summer time meal

We are definitely hitting the time of the year where I will be spending hours in the kitchen.  My time to chill. 

We are members of the Amber Wave Farms.  Every Saturday I go and pick up our box of produce for the week and a basket of fresh eggs.  Come the height of August I can go over there myself and just pick tomatoes and cut flowers.  I just LOVE it.  They had these beautiful wood baskets made for their customers this year to bring your goodies back and forth.

Had a few people over for dinner.  This summer I ordered a bunch of meat from Dickinsons Farmstand Meats.  They have a store in Chelsea Market.  The difference in flavor is major.  For starters I toasted up some slices of a baguette.  I took fresh whipped ricotta and mixed it with a little bit of lemon juice, grated lemon rinds and honey and slathered it over the toasts.  On top I put prosciutto or red pepper pieces that I had roasted.  Right before serving I took a super rich balsamic vinegar and dripped it over the top.

The side courses were slices tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.  Instead of pesto I just chopped up tons of basil and let it sit in olive oil for a few hours and then dripped it over the top. 

Zucchini is the veggie of the moment at the farm.  Thinly sliced yellow and green zucchini on a platter covered with shaved Parmesan, chopped basil and olive oil. 

The carrots at Balsam Farm stand, which is my go to place outside of what I get at Amber Farms, they had beautiful carrots.  I just roasted them with some thyme and olive oil.  Super simple.

A typical summer meal.  Fresh, easy and delicious.