Elizabeth Barrette
Litha celebrates the sun at the height of its power during the Summer Solstice. This is the peak of the growing season, when everything is green and gardens are overflowing with summer produce. Life and light are at their zenith, with death and darkness far away. It’s a popular time for outdoor parties and picnics too. That calls for food that can stand up to summer heat.
Stuffed Strawberries
Strawberries are a quintessential June treat, representing love and fertility. Fresh mint nicely mimics the leafy green top of a strawberry, creating an edible garnish.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Inactive: 30 minutes or more
Servings: about 12
1 pint fresh strawberries
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 11/2 tablespoons)
1 (8 ounce) package full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 handful fresh mint
Set out the cream cheese to soften at room temperature.
Rinse and pat dry the strawberries. Pull off the leaves and use a paring knife to remove the stems, opening the core of the strawberries.
Zest a lemon. Cut it in half and juice one half. Save the zest and juice in a small bowl.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 package softened full-fat cream cheese, 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Mix in the lemon zest and juice. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Put the cream cheese filling into a plastic baggie and snip off one corner. Squeeze the filling into each strawberry.
Remove the mint leaves from the stems, discarding any damaged leaves. Poke a mint leaf into the top of each strawberry. Arrange the strawberries on a platter and chill in the refrigerator for at least half an hour before serving.
Heirloom Tomato Toss
Tomatoes are the epitome of summer. They reach their peak in the long hours of the sun. These sweet, juicy vegetables are best enjoyed fresh right now. Unlike modern hybrids, these “heirloom” or “antique” cultivars are open-pollinated and selected for intense flavor rather than shipping convenience. They come in many fascinating sizes, shapes, and colors. Red, orange, yellow, and pink symbolize the sun but there are also green, purple, brown, white, and almost black ones!
Prep time: 15–20 minutes
Servings: 6 (1 cup) or 12 (1/2 cup)
4 pounds of heirloom tomatoes
1 bunch of Italian sweet basil (about 1 cup)
6 tablespoons full-flavor extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon sweet marjoram
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon cracked green pepper
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt
Rinse and pat dry 4 pounds of heirloom tomatoes. Remove the stems and cores. Grape tomatoes and small cherry tomatoes should be cut in half. Larger cherry tomatoes may need to be cut in quarters. Beefsteaks and other full-size tomatoes should be diced. First slice them, then cut the slices into strips, then cut the strips into cubes. Just roughly chopping them won’t make a tidy salad. If some of the tomatoes have large amounts of slime inside, remove it and use the firm parts. Put the tomato bits into a big salad bowl.
Rinse and pat dry 1 bunch of Italian sweet basil. Remove the stems and large veins by tearing the leaf sides away from the middle. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces; you should have about a cup. Put the torn basil in a bowl.
Make the dressing in a clean jar with a lid. First, pour in 6 tablespoons full-flavor extra-virgin olive oil. (If you have olive oil infused with any of the herbs in this recipe, you can use that.) Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
Peel and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Add them to the jar of dressing. Add 1 tablespoon sweet marjoram, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and 1/2 teaspoon cracked green pepper.
Put the lid on the jar snugly. Shake briefly to combine all the ingredients. This is not an emulsified vinaigrette, so you’re not trying to make a smooth blend, just distribute the ingredients equally.
Add the basil leaves to the tomato bits in the salad bowl and toss to combine. Shake the dressing one last time and pour it slowly over the salad, tossing as you go. Finally, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel over the salad.
Serve immediately. This recipe makes about 6 (1-cup) servings as a bowl salad or (12 1/2-cup) servings as a side dish.
Note: In addition to standing on its own as a salad, the Heirloom Tomato Toss also makes an excellent topping for sandwiches, baked potatoes, tacos, chili, and so on. Use it for extra flavor anywhere that you would use diced tomatoes. If you like a leafier salad, put a scoop of this on top of Romaine lettuce or baby spinach.
Rosewater Lemonade
Nothing says summer like pink lemonade. This recipe adds a few extra ingredients to make it more magical. Strawberries add sweetness and color. Rose petals and rosewater evoke love and luxury. Lemons refresh and uplift the mood, standing for the yellow sun at the height of its power.
Prep time: 5 minutes for ice cubes, plus 10 minutes for lemonade
Inactive: 5 hours for ice cubes
Servings: 4
fresh rose petals
water
4 cups water
4 lemons
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dried rose petals
1–2 teaspoons rosewater
1/2 cup ice
Ice Cubes
Into an ice cube tray, pour enough water to cover the bottom of each cubicle. Place in the freezer until the surface frosts over, about half an hour.
Wet the fresh rose petals, then place one rose petal into each cubicle, pressing down to contact the ice. Return the tray to the freezer for half an hour.
Fill the cubicles to the brim with water. Return the tray to the freezer until frozen solid, about 5 hours.
Lemonade
Put 4 cups of water into a high-speed blender.
Peel the lemons. Remove any seeds. Put the sections in the blender.
Rinse the strawberries and cut off the tops. Add the strawberries to the blender.
Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon dried rose petals. Add 1 teaspoon of rosewater, then taste. You should get just a hint of rose flavor; too much and it tastes soapy. Add another teaspoon if needed.
Put in 1/2 cup regular ice.
Use the “smoothie” setting, or process until liquefied. If you want pulp-free lemonade, strain it before pouring into glasses. Serve over rose petal ice cubes.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a year or tuck into the freezer. If you’re a home canner, process in a water bath canner for longer storage.
To serve, add two or three tablespoonfuls of shrub to a glass of chopped ice and water. There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day!