Summer
vegetables
Here's our guide to summer's bounty. Find out about the vegetables that are
in season now — from arugula to zucchini. We'll tell you what to look for at the
market, how to store the vegetables at home and how to cook them, plus great
recipes. Remember, summer begins in mid-June and runs until late September so if
you can't find a fruit or vegetable, ask your grocer when it will be in stock
Arugula
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamin C and folate. Good source of calcium.
What To Look For
Look for small, soft leaves. (The bigger the leaves are, the more peppery and
hot they become.)
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep for 1 or 2 days if refrigerated. Discard the long stems. Wash well in
several changes of water to remove any dirt. Dry well.
Best Uses
Often used in salads. Its warm flavor is good with olives, hard-cooked eggs,
grilled onions, and salty cheeses. Use vinaigrettes with strong acids, such as
sherry vinegars, lemon juice, or aged red wine.
Avocados
(Hass)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6 and folate. Good source
of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, and magnesium.
What To Look For
Should yield when pressed gently. Color should be uniform and without blemishes
or bruises.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Store at room temperature. Will ripen at room temperature. Cut lengthwise around
the large stone in the center; gently twist the 2 sides apart. Rub the cut
surfaces with lemon to prevent discoloration. Use a spoon to scoop out the
flesh.
Best Uses
Do not cook. Serve in a salad with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Great mashed with salsa for a quick homemade guacamole.
Beans, Green
(American, Yellow and Haricot Vert)
Nutritional Information
Good source of fiber.
What To Look For
Choose beans that have a bright color without brown or soft spots. Large pods
may be tough or bitter.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Pull off any strings along the pod's seams before cooking. Beans may be left
whole, cut lengthwise in thin slivers or cut crosswise on the diagonal.
Best Uses
For one pound of beans, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add a few teaspoons
of salt, and then the beans. Boil for 6 to 12 minutes, depending on their width.
Leave uncovered and taste often for desired crispness. Drain the beans and
immediately refresh under cold running water.
Recipes
Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
Annie Somerville's Summer Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
Sauteed Green Beans
Beans (Fresh Shell)
(Broad, Fava)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamin C. Good source of vitamin A and folate.
What To Look For
Choose beans that have a bright color without brown or soft spots. The beans
should snap easily when bent. Look for small beans, as large pods may be tough
or bitter. Plump seeds should be formed but not bulging.
Storage, Easy Cooking
If there are any strings along the pod's seams, they should be pulled off before
cooking. Beans may be left whole, cut lengthwise in thin slivers or cut
crosswise on the diagonal. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days.
Best Uses
For one pound of beans, bring 3 quarts water to a boil, add 4 - 5 tsp. salt, and
then the beans. Boil for 6 to 12 minutes, depending on their width. Keep the lid
off at all times, and taste often for desired crispness. Drain the beans and
immediately refresh under cold running water. Toss in skillet with butter, salt,
pepper, and herbs for a tastier treat.
Beets
(Red, Yellow, White, Candy Stripe)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of folate. Good source of potassium and vitamin C.
What To Look For
Firm, smooth roots without splits. Small- to medium-size beets taste best. If
possible, buy beets with greens still attached, as they are usually the
freshest. The greens are also edible when young.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Remove the tops and refrigerate in plastic bags. The tops will stay fresh for a
day or two and can be used as salad greens or sautéed. The beets keep a week or
more in the refrigerator. Prepare by scrubbing well. Do not peel.
Best Uses
Put beets in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for
30 to 45 minutes. Beets are done when a knife slides in easily. Drain and cool.
Slip the skin off. Reheat to serve or use cold in salads. Flavors such as
orange, caraway seed, mustard seed, and dill go well with beets.
Collards
(Greens)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamin A and C; good source of folate.
What To Look For
Leaves should be crisp, tender, and not overgrown. Bright color.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Keep refrigerated in plastic bags to maintain moisture. Rinse as many times as
necessary to remove sand. Remove thick, tough leaves.
Best Uses
Cook in skillet with small amount of olive oil until just wilted, or steam using
the moisture that clings to greens after washing.
Corn
(Yellow, White, Bicolored)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of fiber. Good source of vitamin C.
What To Look For
Freshly picked, moist, green husk and silks; plump, glossy kernels without
spaces between them.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Best eaten within a few hours of purchase. Will keep for a day or two if
refrigerated in husks. Remove husk and silks only when ready to cook.
