browned and intensely flavorful while the stems remain crunchy. (Take a peek at this video for a demonstration of the roasting technique and for another great recipe.)
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The first time I laid eyes on these colorful wild leeks was in Vermont in the late 1980s. I had just moved there and was getting acquainted with local farmers and discovering local foods. I must say it was love at first sight.
Since then ramps season can never come soon enough for me — and I make sure they are on the menu every week until they vanish.
Now that I live near New York, I have to make a weekly pilgrimage to the Union Square Greenmarket to find my precious ramps. Fortunately, as they become more popular more farmers are growing them. So this year several stalls at the Greenmarket are packed high with perky bunches of ramps.
Although they look dainty, ramps are in fact quite pungent, so a little goes a long way no matter what dish they end up in. My favorite way to cook ramps is to sauté them briefly in a little butter and olive oil until they wilt. Then I toss them with handmade ravioli, add them to soups or risottos, or serve them alongside poached eggs.
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Come winter, I start craving fresh, crunchy textures. Root vegetables, squashes and leafy greens have been on the menu for a while now and my palate yearns for something new.
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