With summer just around the corner, it’s time to put those cooking skills you learned during quarantine to good use! When the mercury starts to rise, we love trying out new recipes using seasonal produce that is often shipped from far away during the cooler months.
Luckily, San Diego is home to a beautiful agricultural community, built on more small farms than any other county. Choosing to eat seasonal produce not only supports these farmers, but also expands your palate to include new and interesting flavors! To see what local food is in season each month, the San Diego Farm Bureau has created a harvest calendar that you can reference.
To celebrate San Diego’s reopening, we’ve put together a delicious meal and cocktail using fresh, local ingredients that are sure to impress — and you don’t need to be a grillmaster or mixologist to make them!
Summertime Jumble
Ingredients
1 eggplant
1 summer squash
1 zucchini
6 oz. grape tomatoes
1 oz. scallions
½ c. avocado oil
Salt
Black pepper
Crushed red pepper
Optional: 6 oz. deveined jumbo shrimp
Optional: 2 garlic cloves — minced
Avocado vinaigrette
1 avocado
1 lemon
½ c. avocado oil
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Salt
Black pepper
Directions
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (around 400°F)
Wash eggplant, then slice into ½ inch rounds, discarding the ends
Wash squash and quarter each lengthwise, discarding the ends
Toss veggies in ½ cup of avocado oil, then place evenly across grill top
Turn every 3-5 minutes until your veggies are tender, and you see nice grill marks on each side
Remove veggies from grill, and set aside for 10 minutes to settle
Optional: toss shrimp in oil and minced garlic, grill for 3 minutes per side
In the meantime, wash tomatoes and scallions, then halve tomatoes and slice scallions, separating whites from greens
Chop veggies into ½ inch cubes and toss with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
Toss veggies, tomatoes and scallion whites with avocado vinaigrette and top with scallion greens
Optional: top with grilled shrimp
Avocado Vinaigrette
Halve, pit and scoop avocado, juice lemon, add vinegar, salt and pepper into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth
Turn blender to low, slowly add avocado oil until the texture is creamy and smooth — be sure not to over blend!
Blackberry Smash
Ingredients
4 large blackberries
½ lemon
6 large mint leaves — plus 1 sprig to garnish
½ oz. turbinado simple syrup
1 ½ oz. bourbon — substitute rye for a spicy twist
Directions
Lightly muddle blackberries, lemon and mint in a shaker with simple syrup
Add bourbon and a scoop of ice — shake like crazy until ice is broken up
Pour directly into a glass and add mint sprig
**For a non-alcoholic version, leave out the whiskey and add 6 oz. of club soda after shaking**
Fun Games & Activities To Offer At Your School Carnival
Let the Planning Begin!
It's never too early to start. Give us a shout to find out how we can deliver the most scrumptious picnic catering in town and help you throw an epic event from start to finish.