Summer Produce, Cooked

You have probably heard about the dreaded cyclospora parasite that has sickened many people around the country. The source of the outbreak is thought to be lettuce or salad greens, but we don’t know for sure yet. One way to avoid it is to cook your produce, so this week I am sharing recipes that feature cooked vegetables and fruit. These recipes are not only splendid and seasonal, they can help you eat safer. Enjoy, and be well!

Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post

In this one-pan dinner, savory chunks of chicken join peak-summer vegetables like, sweet corn, zucchini, tomatoes and onion. And at the end of cooking, the dish is brightened with tart lemon juice and fragrant basil. (If you don’t have any basil you’ve grown yourself or from a trusted local farmer, substitute 1 tablespoon dried basil.) A touch of cayenne in the chicken seasoning adds gentle heat, balancing the sweetness of the corn.

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Photo by Quentin Bacon and food styling by Lori Powell and Adeena Sussman

These fun crispy French Toast Fingers are nutty outside and tenderly egg-y inside, and wafting with cinnamon and vanilla. Served with a delightful blueberry-maple dipping sauce, they’re perfect for kids- or anyone who wants to feel like one again, which is me, always. A touch of maple syrup brings out the natural sweetness of the blueberries in this delightful fruit sauce which is ideal for French toast, waffles, pancakes, over ice cream or angel food cake, or on top of yogurt.

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Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post

Here, the vegetables that make up ratatouille — zucchini, eggplant, onion, peppers, tomatoes — are grilled, then piled into stunning stacks that are showered with fresh basil (or sub dried, as in the recipe above). The grilled vegetable stacks simple elegance and make-ahead friendliness make it ideal for easy entertaining, and the unbeatable vegetable-meets-grill flavor really shines through.

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