The height of summer, with its abundance of fresh produce, is the perfect time to make gazpacho. Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and cilantro combine to make this refreshing chilled soup. I like to double this recipe so that I’ve got enough gazpacho for several days.

This recipe yields 4 generous servings.

• 2 medium-to-large tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped
• 1 orange or red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 green onions, sliced thin, green part only plus one whole green onion sliced thin
• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 small cucumber peeled seeded and chopped
• 1 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 6 green olives, sliced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• hot sauce to taste
• tomato juice (if necessary)
• more chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Combine all ingredients except the tomato juice. If you’d like smoother gazpacho, pulse a couple of times with an immersion blender until you are satisfied with the consistency. Some like chunky gazpacho and don’t blend it at all and some like it smooth enough to drink with a straw. However you what to make your gazpacho is just fine, this is a no-judgment food bog. Adjust the seasonings and hot sauce. If it’s too thick for your liking, thin it out with some tomato juice.

Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad

This sweet, salty, and tangy salad is a refreshing side dish for any summer barbecue or picnic. They have just the right zing to make them the perfect pickle on hamburgers, hotdogs or pulled pork. My grandmother used to make these and store them in her refrigerator in a big glass jar.

I like to use English cucumbers for this dish because of their thin skins and small seeds. Regular cucumbers will work just fine. Peel them if their skins are too thick.

• 1 large English cucumber
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or dill
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Thinly slice the cucumber and place in a bowl.

Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt to make the dressing. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the sliced cucumber. Stir in the parsley or dill. Taste and add more sugar if it isn’t sweet enough for your taste.

Chill for at least half an hour before serving.

To serve, drain some of the pickling liquid and top with cracked pepper, basil, parsley, dill or even sliced tomatoes.

This keeps for several days in the refrigerator. For a variation, add very thinly sliced green or sweet onions to the sliced cucumber before pickling.

 

First seen on TikTok, corn ribs are this summer’s favorite food trend. Easy to make and fun to eat, corn ribs curl up when they cook to look like, well, ribs!

Not only are they cute as the dickens, they are also so much easier to eat than a full ear of corn and they are wonderful for a vegetarian or vegan barbecue.

 

Grill them or roast them in the oven or air fryer. Whichever way you make them, they are going to be a hit, I guarantee.

The hardest step is cutting the corn lengthwise into 4 strips. I’m a klutz in the kitchen, so I cut the cob in half first. A shorter ear is easier to manage.

Put a damp wash rag or paper towel under your cutting board so it doesn’t slip, use a heavy, sharp knife and please go slowly.

I like to get as much prep work done early in the day as I can to make cooking dinner easier. Once prepared, these corn ribs can wait to be cooked for a couple of hours up to 2 days in a zip top bag or other closed container in your refrigerator.

Corn Preparation

Step 1:

Cut the cob in half.

 

Step 2:

Hold the cob vertically by resting it on its freshly cut flat surface to minimize slippage. Take your time and cut all the way down the length of the cob. Rock the knife a little if needed but watch your fingers!

 

Step 3:

Repeat the process until you’ve got 8 corn ribs from each ear of corn.

Step 4:

Put the corn ribs in a big bowl, drizzle them with olive oil and give them a good rub.

Step 5:

Salt and pepper them or go with a generous sprinkling of barbecue seasoning.

Step 6:

Grill, roast, or air fry until they begin to curl up and brown, about 15 minutes.

Step 7:

Eat them just like they are, or drizzle with melted butter or barbecue mayo. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and cilantro for an out-of-this-world flavor.

Corn Ribs

• 2 ears of corn, cut into 8 ribs each
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• barbecue seasoning (optional)
• parmesan cheese (optional)
• cilantro (optional)

In a large bowl, cover the corn ribs with the olive oil, rubbing it in well. Season with salt and pepper or barbecue seasoning.

Barbecue Mayonnaise

• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise

Stir barbecue sauce and mayonnaise until blended. Set aside until needed. (Make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator in a covered container if you are like me and like to get things done ahead of time.)

To Grill

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place the corn on the grill and turn it regularly until each side starts to char, about 15 minutes grill time, total.

To Oven Bake

Preheat oven to 375. Place corn ribs on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. They are done when they start to curl, and you see a few charred kernels.

To Air Fry

Lay them in a single layer in your air fryer and cook for 15 minutes at 375. Flip them over half way.

To serve:

Serve plain, or with a little melted butter or with barbecue mayonnaise. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and cilantro.