During the summer, chefs delight in creating light, bright dishes to showcase the seasonality of ingredients—especially fruits and vegetables. This month, four lauded local chefs are sharing their favorite summer recipes, some of which may be enjoyed at their eatery and all of which are easily replicated at home.
Brent Menke
Chef-Owner, The Mick Brasserie + Bar
9719 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale; TheMickAZ.com
Watermelon Gazpacho
“This is a fun Arizona twist on the classic. Our Watermelon Gazpacho blends sweet, juicy watermelon with heirloom tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and a touch of Fresno chili for a gentle kick. It’s light, hydrating, and bursting with flavor—your ultimate chilled escape from the Arizona heat.”
Ingredients
Cubed Watermelon 1.5 pounds
Heirloom Tomatoes 1 pound
Cucumbers 0.5 pounds
Fresno Chili 1 (seeded)
Shallot (peeled) 1 whole
Sherry Vinegar ⅓ cup
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 1 cup
Pistachios (roasted) ⅔ cup
Water 1 cup
Salt 1½ tablespoons
Smoked Paprika 2 teaspoons
Put all ingredients into a Vitamix blender. Start the blender on the slowest speed and then gently turn to the highest speed over the course of about 10 to 20 seconds. Once at the highest speed, remain there for 30 seconds. Remove from blender and refrigerate for 2 hours until gazpacho is cold and all ingredients have had time to blend together to create a depth of flavor. Stir before serving and garnish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and additional crushed pistachios. The recipe makes 64 ounces.
Russell LaCasce
Executive Chef, Hotel Valley Ho
6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale; HotelValleyHo.com
Grilled Asparagus and Egg
“Ideal for any meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner—not only are asparagus in season right now, but the grilling method also used to cook them preserves the veggies’ key nutrients while imparting a fantastic crispness and charred flavor profile that juxtaposes the richness of the egg.”
Ingredients
White Wine 1 cup
Shallot 1 (sliced)
Thyme 2 sprigs
Butter 1 pound
Lemon 1
Sea Salt 1 tablespoon
Jumbo Asparagus 8 pieces
Olive Oil 1-2 tablespoons
Salmon Roe 0.5 ounces
Chives 1 handful, minced finely
Egg 1
The asparagus and egg will be topped with beurre blanc butter, so start by making it and then setting it aside. To make the beurre blanc, place 1 cup of white wine in a sauce pot. Add 1 sliced shallot and 2 thyme sprigs. Reduce to almost dry and then stir in 1 pound of butter slowly, in very small increments, making sure to stir constantly so it does not break. Strain out shallot and thyme and season with a squeeze of lemon and salt. Put this to the side.
Next, toss asparagus with olive oil and sea salt and grill until tender. Place down on a plate all facing the same direction. Mix lemon zest, salmon roe, and chives together and spoon over asparagus generously. Poach the egg and place on top. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Serve the beurre blanc drizzled on top or on the side for dipping. The recipe makes one large serving to share.
Jon Sparre
Chef de Cuisine, Fellow Osteria & Pizzeria
1455 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; FellowOsteria.com
Steak With Gremolata and Veggies
“I love this dish as it spotlights creamed corn with blistered cherry tomatoes, grilled asparagus, and a fantastic gremolata, which helps cut through some of the richness from the corn and steak.”
Ingredients: Gremolata
Parsley 1 ounce
Basil 1ounce
Mint 0.5 ounces
Shallot 0.5 ounces
Garlic 0.5 ounces
Capers 0.25 ounces
Anchovies 0.25 ounces
Lemon 0.5 juiced and zested
Chili Flakes 1.5 grams
White Balsamic Vinegar 60 milliliters
Olive oil 120 milliliters
Salt
Pepper
Ingredients: Steak and Vegetables
Corn 2 ears
Onion 1
Fennel ½ bulb
Garlic 3 cloves
Heavy Cream 1 cup
Parmesan ¼ cup
Honey ¼ cup
Small Tomatoes 10 halved or 5 wholes
Olive Oil drizzle
Steak cut of choice
Start by making gremolata by mincing the herbs separately until fine, followed by the shallots, garlic, and capers. Mash anchovies into a paste and add. Finish with lemon, chili flakes, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste).
Grill corn in husks and rotate until charred. Pull from the grill and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic until cool. Grill the corn again and then transfer to bowl for another cooling. Mince onion, fennel, and garlic. Sautee onions, adding in fennel, corn, and garlic, and then add the cream, Parmesan, and honey. Heat thoroughly and then use an immersion blender to blend about 50%, allowing some kernels to remain.
To make asparagus and tomatoes, take off woody ends and blanch in boiling water briefly, then dunk in ice water. Toss halved or whole tomatoes in olive oil with asparagus, salt, and pepper.
Finally, cook steak on the grill until the preferred temperature and plate with vegetables. Finish with a scoop of gremolata.
Blake Luecke
Chef de Cuisine, Uchi Scottsdale
3821 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; Uchi.UchiRestaurants.com
Oreo Peppermint Ice Cream
“Forget the holidays! Cool, creamy, and incredibly refreshing, peppermint ice cream is the ultimate treat in the hot summer months. The natural chill of peppermint has a cooling effect on the palate. Once the mixture is cooled over an ice bath and churned in an ice cream maker, it takes on a light, airy consistency that’s both satisfying and easy to scoop.”
Ingredients
Whole Milk 3 cups
Heavy Whipping Cream 3 cups
Peppermint Candies 1 cup
Crushed Double Stuffed Oreos 2 cups (or more!)
Expert tip: Before doing anything else, crush Oreos and then pre-chill them for several hours. By pre-chilling the Oreos before mixing them in, you prevent the ice cream from softening too much, allowing it to go straight into the freezer and harden into scoopable perfection.
Once that is done, it’s time to make some ice cream! First, gently heat milk and heavy whipping cream together. Slowly add in peppermint candies, keeping heat very low to prevent scorching. Essentially, do this until candies dissolve into mix. Once peppermint candies have dissolved, place cream mixture in a mixing bowl on top of an ice bath, whisking to cool down quickly. Next, time for the ice cream machine, which can easily be purchased online or at a local shop. It is important to spin ice cream machine exactly as the manufacturer specifies because all machines differ. Once the base reaches a soft-serve consistency, slowly mix Oreos into the mixture. Finally, store ice cream in the freezer until completely hardened and then enjoy!