Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,
And ere a man hath power to say, — Behold!
The jaws of darkness do devour it up:
So quick bright things come to confusion.
~ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act I
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and an opportunity to reflect on the abundance and generosity that support our lives.
It’s a moment in time when the fresh foods of summertime are everywhere, when gatherings with friends and loved ones can last late into the night, and a holiday that has been celebrated for centuries and centuries.
Today’s episode is designed to inspire you and “light you up” with some of the history and lore associated with Midsummer, including some special insights into St. John’s Wort, a plant that’s been closely associated with this time of year throughout European history. I’ve even dusted off my rusty Shakespeare skills.
Recipes for the Summer Solstice
Balsamic-Glazed Strawberries
Ingredients:
- 1 quart fresh strawberries
- sugar or agave nectar, to taste (anywhere from 1 TBSP to 3 TBSP depending on how sweet your berries are)
- balsamic vinegar ½ TBSP-1TBSP
Directions:
Slice the berries in half and sprinkle the sugar (starting with the smallest amount, adding more only if needed) and balsamic vinegar. Toss together and taste for balance. Add more vinegar or sugar as needed.
Cover and allow the berries to macerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Summer Salad with Basil, Peas, and Rice
This is more of a template than a real recipe, so feel free to adjust this salad to fit whatever’s fresh in your garden or at the Farmer’s Market right now. Dill substitutes beautifully for the basil, raw corn kernels can work in place of the rice, etc.. Here’s one way to put this salad together:
Ingredients:
2 C fresh peas (frozen will do in a pinch; sugar snap peas are also a great choice)
1 C (or one large bunch) fresh basil leaves, torn or chiffonade
2 C brown rice, cooked and cooled
1 C walnuts, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds
½ C Red onion, diced (substitute fresh chives if red onion is too strong for you)
Juice of ½ lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Directions:
Toast your nuts or seeds in a pan until fragrant, then set them aside to cool. Then, combine the basil, peas (be sure to chop them up if you’re using sugar snap peas), cooled rice, and red onion. Squeeze the lemon juice over top, then follow with a drizzle of olive oil, using more or less according to your taste and dietary needs. Top with the cooled toasted nuts and finish with salt & pepper.
Sweet Dreams Tomatoes
adapted from NIgella Lawson’s recipe in “Nigella Express”
This is a technique makes the tomatoes so full-flavored and delicious that I could easily eat an entire batch in a sitting, but I (usually) restrain myself because they’re so fabulous added to a salad, on top of a flatbread or pizza, or served with fresh basil & olive oil as a side dish. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect they’d also get along beautifully with fancy olives, cannellini beans, and garlic-rubbed crostini.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1.5 TBSP olive oil
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme, oregano, or basil
- ¼ tsp sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F
2. While the oven warms up, slice the tomatoes in half and place them on a rimmed baking sheet or oven-proof dish. Ideally, the cut side of the tomatoes should face up, but I don’t usually fuss with getting all them them perfectly arranged.
3. Mix the olive oil, salt, herb or herbs of your choice, and sugar together in a small dish. Pour the mixture over the tomatoes.
4. Put the tomatoes in the oven, close the door, and turn the heat off. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight (or for 8-10 hours) without opening the oven door.
Happy Summer Solstice!
“It is through this season that we can see the beauty of life, the intensity of being, the rapture of passion, the exhilaration of awareness, possibilities of creation and the surprising tenderness of love…This is the time to experience our passions and the force within, to be conscious of how we use them and the gifts they can bring…”
~ Christina Aubin
