Here are some suggestions on how to use July’s bounty to create delicious, seasonal meals. You may have noticed that in a few recent salad recipes, I have not cooked the corn before adding it to the salad. Corn, this year, has been plentiful and sweet and I found the salads taste better if the corn is uncooked. The dressing permeates the corn and it tastes quite fresh. Figs and Pecans are also in season here where I live, in fact, the figs are from a friend’s tree. If figs are not available in your area now, you can save this recipe until they are. Peppers and tomatoes are plentiful now and melons are at their peak.

Cold  Salad Plate For 2

Cantaloupe Rounds Filled with Tuna Salad

Cantaloupe:

Cut 2 rounds from a the center of a ripe, peeled cantaloupe and remove the seeds. Center the rounds on 2 dinner plates.

Mix the tuna salad:

Combine one 6.4 oz package of tuna, ¼ cup diced onion, ¼ cup diced celery, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and ½ cup mayonnaise.. Place half the tuna salad in each cantaloupe round.

Make the deviled eggs:

Cut 3 hard-boiled eggs in half. Remove the yolks to a small bowl and mash them. Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion and 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery.

Add a little sprinkle of salt, ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.

Mix well and use the fillings to stuff the egg whites. Arrange on the salad plate and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Add sliced fresh tomatoes to the salad plate and serve with warmed cornbread or rolls.

Corn Salsa

Ingredients

• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
  
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)
  
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Chopped parsley
• Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips, see recipe below
  

Directions

Mix the corn, green pepper, jalapeno, tomato and red onion in a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, the lime juice, honey and salt. Mix well.

Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to marinate. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with tortilla chips.

Chili-Lime Tortilla Chips

Lay corn tortillas out on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil and lime juice. Sprinkle with chili powder. Cut the corn tortillas into fourths.

Bake at 400 degrees F until crispy, about 15 minutes. Once they come out of the oven, squeeze more lime juice over them. Serve with the corn salsa.

 Summer Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 8-9 oz boneless chicken breasts
• ½ sweet onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1 tablespoon lemon Juice
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted
• Parsley for garnish

Directions

I like to poach chicken in broth for salads. Place 2 cups of water with a salt free chicken bouillon packet in a medium saucepan. Add a little salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and add the chicken. Lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook the chicken about 15-20 minutes or until they are white through the center.

Cool in the broth. Drain the chicken and dice. Save the broth for when you need chicken broth for a recipe.

Place the diced chicken in a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients, except the pecans. Chill.

To serve:

By hand, break half of the pecans into pieces and stir into the salad. Arrange the salad on a serving plate and decorate with the remaining pecans and garnish with parsley.

Corn Cakes

Makes 9-10 cakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
  
• 1 cup whole milk
  
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Roasted tomato salsa, recipe below
  

Directions

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the milk, egg, honey and cooled melted butter.

Whisk together the wet ingredients, then incorporate the dry ingredients (do not over mix). Mix in the corn and cheese.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop heaping ¼-cup portions of the batter into the skillet and cook until golden brown and the cakes are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Serve the corn cakes topped with Roasted Tomato Salsa.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

• 8 oven roasted tomatoes, finely chopped, see recipe
• 1 jalapeño chili, finely diced
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Directions

Mix the ingredients together and allow to rest at room temperature until serving time for the flavors to blend.

Fresh Fig Tart

Serves 8

Ingredients

• One 9-inch refrigerated pie crust, at room temperature
• 1 pound fresh figs, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup apple jelly, heated
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  
• 1 cup chopped pecans
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch tart pan.

Place the figs in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and lemon juice; toss gently to combine.

Spread the warm jelly over the pastry.

Arrange the figs in a circular pattern on the jam covered pastry. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the fruit juices bubble and the crust is browned. Cool before cutting.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Cheese, Chicken, corn, Desserts, eggs, figs, Fruit, grapes, Healthy Italian Cooking, melon, Nuts, tart, tomatoes, tuna Tags: recipes for July produce