Best Uses
Cook, covered in simmering, salted water, for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the kernels
from the cob and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Or peel back the husk, remove the
silks, soak in water, sprinkle with lime juice and salt, and put the husk back
in place. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes.
Cucumber
(Common or Seedless; Pickling)
Nutritional Information
High water content aids in hydration.
What To Look For
Slender cucumbers are younger and have tender skins. The skin should be dark
green; avoid cucumbers that are dull and yellow. Cucumbers should be firm.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep 5 days or more if refrigerated. Rinse; peel if waxed.
Best Uses
Best used raw in salads, sandwiches, soups, and dips. Goes well with chives,
dill, mint, red onion, salt and vinegar.
Eggplant
Nutritional Information
Good source of fiber.
What To Look For
Skin should be smooth and taut with fresh-looking green cap at the stem end.
Should be heavy for its size. Avoid overgrown eggplants that are more than 5
inches in diameter.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Store at a cool room temperature or in the refrigerator. After a few days,
eggplants become unpleasantly bitter. The skins are edible and a good source of
nutrition, but they may be peeled if you prefer.
Best Uses
It's important to cook eggplant thoroughly for good taste and texture. Grilling
a half-inch slice takes about 2 minutes, while baking 2 halves takes about 30
minutes. Season with basil, oregano, tomatoes, olives, peppers, and lemon juice.
Garlic
Nutritional Information
Rich in phytochemicals, particularly allyl sulfides.
What To Look For
Choose firm, dry bulbs with tightly closed cloves and smooth skins. Avoid bulbs
with green sprouts.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Store in a cool, well-ventilated place; do not refrigerate.
Best Uses
Whole bulbs can be baked or roasted. Often garlic is separated into cloves,
peeled, sliced, minced or crushed and used to flavor a wide variety of dishes.
Kohlrabi
Nutritional Information
Good source of vitamin C and potassium.
What To Look For
Light green in color and sometimes sold with its edible greens attached. Choose
small ones, and peel before using. Kohlrabi may be white, green or purple in
color. Look for kohlrabi bulbs that appear fresh and that are less than three
inches in diameter. Leaf stems should be succulent and tender. Large kohlrabi
can be woody and tough.
Storage, Easy Cooking
With the leaf stems removed, kohlrabi can be stored in the refrigerator for
several weeks. Storage life can be extended if kohlrabi are placed in sealed
plastic bags.
Best Uses
Excellent raw in salads or as a cooked vegetable. The crisp flesh can be served
raw in salads, as a relish, or as a crunchy accompaniment to dips. The bulb can
be sliced, cut into quarters, cubes or julienne strips and steamed until crisp
but still tender. Kohlrabi bulbs can be hollowed out and stuffed with a
vegetable or meat filling.
Mushrooms
(Chanterelles, Porcinis,
Hen of the Woods)
Nutritional
Information
Good source of riboflavin.
What To Look For
Look for dry and firm mushrooms with a sweet earthy smell. If the caps are open,
the gills should look fresh (they shouldn't be matted down).
Storage, Easy Cooking
Store in a closed paper bag (or in a cardboard container) in refrigerator for
several days. They will turn slimy if kept too long. To clean, wipe with a damp
cloth. Do not soak in water to clean.
Best Uses
Can be eaten raw or cooked. Can be sautéed, marinated, grilled, broiled, used in
salads, stuffed, or used in soups and stews. Especially good if partnered with
olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon, rosemary, pine nuts, wine, sherry, onions,
leeks, or rice.
Okra
(Green, Red)
Nutritional Information
Good source of vitamin C and folate.
What To Look For
Short, less than 3 inch long pods with a velvety feel. No bruises or
discoloration.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep up to 4 days if refrigerated. Rinse and remove stem end. To avoid a
slimy texture, do not wash okra until ready to cook.
Best Uses
Add to Creole or Cajun-style soups, stews, and sauces to thicken and add flavor.
Complements tomatoes, corn and peppers.
Onions
(Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla)
Nutritional Information
Rich in phytochemicals, particularly allyl sulfides.
What To Look For
Clean, firm, well-shaped bulbs with no sign of mold. Dry, papery skins.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Can be stored in cool, dry place with ventilation for a month or longer. Or
store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Peel the papery skin and cut or
slice.
