Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Favorite Summer Side Dishes

I'm joining Carole today for the Ten on Tuesday ...

I love summer eating. Don't get me wrong I love my brussel sprouts and swiss chard and the peas ans asparagus of summer ... but nothing beats the bright colors of summer and the char of a grill in the warm months. In no particular order:


1. Tomato Tarte. I started making this one last summer and realize that for my oven I need to bake it for 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes (make it in the morning with your coffee before the summer day gets too hot to put the oven on)


2. Caprese salad. Tomato, basil & mozzarella with some quality olive oil or drizzled pesto if you're feeling "crazy".

3. Sweet, sweet corn on the cob. Yes please, that is all.

4. Berries and cake. I don't care what you say, this is a side dish. It's got vitamins. I like to macerate them  in a little red wine and sugar if I'm feeling grown up. Fresh whipped cream to finish.

5. Burrata with arugula and peaches or nectarines, a little good quality olive oil and some smoked sea salt and ground black pepper. Feeling a little less fruity, I'll swap the stone fruit with heirloom tomatoes.

6. Beet salad. I eat beets all the time, but beet salad makes me think of summer. I like it with a shallot vinaigrette.  I don't make it, The Manfriend does. Every time I see it on the table, kitchen or picnic, it recalls summers of my youth (20's) where he would bring it to all our group friend events. It looks and tastes like a summer crush, ha! Bonus points, leftovers are great to mix into next day green or pasta salads.

7. Grilled Ratatouille. We love to grill vegetables and sometimes it's an overwhelming mix so we sort of dice it and put it in a bowl. Another good leftover to incorporate into pasta etc for another meal down the week.

8. Cheese plate. Random much? Well, again with all the fun fruit out in the summer it is really easy to jazz up a cheese plate and well, I married a Franco-American so now I eat cheese.

9. Watermelon salad with mint, lime and red chile, maybe a little cheese (see above)

10. Grilled pesto shrimp kabobs.

12 comments:

  1. Sure glad I just ate because this post could make a person drool.

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  2. Oh, mmm. Why do people post this yummy stuff when I am trying so hard not to eat much??? I must make that tomato tarte. And I have berries, all I need is the cake. And grilled vegetables, delicious. And cheese, oh cheese! All deliciousness. CJ xx

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  3. Mmm... That looks yummy. Did you use crescent rolls for the crust? These are great suggestions for summertime.

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    1. I use frozen puff pastry. Prick the entire thing with a fork. The recipe is from The Kitchn. :)

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  4. Okay .......now I am hungry!

    Caprese ---- sometimes I just can't get enough. Fresh summer basil............wowza!

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  5. Pickled Beets!!! I love pickled beets. Hey, don't dis my Germans! LOL. I too, will have sever withdrawals when the games are over.

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  6. i LOVE every single one of those summer treats!!! YUM.

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  7. Umm ok now I need to go eat! They all sound delicious! And that Tomato Tarte...yes please!

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  8. I will be over by 6, please have appetizers ready and of course your shrimp kabobs as your main course.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  9. ahhh where was I ? Somewhere after your Tomato tart. Beets? Fireman loves them…me not so much.
    Some of my fav summer sides are:
    corn on the cob
    watermelon feta salad
    bread bread bread in any shape from or size; grilled on the bbq too

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  10. I haven't had much on your list this summer except corn! Love corn any which way I can get it :)

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