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Weekend Cook and Tell Round Up: Too Hot

Posted by Caroline Russock, August 19, 2009 at 7:45 PM

Photograph by Robyn Lee

Well, it was hot when we purposed the idea for this past week's Weekend Cook and Tell, and now, a week later, it's even warmer. Last week's challenge was to attempt to beat the heat by making a meal without breaking a sweat or heating up your kitchen. We've received wonderful replies and recipes, both raw and cooked. Here are some of the coolest responses:

Gentlyferal is the proud owner of a solar oven which was used to slow-cook kuri squash and make an onion-infused butter.

Janaatwg likes to make cold vegetable-based soups using tomatoes that a neighbor sells. This neighbor must have had a pretty great crop because janaatwg made gazpacho three times last week.

Taking refuge in the coolness of her local fancy foods market, tatianak put together a meal of beautiful heirloom tomatoes, salami, and brie. Take a look at her composed lunch over at My Cold Prarie.

My friend samueltobin put together a salad of pickles, kimchi, cucumber, radish, tofu, sesame oil, and hot sauce, topped with a raw egg yolk. Apparently he got all sweaty anyway but this salad sounds like it was worth it.

Grifola frondosa shared a recipe for a chilled cucumber soup that requires nothing but a few pulses of the food processor to grind up cucumbers, stock, sour cream, onions, shallots, parsley, and dill. I love the idea of garnishing this soup with a few poached shrimp.

Heidij74 made a peach and tomato gazpacho. Delicious and no sweating involved.

Amandarama made shrimp salad on homemade brioche. How do you make homemade brioche without turning on the oven? With a bread machine. Genius!

Amiyrah18 is also a fan of using the bread machine this time of year. The slow cooker also gets some love because you can make braised dishes (like black beans with smoked turkey) while still keeping your kitchen cool.

The impromptu peanut butter bars that ktlb22 made over the weekend required a single minute of microwave time—the rest of the work was done by the fridge.

BananaMonkey enjoyed both the bounty of fresh produce available in Ontario and the weather. The entire weekend's meals were made on the grill. Check out Friday's menu: steak with blue cheese, grilled corn, mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese, grilled peppers and onions, a green salad, and watermelon and peaches for dessert.

To avoid the heat, Cassaendra has been grocery shopping in the wee hours of the night, when temperatures fall to a balmy 71°F. Hot or not, Cassaendra was struck with a craving for sloppy joes and cole slaw.

Mr guy put together a no-cook salad of beans and vegetables. Unfortunately his un-air conditioned apartment left him "sweating like Patrick Ewing" by the time he was finished.

Thanks to all of you who shared your summer recipes and tips for this Weekend Cook and Tell challenge. We love hearing about your recipes, experiences, and photos that you share are always an inspiration. Be sure to head over to Talk and read about next week's challenge: Unsung Heros of the Kitchen.

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Tags: grilling, salads, summer, Weekend Cook and Tell