Summer Recipes

For great taste sensations during the summer months, enjoy the flavours of fresh seasonal produce. We've got simple summer recipe ideas for the barbecue, as well as summery salads and light desserts for a sweet something to follow your meal. To enjoy summer recipes at their best, eat outdoors in your own backyard, at the park or on the beach!

You can prepare light, delicious and healthy summer recipes using fruits and vegetables that are in season and readily available at your local produce store or supermarket. During summer time, cook with seasonal produce:

• Fresh vegetables - asparagus, basil, capsicum, cucumber, beans, rocket, tomatoes, avocadoes and salad greens.
• Sweet fruits - berries, apricots, grapes, limes, mangoes, melons, peaches, plums and nectarines.

 

BBQ recipes foroutdoor summer dining
What could be more Kiwi than a barbecue in the backyard on a balmy summer evening? Cooking and dining outdoors is one of the most universally enjoyed pastimes in summer months in New Zealand. Gather family and friends for some casual outdoor dining and cook up your favourite BBQ delights – lean meat, seafood and vegetables all make delicious barbecue fare. Barbeque recipes can be as simple or as complex as you choose; but for easy summer recipes, use a few simple ingredients to create a fresh, flavour-full feast.

For delicious barbecue recipes, try:

• BBQ burgers - Cooking in summer doesn’t get much easier or tastier than burgers on the barbie. Mince can be replaced with falafel as an alternative, for a tasty vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients:
Burger buns
750g lean mince, 1 egg, ¾ cup wholemeal breadcrumbs, 3 spring onions, ¼ cup chopped parsley, salt and pepper
Salad toppings (tomato, pickle, tinned beetroot, lettuce, avocado, fresh herbs)
Tomato chutney or sauce

Method:

Combine minced beef with egg, spring onions, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Mould into eight patties and place onto preheated BBQ, grilling for 5 – 7 minutes on each side. Serve in burger buns with salad toppings, tomato sauce or chutney, and fresh herbs.

• Honey grilled fish - Grilling fish on the barbeque is easy to do and makes for a light, fresh and nutritious meal.

Ingredients:
600g firm, fresh fish
¼ cup honey
¼ onion
2 tbsp lime or lemon juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp minced chilli or 1 fresh chilli, chopped
2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Method:

Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well before pouring over the fish. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, then barbeque or grill the fish for 4 – 5 minutes on each side. To test whether the fish is ready, pierce with a fork; it will flake when cooked.

You'll find many other tasty BBQ recipes online.

 

Summer salad recipes
No summer menu - lunch or dinner - is complete without a fresh salad. A selection of crisp green salads and fresh seasonal vegetables goes well with a barbeque meal or a loaf of freshly baked bread.

For great summer salads, try:

• Grilled vegetable salad - You can use the barbeque or the oven for this delicious summer salad, which can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Ingredients:
1 aubergine
1 red and 1 yellow capsicum
2 courgettes
250g green beans
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
Olive oil

Dressing:
Balsamic vinaigrette
Chopped fresh chives or parsley
Salt and pepper

Method:

Cut the aubergine into slices about half a centimetre thick, slice courgettes lengthways and cut capsicums into chunky pieces. Place all vegetables onto a preheated barbeque or into an oven tray, along with sliced onion and whole garlic cloves. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender; expect the vegetables to blacken on the outside - they'll be sweet on the inside. Mix vegetables together and season with dressing.

• Avocado, asparagus and strawberry salad - For a seasonal salad with a difference try this fresh, tasty and easy summer recipe.

Ingredients:
400g asparagus
1 avocado
1 punnet strawberries
1 cup bean sprouts
Fresh basil

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 clove of garlic
¼ cup olive or avocado oil

Method:

Steam asparagus until just tender then place in a bowl of very cold water to retain colour. Halve strawberries and slice avocado, brushing with lemon juice to avoid discolouring. Place asparagus, strawberries, avocado and bean sprouts in a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and drizzle over salad.

You'll find these and more healthy summer salad recipes online.

 

Summer dessert recipes
Tasty and light is the order of the day for summer desserts and puddings. The best summery desserts use seasonal fruits – colourful berries, sweet strawberries and juicy stone fruits.

For fresh summer desserts, try:

• Peach crumble delight - A quick dessert that’s light, tasty and easy to make.

Ingredients:
Sliced fresh peaches, cooked
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¾ cup pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped
½ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup rolled oats
50g butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg or mixed spice
Plain yoghurt

Method:

Divide sliced peaches between two to three serving glasses and pour orange juice over evenly. Heat butter in a pan, roasting nuts until lightly toasted. Add coconut, rolled oats, brown sugar and spice. Stir over heat until coconut is golden. Top fruit with yoghurt and crumble mix.

• Pineapple and basil ice cream - Homemade ice cream is easier than you think, and makes a fresh dessert that's perfect to accompany fresh summer fruit.

Ingredients:

½ fresh pineapple

10 - 12 medium basil leaves

4 eggs

¾ cup caster sugar

500g cream cheese

Method:

Peel and core pineapple, then puree in a blender until smooth. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the cream cheese, beating until the mixture is thick. Fold in pureed pineapple and then place mixture in a sealed contained. Freeze for four hours, or until firm. Serve with fresh fruit or in a cone.

Find these and more summer dessert recipes online.

 

Summer drinks

Cool, fresh summer drinks are a must during long, hot days. To complete your summer menu, try some refreshing alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks:

• Homemade, fresh fruit juices - use oranges, lemons, apples, berries, feijoas and kiwifruit.
• A bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or your favourite New Zealand wine.
• Summer cocktails - for fun in the sun, mix vodka, gin or white rum with fresh fruit.
• Fresh fruit smoothies - easy to whip up with your choice of fresh fruit, plus ice cream or yoghurt, honey and vanilla essence.

 

Looking for more summer food ideas? Find summer recipes in the NZS.com directory.

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Seasons and Celebrations images from Flickr: Dyed Eggs, Chickees and Chocolate Bunnies.