Enjoy the bounty of the season, from juicy peaches and ripe tomatoes to sweet shrimp and blue crab
Whether charred over a grill or oven-roasted, these peel-and-eat shrimp make an ideal stand-and-snack hors d’oeuvre
(Serves 6)
Preheat an oven to 500°F with a cast-iron skillet on the middle rack. Once the oven is preheated, turn to high broil. Slide out the oven rack with the skillet on it and add the shrimp. Scatter the butter around the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Push the rack back into place, close the door, and cook for three minutes. Stir, then cook for another two to three minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Scrape the sides and puree again until you have a consistent mixture. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to six weeks.
Lump blue crab meat shines in this elegant preparation of the classic dish
(Makes 6)
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine the mayonnaise, egg white, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, and thyme leaves in a large bowl and mix together. Gently fold in the crab meat. Season to taste with sea salt and white pepper. Form into six patties and dust them with bread crumbs.
Put the butter and grapeseed oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Heat them over medium-high heat until the butter melts, stir, and continue to heat until they shimmer. Working in batches if necessary, add the crab cakes and sear each side for about two minutes until golden brown. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet and place the crab cakes in the oven until warmed through, about seven minutes.
For the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and then add the shrimp. Let the mixture cook for about two minutes, turning the shrimp over when they turn pink. Add the remaining ingredients and heat through for about another two minutes. Serve warm over the crab cakes.
Watch our video on how to cook blue crabs and pick the meat like a pro.
A delicious, bright spread to serve with raw veggies and crackers
(Serves 6)
Rinse the butter beans thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water by two inches. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are tender, but still al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and cool to room temperature.
Combine the butter beans, garlic, tahini, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and lemon juice. The hummus should be silky smooth. Add more salt and cayenne to taste, if desired.
Transfer to a container, seal, and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with pita chips or fresh-cut vegetables. (Tightly covered, the hummus will keep for four days in the refrigerator.)
A rainbow of heirloom fruits—mixed cherries, ‘Cherokee Purples,’ and a combo of yellows and greens—fill this lighter, more modern take on the Southern staple
(Serves 6 to 8)
For the savory crust:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix well. Add the butter and Parmesan and pulse until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough firmly comes together.
Pat the dough out into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight. Tightly wrapped, the dough will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch circle that is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Place the dough into a 10-inch tart pan. Using a paring knife, cut off any excess dough that hangs over the sides of the pan. Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the tart shell. Set aside.
For the tomato filling:
Divide the cherry tomatoes in half, making sure to distribute a variety of colors. Slice half of them as thinly as possible and set aside. Quarter the other half. Put the quartered cherry tomatoes and the sliced heirloom tomatoes in a colander and gently toss with the teaspoon of kosher salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes, then pat dry.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the tart shell for eight to 10 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before filling.
Combine the bacon, mayonnaise, basil, scallions, cheese, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt to taste.
Layer half of the drained tomatoes in the bottom of the par-baked tart shell. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over them. Arrange the thinly sliced cherry tomatoes and the rest of the drained tomatoes on top of the cheese mixture. Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the shell is a medium golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, garnish with sliced basil and scallions, and serve.
Read about locally grown heirloom tomatoes, including their flavor profiles and best uses.
The classic potato side reimagined
(Makes 4)
For the basil vinaigrette:
Combine the Worcestershire, sherry vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, Tabasco, shallot, garlic, and basil in a blender and puree until smooth. With the blender running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil. Add the celery salt, cover, and refrigerate. You will have some vinaigrette left over, but you can refrigerate it for up to two days. Bring to room temperature and whisk to emulsify before using.
For the tomatoes:
Core the tomatoes. Cut a thin slice off the core end of each tomato so that it will sit flat. Using a sharp knife, cut five slices about 1/3-inch thick across each tomato. Cut deeply but not all the way to the bottom. Set aside.
Halve the mozzarella ball. Cut each half into 10 thin slices about 1/4-inch thick and season lightly with salt and pepper. Season the inside of the tomato slices with salt and pepper. Gently insert a slice of mozzarella and a leaf of basil in between each cut in the tomato, exposing them slightly. Place a spoonful of the vinaigrette on each plate. Place the tomatoes on top and serve.
An ethereal corn pudding, paired with a counterpoint of robust corn relish
(Serves 8)
Cut kernels off the cobs—you’ll need 6½ cups. Use the back of a knife to scrape the cobs, which will produce the liquid known as “corn milk.” Combine the kernels and milk in a bowl, cover, and set aside.
Break the cobs in half. Combine them with the chopped onion, leek, celery, two of the sprigs of thyme, and one of the bay leaves in a medium pot and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Once the corn stock has reduced to a simmer, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain.
Put the sliced butter in a heavy Dutch oven or large saucepan and heat it over low-medium heat until melted. Add the corn kernels, corn milk, minced sweet onion, five remaining sprigs of thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn kernels are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add 1½ cups of corn stock and the two remaining bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. You don’t want to reduce the liquid. Stir in the cream. Working in small batches, carefully puree mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Place eggs and flour in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour about half of the corn mixture into the egg mixture, whisking the whole time. Whisk in the rest of the corn mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the solids. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush eight foil ramekins with melted butter. Divide the chilled corn mixture between them, using about six ounces for each. Place the ramekins in a baking pan, place the pan in the oven, and pour in enough hot water to fill halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Lay a piece of foil or a baking sheet on top to cover.
