Summertime in the South means sunny days, patio sittin’, and of course, trips to your local farmer’s market. From homemade cobbler to fresh Gulf shrimp, here are some recipes from Trace Barnett, Garden Party host, that will keep your dinner menu fresh and flavorful!
1. Alabama Gulf Shrimp & Grits
If you don’t live near the Gulf, one of your best bets for finding fresh seafood is at a farmer’s market, and there’s nothing like locally caught shrimp for frying, creating your own broth, and using them for fresh shrimp and grits.
In Trace’s recipe, you get smokiness from sausage, depth from a homemade shrimp stock, and a slight Creole influence with tomato and the “Holy Trinity” (onion, celery, and green bell pepper), which feels at home along the coast.
2. Summer Succotash
This perfect medley of vegetables screams southern summer side. While you’re out, pick up sweet corn, tomatoes, and purple hull peas! Add crunchy bacon, and you have the perfect side dish for BBQs and quick summer-night dinners.
Trace Tip: Make the dish ahead because it tastes even better after the flavors have mingled for a few hours, and if you don’t have purple hull peas, crowder or black-eyed peas make fine substitutes.
3. Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
Fresh peaches, plump blueberries, and that tender, caramelized crust baked right in a cast iron skillet? Summer in a spoon.
With this recipe, you can easily swap in your favorite fruits, like blackberries, strawberries, or even cherries, for the blueberries depending on what’s growing in your garden—or what’s calling your name at the market.
4. Tomato Sandwich
This ultimate Southern sandwich is an Alabama staple and easy to make because you can find vine-ripened tomatoes throughout the summer season in Alabama!
Fresh white bread, ripe heirloom tomatoes, and your choice of mayo. What more could you need?
Trace Tip: Use tomatoes that are heirloom for more flavor. Salt them beforehand in a colander to reduce water content. Don’t use tomatoes that are overripe or underripe for adverse flavor.
5. Okra Two Ways
A classic crunch, a punch of okra flavor. Or roasted aromatic flavor without the extra oil.
Southerners love breaded okra, especially when it’s fresh. For an even crunch, use a cast iron skillet. Trace talks about how to maintain, season, and clean cast iron in this video.
If that summer heat is keeping you away from a hot stove, try seasoned and roasted okra for tons of flavor that cooks up quick and makes your home smell fantastic. Trace suggests curry powder, garlic, or Parmesan.
Trace Tip: Say you’re making okra and tomatoes, put a little bit of apple cider vinegar, not a ton, just a splash. Anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon, depending on how much okra you’re cooking.
6. Fried Green Tomato Stacks
These fried green tomato stacks are simple, with a delicious, golden breading and topped with homemade pimento cheese and Alabama white sauce!
Another Southern favorite, this stacked appetizer or main dish is ideal for summer garden parties, brunch, cookouts, or your next backyard BBQ, and can use up some of those green tomatoes you were waiting to fry up.
7. Zucchini Tikka Masala
There always seems to be an abundance of zucchini at local markets, and if you’re burnt out on all your regular recipes, this Zucchini Tikka Masala is perfect!
An easy Indian-inspired dish that is healthy and filled with a creamy tomato sauce, this meal is so filling over rice!
8. Trace’s Tomato Pie
Tomatoes are such a Southern staple that we had to include three different dishes in this blog!
In this version of tomato pie, Trace starts with a homemade (but store-bought is fine) pie crust, blind-baked to ensure a crisp foundation. The filling features layers of ripe, juicy Alabama tomatoes from his backyard garden, combined with sweet Vidalia onions.
9. Luncheon Corn Salad
When you need a versatile and fresh side, try Trace’s Luncheon Corn Salad. Using ingredients easily found at your local market: sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, tangy onions, and vibrant peppers, this recipe can elevate a weeknight meal and has a great blend of different textures and flavors.
Plus, it uses up a lot of that bulk from the farmer’s market.
10. Fresh Green Bean Casserole
Whether it’s for a family gathering or a backyard barbecue with friends, using farm-fresh green beans in this casserole will take this recipe up a notch! Unlike canned, fresh green beans have a bright, vibrant flavor and will help the casserole taste homemade—like a dish that honors the season and the work that went into growing and preserving the harvest.
Trace Tip: If your local market has them, be sure to grab cremini or button mushrooms so you can make the creamy bechamel sauce with fresh ingredients as well!
If you give one of these recipes a try this summer, share a picture and tag us, so we know how it turned out on Instagram or Facebook! Stream all episodes of the latest season of Garden Party on the free PBS app!
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