Seasonal Recipes

Welcome to a culinary journey that celebrates the vibrant flavors of August. As the sun-soaked days of summer reach their peak, gardens and farmers’ markets are bursting with an abundance of fresh and seasonal ingredients. From succulent fruits like peaches and berries to an array of garden-fresh vegetables, August offers a treasure trove of inspiration for creating delicious dishes that capture the essence of the season. Whether you’re firing up the grill for a backyard barbecue or seeking light and refreshing meals to beat the heat

Pork Chops and Padrón Chiles en Escabèche

Total Time	Servings
50 minutes	2

• 2 1–1½” bone-in pork chops (about 1 lb. total)
• 6 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp. coriander seeds
• 2 cups small Padrón chiles or shishito peppers, stems trimmed of dry ends but not completely cut off
• 1 small red onion, halved through root end, sliced ¼” thick
• 2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. small carrots (about 6), tops trimmed, scrubbed, sliced ¼” thick on a diagonal, or 8 oz. large carrots (about 2), tops trimmed, peeled, halved, sliced ¼” thick on a diagonal
• 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 Tbsp. coarsely chopped oregano

Directions

1. Step 1 Season each pork chop all over with 1 tsp. salt and let sit at least 1 hour or chill on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, uncovered, up to 2 days.
2. Step 2 Preheat oven to 425°. If pork chops have been chilling in the fridge, let sit at room temperature while you make the escabèche.
3. Step 3 Finely grind coriander seeds in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle; set aside. Heat a dry large skillet over high. Add chiles in a single layer and cook, turning with tongs or a large spoon, until evenly blistered on all sides and deeply browned in spots, 5–7 minutes. Transfer chiles to a small pot; reserve skillet. Add red onion, garlic, carrots, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, honey, paprika, reserved ground coriander, 4 Tbsp. oil, remaining 4 tsp. salt, and 2 Tbsp. water to pot. Set over low heat, cover, and bring liquid to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring vegetables often to keep submerged, until just-cooked through and still al dente, about 10 minutes. Remove escabèche from heat and stir in oregano.
4. Step 4 Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in reserved skillet over high. Arrange pork chops in pan so bone ends are in the center (this part cooks slower and this will help with even browning) and press down on pork chops with tongs to ensure surface is making good contact with the pan. Cook until golden underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn pork chops over and press down on them again. Transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130° for medium (you should still have a little pink flesh; temperature should rise to about 145° when the pork chops rest), 5–7 minutes. Transfer pork chops to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes
5. Step 5 To serve, transfer pork chops to plates and spoon escabèche over.
6. Step 6 Do ahead: Escabèche can be made 2 weeks ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and let cool. Cover and chill.

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Grilled Peaches with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Total Time	Servings
10 minutes	4

• fresh peaches, halved and pitted
• avocado oil (or any neutral-flavored oil)
• vanilla ice cream
• bourbon caramel sauce

Bourbon Caramel Sauce ingredients

• Bourbon: Or whatever kind of whiskey you love best.
• Sugar: We’re going classic with granulated white sugar for this sauce.
• Water: To mix with the sugar before boiling it.
• Heavy cream: Room temp (or warmer), otherwise the hot sugar will seize and clump up when this is added.
• Butter: Also room temp, please.
• Vanilla extract: Optional, but I highly recommend adding some for extra flavor.
• Salt: Add in however much sea salt you would like!

Directions for Caramel Sauce

1. Start with sugar and water. Give them a quick stir together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Wait for the sugar to caramelize. Now it’s time for the sugar to work its magic! Turn the burner on to medium-high heat. Then wait patiently and do not stir or touch the pan until the sugar has caramelized. Once the sugar reaches a boil, it will go from being completely clear, to a champagne color, to a light golden color, and then to increasingly darker shades of amber within a few minutes. (Keep a close eye on the sugar, as it starts to darken quickly.)  Once the sugar reaches a deep amber color (about the color of a copper penny), remove the saucepan from the heat and turn the burner off.
3. Add the remaining ingredients. Slowly and carefully pour the heavy cream into the sugar mixture, whisking as you pour to quickly incorporate the cream. (The mixture will bubble furiously when the cream hits the hot sugar, so be very careful!)  Then add in the butter and whisk until combined. And finally, add in the vanilla, bourbon and sea sea salt, and whisk until combined.
4. Serve or store. Then serve the caramel sauce immediately if you would like, while it’s nice and hot. Or let the sauce cool until it reaches room temperature (it will thicken considerably as it cools), then transfer the sauce to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Directions for Grill Peaches

1. Make the bourbon caramel sauce. Prepare the bourbon caramel sauce according to recipe instructions.
2. Grill the peaches. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the cut sides of the peaches with oil. Place the peaches cut-side-down on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they are lightly charred. Flip the peaches and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes.
3. Serve. Transfer peaches to serving bowls, cut-side-up.  Top with ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce, and dig in while the ice cream is still cold!

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Quinoa “Fried Rice”

Total Time	Servings
17 minutes	4

• 3 cups cooked and cooled white quinoa*
• 4 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp almond butter (or sub peanut butter)
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce* (plus more to taste)
• 1/4 cup diced green onion
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (or sub water)
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos (DIVIDED)
• 1 cup chopped green onion (save green tops for garnish)
• 1 ½ cups chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup roasted cashews (optional // or sub raw cashews)

Directions

1. If you haven’t prepared quinoa yet (*prep/cook time does not include making quinoa), do so first by adding rinsed quinoa to a large saucepan and toasting over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 18 minutes or until water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Transfer cooked quinoa to a glass bowl or storage container and refrigerate (uncovered) to cool. Once completely cooled, cover. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month.
2. In the meantime, prepare sauce by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more chili garlic sauce for heat, lime for acidity, maple syrup for sweetness, almond butter for nuttiness, or coconut aminos for saltiness and depth of flavor. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add sesame oil (or water), carrots, and one third of the coconut aminos. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Carrots take the longest to cook through, so they need a little time on their own.
4. Next, add chopped green onion, broccoli, and cashews (optional), along with another one third of the coconut aminos. Stir, cover, and cook for 2 minutes or until broccoli appears slightly browned.
5. Add cooked quinoa and the remaining one third of the coconut aminos. Stir to coat and cook for 1 minute. Then add sauce and stir.
6. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the quinoa to have a chance to sit at the bottom of your pan and get crispy.
7. Serve as is, or garnish with additional cashews, lime wedges, and chopped green onion. Best when fresh. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop until hot.

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