No cooking required!
Recipes that shine a light on summer produce
Before I dive into no-cook recipe inspiration using midsummer produce, here’s a little update on goings on at OMG! Yummy. Sarene Wallace and I are busy editing our preserved citrus cookbook manuscript and will soon see it come to life designed with photos in place. We hear the sales team is very excited about our book and needless to say, so are we!
I spent a day filming videos this week for clients and the blog - so much fun. Looking forward to sharing soon.
And I’m gearing up for my Korean Hawaiian class July 18th at the Civic Kitchen in San Francisco. There are a few seats left - come join the fun! Aloha spirit will be overflowing.
Peaches and tomatoes team up!
I’ve written about this pairing before and I just have to say it again. Summer peaches and tomatoes sliced and plated with or without other produce is a pairing not to miss. Add some cheese and other veggies (or don’t), sprinkle some fresh basil and some great EVOO, maybe a splash of your favorite vinegar, a pinch of salt and OH MY! No recipe or cooking needed.
Tomato and cucumber salad
Sometimes called an Israeli salad, in Persian cuisine a shirazi salad, on my blog I just call it a cucumber tomato salad. No matter what you call it, it’s really all about the quality of the vegetables you use, the size of the cuts on the veggies, the quality of the olive oil and the combination of herbs you add. And it’s about celebrating simplicity and enjoying seasonal local produce.
Preserved lemon hummus
Put together a no-cook lunch or dinner by adding some quick homemade preserved lemon hummus to your platter of salad(s), maybe a hunk of fresh feta and some olives. This hummus is made with a can of chickpeas - something many of us have hiding on our pantry shelves. Up the flavor quotient with the preserved lemon and you’ll end up with a craveable easy appetizer or main course dish you’ll make on repeat.
Make a poke-style bowl!
Ok, full reveal. Technically you need to cook to make this if you want the rice. But otherwise, you’re in no-heat-required preparation mode. And this smoked salmon poke bowl is a great way to use up miscellaneous bits of produce or other ingredients. Made as is, it’s like eating a bagel brunch in a bowl, Hawaiian style - just what you might expect from my multicultural Jewish kitchen!
Bonus Recipe: Prosciutto-wrapped peaches
Inspired by the classic pairing of cantaloupe and prosciutto, I colored outside the lines and wrapped prosciutto around a peach wedge instead. Take it to the next level by tucking a leaf of basil inside and finish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses over the platter of peaches. Now you have the perfect no-cook summer appetizer. Choose peaches that are ripe and fragrant but still firm enough to hold their shape when cut into wedges and wrapped with prosciutto.
Serve 4, makes 12 pieces
Ingredients
2 peaches, just ripe but not soft
6 slices of prosciutto
12 leaves of basil
1-2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Instructions
Cut each peach in half, remove the pit but leave the skin on. Cut each half into 3 wedges for a total of 12.
Cut each slice of prosciutto in half lengthwise to make 12 long strips.
Place a basil leaf against the cut side of a peach wedge. Starting at one end, wrap a strip of prosciutto around the basil and peach, overlapping slightly as you go. The prosciutto should adhere to itself, so no toothpick is needed. Place each wrapped peach on a serving platter and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Just before serving, drizzle the platter of peaches with the pomegranate molasses.
Beth’s favorite sound bites
Ever heard of muhammara? It will become your new favorite dip, I promise. It’s all in our latest Sumac & Sunshine newsletter.
Cherries and ricotta on toast - yes please!
No-churn lemon ice cream from my friend Jamie!
Mystery link: Could be one of my recipes or someone else’s!
Have any questions? I never tire of talking about food so leave a comment below or reply to this email. Happy to help! Have a delicious weekend.
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on Facebook: OMG! Yummy and Sumac & Sunshine
my other newsletter Sumac & Sunshine
Pomegranate molasses on the prosciutto wrapped peaches. We love it!
So many great ideas for great summer recipes that won’t turn your kitchen into a hothouse! I’ve been adding preserved lemon to everything, including my hummus, for a while now. It makes such a delightful difference in the hummus. I got lots of compliments. I’m eager to try more of these no-cook recipes. Thanks much!