Bake the corn pudding for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan back to front and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the cover and check for doneness. The puddings should wiggle but be set. If not set, continue baking, covered, in five-minute increments until set. Carefully unmold and serve with corn relish.
For the corn relish:
Prepare a grill or broiler at medium-high heat. Brush a tiny amount of olive oil onto the corn and the onion slices. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Cook them until lightly charred and tender. The time will be dependent on the heat so keep a close eye on them. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes per side. Allow to cool.
Mince the onion. Cut the corn off of the cob. Combine the corn, onion, tomatoes, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and the vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired.
Right before serving, roughly tear or snip the herbs and stir them into the relish.
Tip: Using foil ramekins makes it possible to unmold the puddings. If you want to use ceramic ramekins, you should serve the puddings in the ramekins as they would be difficult to turn out. Alternatively, you could make one large corn pudding that you would not unmold. Use a two-quart baking dish and fill it three quarters of the way full. Bake in a water bath as instructed. The baking time would increase five to 10 minutes.
This refreshing side featuring lady peas pairs well with pan-roasted fish, crab cakes, or pickled shrimp
(Serves 6)
Put the peas, vinaigrette, dill, and hot sauce in a medium bowl and stir gently until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and transfer to plates or serving dish. Garnish with tomatoes and radishes.
For the Glass Onion house vinaigrette:
Combine the vinegar, mustard, garlic, shallots, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Gradually add the oils while the machine is running until the mixture is emulsified into a relatively thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
A luscious summer refresher made with a touch of Southern Comfort
(Serves 4)
Squeeze the juice of the lime and orange wedges into a pitcher and drop fruit in as well. Fill the pitcher with ice. Pour in Chardonnay, peach puree, and Southern Comfort. Stir with a spoon and serve.
For the peach puree:
(Makes 4 oz.)
Peel and pit the peaches. Dice and blend in a food processor with simple syrup. Use immediately to avoid the puree turning brown.
Top this combo of complementary flavors with your protein of choice
(Serves 8)
Combine the lemon juice, Champagne vinegar, and red chili flakes in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Toss the frisée, arugula, and all but two tablespoons of the dressing. Divide among eight salad plates. Slice the peaches, toss the slices in the remaining dressing, and divide among the salad plates. Serve immediately.
Learn about South Carolina peaches and get additional recipes.
Serve this old-fashioned favorite with vanilla or lemon ice cream and whipped cream
(Serves 6-8)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. (If you are using a Pyrex pie pan, lower the temperature 25°F.)
Place the blueberries in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Sprinkle the mixture over the berries and stir with a light hand. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Spread the fruit in the pie crust. Cut the butter into pea-sized pieces and sprinkle on top of the fruit.
Cover the pie with a lattice crust or a plain crust (use a fork to prick a pattern into it). Place the pie in the oven, with a sheet tray on the rack below it to help distribute heat.
Bake for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350°F. Bake for another 35 or 40 minutes, until the crust is light brown and the filling is bubbling all around the edges or through holes in the crust. Remove the pie and place on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.
Store under a cake dome on the counter for one day, or cover with plastic wrap or foil and keep in the refrigerator up to three days.
Tips on planting, harvesting, and cooking with blueberries from the pros at Blue Pearl Farms.
Enriched with a touch of cream, these pops are perfect for kids of all ages dreaming of Creamsicles
(Serves 12)
For the lemon syrup:
Combine the pectin and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a bowl. Combine the lemon juice, water, and remaining sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the sugar-pectin mixture. Return the saucepan to the heat and boil the mixture for 30 seconds. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool the mixture to room temperature.
For the watermelon sherbet mix:
Working in batches if necessary, combine the watermelon, lime juice, and lemon syrup in a food processor and puree. Strain the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the heavy cream.
Ladle the mixture into the molds, insert the sticks, and freeze until hard, at least two hours. (If the sticks won’t stand in place, freeze the pops for 30 minutes before inserting the sticks.) Remove the pops by carefully running the molds under warm water just long enough to release the pops from the sides of the molds, making sure not to get water in them.
Pops in molds can be stored in a zip-top bag or wrapped in plastic for about one month, or place unmolded pops on a parchment-lined tray and refreeze before placing them in a zip-top bag.
Tip: In a sealed container, the lemon syrup can be refrigerated for up to a month and used for ice pops, smoothies, and sorbets.
Hot honey and cool mint play against sweetened mascarpone in this rustic tart topped with fresh figs
(Serves 4)
Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add a half cup Red Clay Hot Honey and beat until incorporated. Add the mascarpone and beat lightly until just mixed.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a round tip and pipe it into the tart shells. Slice the figs and arrange on top. Drizzle with the reserved Red Clay Hot Honey and the peanut oil, garnish with the mint, and serve.
