Since we often change how we cook in summer, it is worth taking the time to make sure what you keep stocked in your kitchen reflects those changes. That way you’ll be prepared for a season that can sometimes require more flexibility when it comes to meals. It will also allow you to work a few meals into your normal rotation that celebrate some of the great ingredients the season has to offer. Often, one of the best aspects of meal preparation in the summer is how little cooking you need to do since all those great ingredients – like tomatoes, corn, and fruit – are so fresh and flavorful. You can really do a minimum amount of work and still get some fantastic, simple meals.
Getting your pantry stocked for summer doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of changes to what you already have in there, but it may mean a change in how much of certain items you keep on hand, or a change in how you use those items in the summer months. Think about the things you particularly like to cook in summer, and add those items regularly to your grocery list.
Some of our favorite summertime meals are salads and grilled foods. (You can even use leftover grilled chicken or meat in your salads the next day or pack them up for a picnic.) So, canned beans that you used for stews and soups can be used during the summer for salads or cold pasta dishes. Spices will add flavor to rubs and marinades for grilling.
Keeping in mind seasonal variations to meal preparation in the summer, we’ve highlighted some summer staples you may want to keep on hand.
Enjoy!
- Salad fixings: Lettuces, herbs, nuts, cheeses, fruits, tomatoes, vegetables, avocados.
- Picnic items: Crackers, cheeses, carrots, cucumbers, celery, hummus, olives (whole or tapenades), vinegar-based pasta or chicken salads.
- Marinade ingredients: Lemons, limes, garlic, ginger, parsley, cilantro, scallions.
- Spices for rubs: Paprika, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, dried oregano, dry mustard, onion powder.
- Picnic items: Crackers/breads, cheeses, carrots, cucumbers, leftovers, salami or prosciutto, sandwich fixings.
Recipe for Soy-Marinated Flank or Skirt Steak
I got this recipe from the Food Network a long time ago, and it is great because all the ingredients are pretty standard staples. You can marinate the flank steak for an hour at room temperature or for up to 6 hours in the fridge. When we can, we grill the steak, but you can also use the broiler to cook it in the oven. That makes it a good option year-round too.
- 1 flank steak, usually about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Freshly ground pepper
Recipe for Cook’s Illustrated Greek Cherry Tomato Salad
All of these flavors go so well together, and it really is an easy salad to assemble. Granted, there is a step here to remove the liquid from the tomatoes, but it really helps keep the flavors from getting diluted by any juice that comes from the tomatoes as the salad sits. If you don’t have the time, just assemble the main ingredients, and put together the vinaigrette using broth or water in place of the juice from the tomatoes.
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes , ripe, quartered (about 4 cups) (see note)
- Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Ground black pepper
- 1 small cucumber , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
- 4 ounces feta cheese , crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Toss tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and sugar in medium bowl; let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to salad spinner and spin until seeds and excess liquid have been removed, 45 to 60 seconds, stirring to redistribute tomatoes several times during spinning. Return tomatoes to bowl and set aside. Strain tomato liquid through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
Bring 1/2 cup tomato liquid (discard any extra), garlic, oregano, shallot, and vinegar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Whisk in oil and pepper to taste until combined. Taste and season with up to 1/8 teaspoon table salt.
Add cucumber, olives, feta, dressing, and parsley to bowl with tomatoes; toss gently and serve.