Summer eating

When we sit down to eat this time of year, we should toast farmers rather than cooks. They’ve done the heavy lifting, and their produce, in all its ripe glory, allows us home cooks to do so little and get so much in return. 

Julia Turshen, Washington Post, 2017

Summer is here, and there is a wealth of wonderful produce to enjoy – aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes, sweet corn, beans…the list goes on. Gather a pile of favourites and stir them through pasta for a simple weekday meal. Love and Lemons‘ Grilled Eggplant (Aubergine) and Summer Veggie Pasta is an example of this simple summer dish, combining grilled or roasted vegetables (courgettes, an aubergine, a red capsicum, a few mushrooms) with pasta. Add some fresh basil, oregano, paprika and quick pickled onions, and serve with parmesan, freshly grated on the top.

For the quick pickled onions, thinly slice a red onion, place the onion in a jar with a tight fitting lid, add 125ml white wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt and 60ml warm water. Shake and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This keeps for up to two weeks, and also makes a great accompaniment for burgers (meat or otherwise).

Serve the pasta with piles of tomatoes, cut any way, sprinkled with salt, pepper and basil leaves.

What are your favourite summer eats?

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