Vegetable matters: Summer tips from local chefs make the most from summer bounty

It's time to get more out of your vegetable crisper. For the next several months, some of the very best local produce will be at area farmers' markets and in grocery stores. Cooking with more vegetables, especially in a time of rising meat prices, can help you save money and make meals healthy and delicious.

Buying directly from the farmer can save you money, but it also means you get fresher ingredients and the chance to support local economies. Buying bulk quantities can be less expensive too.

Think outside the box, like grilling cucumber. Cut cucumbers in half length-wise, scoop out the seeds, oil and season the pieces, and give them a light grilling on the barbecue. Noted British chef Yotam Ottolenghi sings the praises of cucumber in a salad accompanied by spring onions, lime juice, black sesame seeds and tahini-mirin dressing.

You can also draw on the vegetarian cooking resources offered on The Food Bank of Waterloo Region's website. The recipes are free and easy.

A good example is their bowls, which combine several fresh ingredients and can be prepared ahead of time during the cooler parts of the day. They are then assembled and sauced at the last minute.

Cooked quinoa or chickpeas add some protein as the base of the bowl, and then it's a smorgasbord of veggies, some of which can be cooked and some raw.

To find the recipes, and also to support this important organization in the community, go to The Food Bank of Waterloo Region's website.

Depending on the season, the vegetables coming out of the ground can be handled differently, says Zac Berry, sous chef at Kitchener's new Odd Duck Wine + Provisions. He says the fall's heavier root vegetables can be treated almost like a meat: cut them thick, roast them in the oven and then sear them on the stove top in a pan, he suggests.

"Take advantage of the sugars in root veg and get deep, caramelized flavours," Berry says.

For lighter early-summer greens, like local bok choy, it's basically the opposite: cook them quickly and lightly, and let the pan do the work.

"Add some liquid and flash steam the greens in the same pan that you cooked aromatics in. It builds layers of flavour," he adds.

A former chef at Miijidaa, part of Guelph's Neighbourhood Group of Companies, Vita Saelzer says she's a big fan of dill, which is in harvest now.

"Dishes that have a bunch of dill in them are really favourites of mine," she says.

Another favourite summer-time veggie dish of Saelzer's is a roasted tomato galette (recipe below), the latter made with a sort of open-top pie crust that is native to Brittany and Normandy in France, though this one uses buckwheat flour.

She calls it a relatively simple dish with deep flavours and a couple of intriguing ingredients.

"The pie dough has a bit of turmeric in it, so it makes the dough very bright. The filling is caramelized onions, but I find if I put a tablespoon of tamarind paste in it develops this beautiful flavour that really goes well with the roasted cherry tomatoes," Saelzer says.

Later in the summer, a favourite seasonal chomp will be in abundance — corn on the cob. But rather than raising the heat in your kitchen by boiling a large pot of water, microwave the cobs for a few minutes, slice into thick one-inch coins, season as you wish and finish with a quick grilling on the barbecue.

It's easy to eat by holding the centre cob of the disk, and you can do away those two-pronged mini-cob corn forks, many of which you have probably lost anyway.

But for now, if you are focusing on eating the last of the 2023 asparagus, Denis Hernandez of Preston's refurbished Argyle Arms Pub and Restaurant cautions, "Don't overcook asparagus!"

His suggestion for the sleek, verdant spear includes dousing a trimmed bunch of asparagus with olive oil, rasping some fresh local garlic onto it along with some rough-chopped parsley and set it on the barbecue for a gentle grilling and some char.

"When you take the asparagus off the grill, slather a plate with some Mascarpone cheese, add some toasted, crushed pistachios, some spiced honey and a little squeeze of lemon and some salt. It's a great way to eat grilled asparagus," says Hernandez.

Chef Vita Saelzer's roasted cherry tomato galette

Ingredients

For the pie crust

1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup cold, unsalted butter

4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For the filling
1 small onion (red or Spanish)

Salt

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

2 pints cherry tomatoes, cut in half (or 2 lbs roma)

½ tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

8 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 clove garlic, microplaned/minced

½ cup mayonnaise (optional)

1 poblano (or jalapeno), diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ bunch flat leaf parsley

1 large egg (optional for brushing crust)

Method
Pulse flour, salt, turmeric, and pepper in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly and butter is cut into small bits, about 10 times. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of ice water while pulsing, adding up to 1 more tablespoon ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until dough comes together and forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Stir in onions, salt, pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in tamarind concentrate until combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine poblano pepper, garlic in a bowl and add curry powder, salt and pepper and oil. In a separate bowl, mix mozzarella, mayo (if using) and parsley.

On a floured surface, roll pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread cheese mixture over dough, leaving a 2-inch border around edge. Layer on tomatoes. Top with tamarind and mixture. Fold exposed border of dough circle toward centre, pleating as necessary. (Brush crust with egg if desired). Bake in the preheated oven until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy!