Vegetables

      RECIPES: Summer Squash Dishes, with a Nod to Fall

      As the late summer harvest overlaps with early autumn crops – summer squash pairs up beautifully with Yukon Gold potatoes and Swiss chard. Both of these recipes make lovely side dishes, but make enough for leftovers so you can throw some eggs into the mix and create additional meals for a just a tiny bit more investment of time and energy.

      Rescuing Tiny Tomatoes Gone Soft

      ‘Tis the season of overabundance. The grape, cherry and Sun Gold tomatoes that are so delightful at this time of year often turn out to be more than any one family can eat fresh. Next thing you know, there are annoying fruit flies hovering over your glowing baskets full of tiny tomatoes and you don’t know what to do except throw them — with deep regret — into the compost pile.

      COOK: Beets Every Which Way

      Anyone who has grown up being force fed beets from a can may be excused for thinking that beets are flabby, jelly-like disks floating in purple juice and are only pretending to be real vegetables. But there are just a couple of weeks left to Long Island’s spring beet season, and it’s a great time to stop with the excuses and give real natural fresh beets a try.

      IN SEASON: Sugar Snap Peas

      If you haven’t grown your own, fear not! Local farm stands will have them on offer for perhaps another couple of weeks. Look for bright green flexible pods encasing plump peas. If you have loads, shell them, stir-fry the pods and freeze the peas for later use.