Juicy Fruits: Enjoying the Sweets of Summer
After a long winter of bananas, apples and oranges, the entry of luscious summer fruits seems like the sunny-sweet hug we’ve all been waiting for. Seasonal berries, peaches, plums, nectarines and cherries are a fleeting pleasure of summer, sugary and juicy with little need for adornment. They are fleeting because they are far more perishable and don’t last as long as other “sturdier” fruits, so try to enjoy them when they are at their best.
Summer fruits can boast their “fruitritional” benefits as well. Berries and cherries are quite the powerhouse when it comes to antioxidant cancer-fighting qualities as well as being anti-inflammatory. Berries are also super rich in Vitamin C. Nectarines are good sources of lycopene and lutein, phytochemicals that are especially beneficial in the prevention of heart disease, macular degeneration and cancer. Whether just for snacking or enhancing a dish, incorporate the best of summer into your menus and meals.
Chef’s Note
Capture the sweetness of summer’s bounty by freezing or preserving fruit. To freeze: wash, slice and pit (or hull) fruit, spread in an even single layer on a sheet pan. Place in freezer. When completely frozen, transfer to zip-top freezer bags to store.
Sweet Cherry Panzanella Salad
Yields 4 servings
The origins of the Italian Panzanella salad were as a brilliant way to repurpose day-old bread that was too hard to serve. The crusty rustic bread would stand up to being soaked in tomato juices without becoming soggy. In this modern summer take on Panzanella, I have replaced the tomatoes altogether with finger-staining Bing cherries for a “sweet vs. savory” salad treat. For best results, use good-quality day-old bread to maintain a bite even when soaked in the dressing.
Chef’s Note
A cherry or olive pitter is a helpful tool in preparing the fresh cherries for this salad.
12 ounces Bing cherries, pitted and halved
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups cubed stale rustic bread, crusts removed if very hard
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup basil leaves, torn
4–5 big handfuls of baby arugula
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the cherries in a mixing bowl. Add vinegar and sugar and toss to blend and coat; allow to sit for 20–30 minutes.
Put the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and toss with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Bake until crunchy and lightly browned, about 11–13 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain the cherries and transfer to a large serving bowl, reserving the accumulated balsamic liquid. In a separate bowl, combine the reserved liquid, garlic, salt, mustard and black pepper; whisk to blend. While continuously whisking, slowly drizzle the remaining olive oil (a little less than 1/3 cup) into the bowl until well blended and emulsified.
Season to taste with more salt or pepper as needed (alternatively, this can be done in the blender).
Strawberry Rhubarb “Pop-Tarts.” Photos: Baila Gluck
Strawberry Rhubarb “Pop-Tarts”
Yields 9 large hand pies
Better than any packaged Pop-Tart, these homemade hand pies are the perfect breakfast pastry. Using a cream cheese pastry dough gives a flaky tenderness and helps with browning during a shorter baking time than a conventional pie requires. The filling can be left as “chunky” or pureed into a thick jam (also delicious by itself on toast!).
Do Ahead: Filling can be made up to a week in advance. Making it a day prior gives ample time for the filling to set and thicken.
Pastry Dough:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling:
1½ cups hulled strawberries, sliced
1½ cups chopped fresh or frozen unthawed rhubarb
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Juice of ½ orange
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing:
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: Pink sugar or pink sprinkles, for decorating
Prepare the dough: Beat cream cheese and butter together in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer or mixing spoon. Add flour, sugar and salt. Mix until the dough clumps together. Knead, giving the dough a few turns until it comes together into a firm dough.
Divide in two and shape into two rectangles; wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, until firm. Meanwhile make the filling.
Filling: Bring strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, ginger and orange juice to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Lower heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the juices are released and the rhubarb becomes soft and tender, about 15–20 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch until dissolved; pour into the fruit mixture. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Add in the vanilla and mash fruit with a potato masher or use an immersion blender if smooth consistency is desired. Cool completely before filling (can be made ahead).
Assembly: Arrange oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working on a lightly floured surface, use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out half the dough to form a large rectangle (about 12 inches x 15 inches), about ¼-inch thick. Using the tip of a sharp knife, trim edges of dough for neatness. Cut dough in thirds both lengthwise and crosswise to create 9 equal smaller rectangles (approximately 4 inches x 5 inches each). Repeat with other half of dough.
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each rectangle from the first batch of rolled out dough. Brush perimeter of each rectangle with egg wash, then cover with a second rectangle to form a packet. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Carefully transfer hand pies to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash. Prick each with fork to allow steam to vent during baking.
Bake pastries until tops and bottoms are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely before icing.
Icing: Whisk together icing ingredients in a small bowl and spoon over cooled pop tarts. Sprinkle with pink sugar or sprinkles to decorate, if desired.
Fresh Blueberry Filling/Sauce
Fresh Blueberry Filling/Sauce
Yields about 1½ cups
A perfect way to preserve blueberries and the perfect filling or topping for blintzes, Greek yogurt, ice cream or cheesecake! Consult the OU Manual for Checking Fruits & Vegetables for instructions on how to check blueberries for insects, https://oukosher.org/ou-guide-to-checking-produce-and-more/.
Chef’s Note
Can be made up to 1 week in advance or can be frozen for 3 months. Make ahead if using as a filling to allow time for sauce to chill and thicken.
1 pint blueberries, rinsed and picked over
Zest (about ½ teaspoon) and juice (about 1 tablespoon) from ½ lemon
¼ cup water plus 3 tablespoons, divided
2–3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Combine blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ cup water, sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Mix to blend. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until juices are released and become bubbly.
In the meantime, combine remaining 3 tablespoons water with cornstarch in a small bowl, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved.
Slowly pour cornstarch mixture into sauce and stir continuously, cooking for 1–2 minutes or until mixture becomes thickened. Season to taste for sweetness, adding more sugar as desired. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer sauce to a storage container and refrigerate (sauce will thicken as it chills).
Pan-Seared Fish with Nectarine–Black Bean Salsa
Seared fish, with its crusty-crispy exterior and tender flesh, is so delicious and yet can be tricky to execute with thin fillets or delicate white-fleshed fish. Follow the steps below for perfectly seared fish every time! Nectarine–Black Bean Salsa is a perfectly refreshing accompaniment.
Fish:
6 fillets tilapia or red snapper
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1–2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch, for dusting
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Nectarine–Black Bean Salsa:
2 large nectarines, pitted and diced
¾ cup (½ 15-ounce can) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
½ yellow pepper, diced
½ medium red onion, minced
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2½ tablespoons orange juice
½ teaspoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Prepare Salsa: Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside (chill if making ahead).
Dust: Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper to taste on both sides of fish. Dust fish lightly with flour (or cornstarch) on both sides (a sifter or fine sieve works great for this!).
Sear: Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Place 2–3 fillets of fish in pan (as they fit in pan). To prevent sticking and tearing the fish, do not flip fillets until a nicely browned crust has formed on the bottom, about 2–3 minutes (leave it alone if it is not ready to release for turning). Flip fillets over and cook for another 2–3 minutes until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining fish.
Serve each piece of fish topped with a spoonful of Nectarine–Black Bean Salsa. Garnish with fresh lime wedges.
Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, New York. She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. She is the author of The Giving Table (New York, 2022).