What's In Season at the Farmers Markets?

Anyone who's tried fresh, seasonal vegetables knows they put canned veggies to shame. But what's in season at the farmers markets in mid-July?

According to Buy Fresh Buy Local Cape Cod, some of the seasonal produce you can expect to find on the Cape include:

• Raspberries, black raspberries, redcurrants, blueberries (strawberries are done).
• Lettuces, arugula, spinach, micro-greens and salad mixes. 
• Artichokes, arugula, Asian greens, beets, bok choi, broccoli rabe and cabbage.
• Chard, collards, kales, including Tuscan kale, braising greens, scallions, spring onions and garlic scapes.
• Pea tendrils and radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, beets, small crisp cabbages, and young fennel.
• Peas, corn, fava beans and maybe okra.

For the blueberry vinegar:

• 2 heaped Tbs. blueberries
  
• 2 basil leaves
  
• A pinch each of salt and sugar
  
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

For the salad:

• 24 or so colorful mixed cherry tomatoes, halved (approx. 1 lb.)
  
• 2/3 cup blueberries
  
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• Snipped chives
  
• 12-16 small basil leaves with bits of stalk

For the blueberry vinegar: mash 2 tablespoons of blueberries and 2 basil leaves with a pinch each of salt and sugar until they’re reduced to skin and juice. You can do this in a mortar and pestle, or in a saucer using a fork.  Keep mashing until the juice is an even deep purple. Add vinegar and let sit a while. Strain through a little sieve to remove bits of skin, pushing on the solids to extract all the vinegary juices.

Arrange halved tomatoes cut side-up on a serving dish (larger tomatoes can be wedged). Scatter over blueberries. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with blueberry vinegar and olive oil. Snip over chives, and tuck small basil leaves into the salad with artful randomness. The recipe serves four.

Tip: Place saucer of blueberries into a microwave for 5 seconds before mashing—just to warm them, not pop them. They’ll juice faster.