With summer’s bounty… keep it simple!

Let’s celebrate our hard-working farmers at this time of year, writes Julia Turshen

HEN we sit down to eat at 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.

Since I prefer dishes that require minimal effort, summer is my favourite time to be in the kitchen.

Like all things that come and go, summer produce is best celebrated at its peak – which is right now. – The Washington Post This muffin batter is incredibly easy and creates tender muffins that aren’t too sweet. Try using any type of stone fruit (including cherries) in place of, or in addition to, the nectarines. For gluten-free and/or vegan bakers, try the variation below. The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Makes 12 1¼ cups flour ½ cup yellow cornmeal/polenta 1/3 cup sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 1 large egg, lightly beaten 8 tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter,

melted ¾ cup regular buttermilk 230g nectarines (1 large one or 2 small), pitted and cut into 1cm dice PREHEAT the oven to 180°. Line a 12-well, standardsize muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl, until well incorporated. Place the egg, melted butter and buttermilk in a large bowl and whisk well to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until just combined, then stir in the nectarines. Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. Bake (middle rack) for 30 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of each one comes out clean.

Cool to room temperature before eating.

To make vegan, glutenfree muffins substitute your favourite all-purpose gluten-free baking mix for the flour. Instead of the eggs, butter and buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds, 2 tablespoons water, ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce, ¼ cup olive oil plus ½ cup of your favourite non-dairy milk. When you want a substantial side dish but can’t bear the heat, try this cold rice salad – it has nearly as many herbs as there are rice kernels. If you want to make this super fast, pick up cooked rice from a Chinese take-away restaurant or use frozen/defrosted rice. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4-6 4 cups cooked brown rice (long- or short-grain), at room temperature ¼ cup olive oil 2 tbs sherry vinegar 1 tsp kosher salt 3 loosely packed cups soft herbs (such as Italian parsley, basil, mint, chives, tarragon, cilantro, and/ or chervil), tough stems discarded, coarsely chopped ¼ cup dried currants (may

substitute raisins) ¼ cup roasted salted almonds,

coarsely chopped COMBINE the rice, oil, vinegar, salt, herbs, dried currants and almonds in a large serving bowl and toss well to incorporate.

Serve right away, at room temperature, or let sit covered at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.

VARIATIONS: To make about 1 cup of Any-Soft-Herb Pesto (vegan), combine the following ingredients in a food processor:

2 small chopped garlic cloves

cup unsalted nuts and 3 loosely packed cups of stemmed herbs.

Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in about ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, forming a rich green paste. Taste and season lightly with salt. The secret to this corn is to get your cast-iron skillet piping hot. Whether you use an outdoor grill or a hot oven, the pan’s heat is essential to creating the irresistible, crisp crust on the corn. Serves 4 6 ears corn, shucked 1/3 cup coarsely ground cornmeal

(polenta works just as well) 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tbs bacon fat (may substitute unsalted butter, olive oil or canola oil) PLACE an 20cm cast-iron skillet on an outdoor grill set to medium-high or in a 220° oven to heat up for at least 10 minutes.

Cut the kernels off the corn cobs and place them in a large bowl.

Use the blunt edge of your knife to scrape the milky liquid from the cobs into the same bowl. Reserve the cobs for another use, if desired.

Add the cornmeal and salt to the bowl and stir well to combine. Place the bacon fat in the scorching-hot skillet and tilt the skillet so the fat coats the bottom and sides.

Add the corn mixture and pat down in an even layer.

Cover the grill, cook for 15 minutes, until the top of the corn is bright yellow and the underside has formed a beautiful, crispy crust. Or The tomatoes need to marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, and up to 3 hours, before serving. Serves 4 3tbs extra-virgin olive oil 2 small cloves garlic, minced ½tsp crushed red pepper flakes 450g ripe tomatoes, each cut in half if small; cored and coarsely chopped if large 1tbs sherry vinegar 1tsp kosher salt, or more as needed 1 small handful fresh basil leaves,

thinly sliced COMBINE the oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes in a small skillet over medium heat.

Once the garlic starts to sizzle, pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, making sure to scrape the pan with a spoon to get every bit.

Add the tomatoes, vinegar and salt, stirring well to incorporate.

Taste and add more salt, as needed. Let the tomatoes sit for at least 15 minutes before serving, or cover them and let them sit at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Right before serving, stir in the basil. roast (middle rack) in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Use a round-edged knife to loosen the edges of the corn, and a flexible spatula, as needed, and carefully invert the corn on to a serving platter. Serve immediately.