WAVES

Watermelon Tomato Salad

Simple yet satisfying, flavourful peak-season produce is the key to this salad. You can skip the sesame cashews in favour of plain toasted cashews, but they are well worth the effort even just to nibble on as a snack.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Sesame cashews

1 cup whole raw cashews

2 tbsp liquid clover honey or maple syrup

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, plus extra for garnish

Tamari lime vinaigrette

1 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp minced fresh ginger

Salad

3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into wedges

5 cups chopped watermelon

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

2 tbsp packed Thai basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Start by making sesame-roasted cashews. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together cashews and honey until cashews are evenly coated. Pour cashews onto your prepared baking tray in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds. Bake until cashews are fragrant and honey becomes golden brown (about 20 minutes). Remove from oven and set cashews aside on baking tray until cool enough to handle (about 20 minutes). Once cooled, break cashews into clusters and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

To make the dressing, place tamari, lime juice, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a mason jar and shake vigorously until well combined.

When ready to serve, arrange tomatoes, watermelon and jalapenos on a platter or in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with dressing and top with basil and some cashews. Sprinkle with some extra sesame seeds if desired. Serve with lime wedges.

Chilled Peach Gazpacho

This sweet and tangy soup is perfect for sipping while relaxing on the sand.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes + chilling

Cook time: 0 minutes

4 ripe peaches, sliced (about 3 cups), plus extra for garnish

¼ cup peeled and finely diced cucumber

¼ cup diced yellow bell pepper

¼ cup dried apricots, chopped

2 tbsp liquid clover honey

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, sliced in half

1 tsp kosher salt, plus extra to taste

¼ cup water, plus extra as needed

1 piece sourdough bread, about 1 inch thick, crust removed

In a large, airtight container, toss together peach slices, cucumbers, yellow peppers, apricots, honey, rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic and salt. Cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, discard garlic halves. Transfer contents of container to a blender along with water. Puree until smooth. Submerge bread in soup and let sit for 1 minute. Blend again until soup is smooth, adding more water if it seems too thick. Season to taste with additional salt and vinegar, as desired. Return soup to airtight container, cover and refrigerate until very cold (about 1 hour). Transfer to an insulated container for transportation.

When ready to serve, pour cold peach gazpacho into bowls or cups and garnish with diced peaches, a light drizzle of olive oil and a grind of fresh black pepper, if desired.

BBQ Pulled

Jackfruit Sandwich

All the components of this flavourful sandwich can be made ahead for easy transport. Pack the barbecue sauce, sauteed jackfruit and onions, slaw, buns and pickles separately and assemble just when you are ready to eat.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Barbecue sauce

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp liquid clover honey or maple syrup

2 chopped chipotle peppers + 2 tbsp reserved adobo sauce from the can

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp smoked paprika

1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

Jackfruit and onions

1 20-oz can young green jackfruit in brine, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ tsp fine sea salt

½ cup water

Cabbage slaw

1 cup packed shredded green cabbage

1 cup packed shredded red cabbage

¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve

4 hamburger buns of your choosing Bread and butter pickles, for serving

Start by making barbecue sauce. In a medium saucepan, stir together ketchup, vinegar, honey, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, mustard, ground cumin, smoked paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Allow mixture to come to a simmer, stirring often, over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and allow to cook, stirring frequently, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove sauce from heat before stirring in 1 tbsp lime juice.

Transfer mixture to an airtight container. Allow sauce to come to room temperature before covering and refrigerating until needed. Barbeque sauce may be made and refrigerated up to a week ahead.

To prepare jackfruit and onions, start by shredding jackfruit pieces with your hands. Discard any harder pieces. Place jackfruit in a bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as necessary, until softened and just starting to brown (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add shredded jackfruit to onions and cook, again stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. If necessary, add a splash of water to keep mixture from sticking to skillet.

Stir in water and half the barbecue sauce. Turn heat to low, cover and let lightly simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and stir in half the remaining barbecue sauce, reserving rest for serving. Remove skillet from heat and let jackfruit and onions cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating until ready to use.

Just before ready to eat, make the cabbage slaw. In a large bowl, toss together cabbages, cilantro, lime juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, split hamburger buns and fill with jackfruit mixture, a drizzle of remaining BBQ sauce, some cabbage slaw and a few pickles.

BBQ

Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich , see page 74 for recipe.