In season for the summer

By Morro Bay Life · Tue Jun 20 2023

By Bee Wench Farm 

In June, you can find just about anything you are looking for to make any recipe. This month you should start to see some delicious summer produce available. Look for these in-season fruits and veggies to get some great flavor and nutrients:

• Cherries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Avocado
• Rhubarb
• Cucumber
• Apricot
• Fava beans
• Arugula
• Summer squash
• Fresh mint

I personally cannot resist all the fresh and delicious fruit available this time of year. We buy the bigger containers and packs so that we have plenty to enjoy fresh, and we like to freeze some to have for smoothies and treats later in the year when we can’t find them at the markets. Making some lemonade popsicles blended with fruit is a great treat on those hot summer days. Mixing in a little bit of mint with those fruits for a special drink, smoothie, or popsicle is also a great way to cool down.

Thursday’s market in front of Spencer’s Market is perfect to get the best local produce, and then if you need anything that you can’t find, you can just run into the store quickly. You’ll be in for a treat this month as you check out all the local farmer’s produce. Make sure to look for the little UFO-shaped zucchinis and try the tasty patty pan squash recipe as a side to your favorite grilled meal this month.

June has a lot going on. From birthdays, Father’s Day, graduations, and more, it seems like it’s always a very busy month. If you do get invited to an event and need to bring a crowd-pleasing dish, try out this amazing Summer Farmer’s Market Salad. It combines all the delicious flavors of the in-season produce. Everyone will love this crisp and refreshing dish, and you can make it the day before your event to make everything easier and tastier. You can serve it with tortilla chips, eat it as is, or it is delicious on top of salmon.  

Grilled Patty Pan Squash

Ingredients:

• 4 small patty pan squash
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely minced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Remove the tops and bottoms of each squash. Cut crosswise into one-inch slices.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F) or prepare a grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
4. Brush each side of the squash with the mixture — reserving and setting aside any leftover sauce — and grill for two minutes on each side. To achieve perfect grill marks, resist the urge to disturb the squash while grilling. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with the extra sauce spooned over.

Summer Farmer’s Market Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomato 
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion 
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 
• 4-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lime juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt 
• Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional)
• Baked tortilla chip scoops (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, cilantro, and seasoned salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve with chips. 

Notes: The easiest way to seed a cucumber is to peel it first and then cut it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the very center. You can skip this part, but it may make the salad extra watery.