I’m a summer girl. I don’t particularly love the heat, but I do love the abundant sunshine. And I absolutely adore the fresh local produce! One of my favorite morning adventures is to drive out to St. Helena Island to visit Dempsey Farms. After my last excursion, I came home with corn, squash, zucchini, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, peaches and a bag of shelled peas. Fresh vegetables are the best! Even the deer who visit my yard daily, have been enjoying the leftover corn cobs and watermelon rinds. We’re blessed to have local farmers, farm stands, and farmers’ markets in our area. Take advantage of the summer bounty. It’ll be pumpkin season again before we know it.
Watermelon and Arugula Salad
More of a template than an actual recipe, measurements and quantities will depend on the size of your watermelon and cookie cutter. I used a piece of PVC pipe to cut my watermelon rounds. I like ‘em extra-thick. Don’t like feta cheese? Use blue, goat, or even fresh mozzarella instead.
Watermelon
Baby arugula
Feta cheese, crumbled
Fresh blueberries
Pine nuts, toasted
Balsamic glaze
Cut watermelon into slices. Use a cookie cutter/biscuit cutter to cut watermelon circles for individual servings. Place watermelon rounds on a serving platter. Top each piece with arugula, feta crumbles, blueberries and pine nuts. Drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving.
Heirloom Tomato Tarts
Way back in the day, I used to sell these tarts at the Port Royal Farmers’ Market. I had a baked goods stand the year that it began. We had about 15 different vendors that summer. These days, the PRFM is a booming market and “the place to be” year ‘round on Saturday mornings.
1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry
1 (5.3-ounce) package Garlic and Fine Herb Boursin Cheese
2 to 3 large ripe tomatoes
24 grape tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk
Fresh basil, julienned
Thaw puff pastry in refrigerator. Bring Boursin cheese to room temperature to soften. Slice tomatoes into ½-inch slices, cut each slice in half. Slice grape tomatoes into small rounds. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unfold puff pastry and slice each sheet into 6 pieces. Use a paring knife to score a ½-inch border around each piece of pastry without cutting through. Spread the middle section of each tart with a thin layer of Boursin. Lay a slice of tomato on each tart. Fill empty spots with sliced grape tomatoes. Beat egg with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush egg on the exposed border of the puff pastry. Place tarts on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is puffed, flaky and golden brown. Sprinkle with julienned basil before serving. Serve warm or cold. Makes 12.
Candied Squash
My next-door neighbor’s grandmother used to make Candied Squash when we’d visit her river house in Bath, NC. I’ve looked high and low for years for a comparable recipe. This is how I learned to like squash when I was a kid. It’s SO good!
4 medium yellow squash
½ stick butter
1/3 cup water
1 cup light brown sugar
Wash and slice squash into ½-inch rounds. Place butter and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and stir to combine. Add squash and stir a couple of times to coat with butter-brown sugar mixture. Bring to a boil, then turn the burner to low and place lid on the saucepan. Cook for about 15 minutes or until squash is tender but not mushy. Remove squash with a slotted spoon and serve. Serves 4.
Fresh Peach Crisp
This is a super-easy recipe that doesn’t use oats. I made individual servings by dividing the ingredients between 8 ramekins and baking them for 30 minutes. I also don’t peel my peaches, but that extra step is totally up to you. Serve Fresh Peach Crisp with ice cream or whipped cream and be sure to garnish with fresh mint.
For the topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick cold butter
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the mixture with your fingers, until crumbly. Set aside.
For the filling:
8 to 10 fresh peaches
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and slice the peaches. Arrange peaches in a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over peaches and toss lightly, until well coated. Add the topping mixture and bake for about 50 minutes, or until crust is slightly brown and filling mixture is bubbling. Serves 8 to 10.
The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at debbicovington@gmail.com.