Best Uses
Use sweet onions (Bermuda, red, Vidalia, Walla Walla) raw. Others may taste
better cooked. Cook cut onions in a small amount of olive oil. Boil whole,
peeled pearl onions in salted water for 6 to 10 minutes.
Peas,
Sugar Snap
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamin C. Good source of iron.
What To Look For
Pods should be plump, firm, bright green, and crisp. Avoid those with spots or
shriveled appearance.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Do not shell the peas before cooking, as the entire pod is eaten.
Peppers
(Sweet
Bell)
(Green, Red, Yellow,
Orange)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamin C. Good source of vitamin A and B6.
What To Look For
Color should be uniform, glossy, and deep. The pepper should be well-shaped and
firm and have thick walls with no soft spots.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep refrigerated for 3 days or more. Rinse and cut into desired shapes.
Best Uses
Use raw or cooked. Especially tasty when grilled, roasted, or in a stir-fry.
Potatoes
(New, Fingerling)
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of potassium and vitamin C. Good source of vitamin B6.
What To Look For
Should be very firm, without sprouted eyes. Skin should have no greenish tint.
Potatoes should be small and have thin skins.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Store in a cool, dark place; do not store in the refrigerator. Will keep up to 2
weeks. Avoid peeling when possible, as the skins are very nutritious.
Best Uses
Start covered with cold water and boil 20 to 30 minutes, until tender when
pierced.
Shallots
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamin A.
What To Look For
Should be plump and well shaped. Avoid those that appear dry or have sprouted.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Store in a cool, dry spot. When peeled, a shallot separates into multiple
cloves, similar to garlic. Can be chopped and used raw or cooked.
Best Uses
With a taste something like a mix of onion, garlic and leeks, shallots are the
basis of many classic sauces; they can also be sautéed or baked as a side dish.
Squash,
Summer
(Yellow, Pattypan, Zucchini)
Nutritional Information
Good source of vitamin C.
What To Look For
Small squash with thin, glossy skins. Yellow squash and zucchini should be less
than 8" long. Pattypan should be less than 3" in diameter.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep for 3 days or more if refrigerated.
Rinse and remove stem and blossom end. Cut into pieces of desired size. Bake
whole or halved, drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, at 350°F, for 20 to
25 minutes. Or wilt in a very small amount of water with salt, pepper, and olive
oil for 6 to 8 minutes. Fresh basil makes a good accompaniment.
Best Uses
Bake whole or halved, drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, at 350°F, for
20 to 25 minutes. Or wilt slices in a very small amount of water with salt,
pepper, and olive oil for 6 to 8 minutes
Swiss Chard
Nutritional Information
Good source of vitamin A.
What To Look For
Crisp, tender leaves that are not overgrown. Bright color. Available year round,
but tend to be tough and woody in hot summers.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Keep refrigerated in plastic bags to maintain moisture. Rinse as many times as
necessary to remove sand. Remove thick, tough leaves.
Best Uses
Use raw in salads when small and tender. Cook in skillet with small amount of
olive oil until just wilted, or steam using the moisture that clings to greens
after washing.
Tomatoes
Nutritional Information
Excellent source of vitamins A and C. Good source of potassium.
What To Look For
Should be plump and heavy for its size. Color should be uniform and
blemish-free. Color and shape vary according to variety.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep at room temperature for a few days. Avoid refrigerating if possible,
as it stops the ripening process. Wash and remove stem.
Best Uses
Very ripe tomatoes are best raw. Roma tomatoes make the best sauce. Delicious
with basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Zucchini
Nutritional Information
Good source of vitamin C.
What To Look For
Small squash with thin, glossy skins. Zucchini should be less than 8" long.
Storage, Easy Cooking
Will keep for 3 days or more if refrigerated. Rinse and remove stem and blossom
end. Cut into pieces of desired size.
Best Uses
Bake whole or halved, drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, at 350°F, for
20 to 25 minutes. Or wilt slices in a very small amount of water with salt,
pepper, and olive oil for 6 to 8 minutes. Fresh basil makes a good accompaniment
NOTE: An excellent source contains
more than 20 percent of the Daily Value for that nutrient. A good source
contains between 10 and 19 percent of the Daily Value.
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