Savoury Summer Recipes (with fruit!)
Jun 14th, 2013 by Evan Millar, Resident Blogger
Picking season is not far away, which for Not Far From The Tree volunteers means countertops and cupboards packed with ripe fruit. Although abundance is a blessing, sometimes it can also be a challenge – after all, there are only so many fruit salads and smoothies you can make in a week. This week, we are sharing some meal ideas that will help you make the best of your fruit abundance. These four recipes put fruits commonly picked in Toronto to good use in summer savoury dishes, making them more of a dinner and less of a dessert. The sauces and chutneys will store for weeks if not months if tightly sealed and refrigerated, so you can keep enjoying the fruits of summer well after the last peach has dropped from the tree. Think of these recipes as suggestions, and feel free to experiment and push the limits of how we can use our fruit!
CHERRY BARBECUE SAUCE
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced green pepper
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon minced jalapenos (optional, for a spicier sauce)
2 cups fresh dark sweet cherries, finely chopped
1/4 can tomatoes
1/2 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcester sauce (or vegetarian alternative)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 tablespoon chilli powder
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil, onion, green pepper, and jalapeno (if using), over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, stir, and cook until ingredients are soft and the onions are golden and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients (except liquid smoke), and cook for 25 minutes until the cherries are soft and the sauce is thickened. Turn off the heat, add liquid smoke, and stir. You may want to put the sauce through a blender afterwards if your cherries are still chunky and you want a smoother sauce.
SERVICEBERRY SALSA
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh serviceberries, mostly chopped (with some left whole)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh basil, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced and seeded
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl, chill in the refrigerator for about an hour and serve with corn chips, or in tacos.
PEACH – MINT CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
1 tbsp melted coconut oil (or other vegetable oil)
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced red pepper
1 small chili pepper, seeded and minced
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
two tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
2 cups fresh peaches, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Directions:
Heat oil, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and cinnamon stick over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, stir, and cook until ingredients are soft and the onions are golden and translucent. Add garlic and ginger cook for another minute. Add vinegar, sugar, and peaches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer mixture until thick (about 5 minutes). Turn off heat and cool, then stir in mint. Seal in mason jars and keep in the fridge. Serve with Indian curries or Caribbean rotis.
THAI VEGETABLE / PLUM KEBABS
Ingredients:
one medium eggplant, chopped into ¾ inch thick slices
one medium zucchini, chopped into ¾ inch thick slices
two portobello mushrooms, chopped into ¾ inch thick slices
one yellow bell pepper, and one red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into small squares
¾ pound plums, chopped
Marinade:
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (if not blending)
¼ cup sesame oil oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon salt
12 inch skewers, (if using wooden skewers, soak in warm water for a half hour)
Directions:
Blend or whisk all marinade ingredients into a sauce. Place vegetables, mushrooms, plums, and marinade in a container with a tight fitting lid, and shake until the marinade is distributed. Let sit for 15 minutes to an hour. Alternate the marinated vegetables, mushrooms, and plums on the skewers, and barbecue until browned and softened (about 10 minutes).
