Savor summer’s peak with farm market finds—polenta topped with grilled veggies and ricotta, plus a fresh blueberry cornmeal tart for dessert.
Cooking with Summer’s Freshest Produce
Last week on the blog, I shared some of the simple pleasures I’m looking forward to this August—my favorite ways to hold onto summer’s magic just a little longer.
One of those pleasures? A trip to a local farm market and a meal made with the season’s freshest produce. Right now, that means sun-ripened tomatoes, sweet corn, zucchini in abundance, and Maine’s crowning jewel—tiny wild blueberries.
Today I’m inviting you into my kitchen, where I’ll be cooking up a polenta dish layered with roasted tomatoes, grilled zucchini and corn, and finished with a dollop of lemon-basil ricotta.
And for dessert? A delicious Blueberry Cornmeal Tart, a recipe from Alison Roman that’s too good not to share.
I hope you came hungry—summer produce is at its peak!
Let’s Go to the Farm Markets!
I love a trip to the farm market! All those fresh-picked veggies get me so excited and always get my mind turning with possibilities in the kitchen.
Sometimes I go with a list and a specific recipe in mind—but more often, I just go to see what’s available and what inspires. Last Saturday, it was a little of both. I had a general idea forming, but once I saw the bounty of seasonal produce, my creative juices really got flowing.
Maine has a rich culture of independent farms and small-batch food producers. So in addition to locally grown fruits and vegetables, many markets also carry artisanal breads, gourmet cheeses, fresh dairy, and Maine-made pantry staples—mustards, crackers, jams, pickles, snacks, and more.
I visited three markets on Saturday, each with its own personality and something special to offer.
Beth’s Farm Market
I’ve shared Beth’s here on the blog several times—it’s a favorite for good reason.
This large market offers a full range of seasonal produce, much of it grown right on their farm. Their Maine blueberries are the best.
They also have an in-house bakery that turns out pies, donuts, biscuits, and breads. In summer, the scent of berry crisp drifts from the bakery window—pure heaven.
Beth’s also sells locally harvested lobsters and oysters, plus gorgeous hanging flower baskets and plants. In the fall, they go all out with decorative gourds and a massive cornstalk maze!
This trip, I picked up my summer staples: blueberries, corn on the cob, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, green beans, fennel, rainbow cherry tomatoes, a block of cheddar cheese, and a sweet bouquet of flowers.
Open daily from mid-April through December.
Spear Spring Farm
This small specialty market sells their own organically grown produce, along with a curated selection from other local farms and food makers.
They also offer eggs from pasture-raised chickens, plus poultry and pork products.
Spear Spring has new farmers this year. While their selection is smaller than Beth’s, everything was absolutely beautiful—gorgeous lettuces and spring mix, heirloom tomatoes, and the prettiest marbled purple-and-white flat beans.
I’ll be heading back for some of those once I figure out what to make with them! I was also seriously tempted by a maple-flavored yogurt.
I left with a wedge of blue cheese from a Maine creamery, a crusty loaf of bread made in nearby Appleton, and a container of Green Goddess hummus.
Open May through November, Wednesday–Sunday. You can read more about their philosophy and history on their website.
School House Farm
This one feels more like a gourmet market than a true farm stand.
Yes, they carry some produce—but not all of it is locally grown. What they do have is a large selection of specialty foods, many made in Maine.
Think: snack foods (including Fox Family Chips), pickled products from Morse’s Sauerkraut in Waldoboro, local ice cream, maple syrup, cheeses, bread, and more.
Don’t miss their apple cider donuts—the small, old-fashioned kind! In the summer, they offer pick-your-own berries, and in fall, apples.
I left with a small bag of polenta—a key ingredient for the meal I was already forming in my mind!
Do you have a favorite market or farm stand that gets your creative juices flowing? I’d love to hear!
With my market bag full and dinner inspiration in hand, I headed home to start cooking!
A Midsummer Entrée: Polenta with Tomatoes, Zucchini, Corn & Ricotta
When I was planning for this post and thinking of a quintessential midsummer dinner, I had originally planned to make and share a Mark Bittman’s Pasta With Corn, Zucchini, and Tomatoes recipe from NYT Cooking.
But, as I gathered my market haul—corn, zucchini, tomatoes — I was craving something a little more special to celebrate this peak-of-the-season bounty. You know my veggie love runs deep. And while I’m not one to argue with Mark Bittman, I wanted to put my own spin on things.
So, instead of pasta, I opted for creamy, slightly sweet polenta as the base. I grilled the zucchini and corn, and roasted the tomatoes for a little char and depth of flavor. Then to finish everything off — a dollop of lemon-basil ricotta on top adds brightness and ties everything together.
I also played with presentation—sliced zucchini, corn off the cob, and a halved tomato arranged over the polenta and topped with ricotta — for a dish that’s as pretty as it is tasty.
The larger pieces of vegetable also allow you to taste each one on it’s own, unlike a more uniform sauce where all the tastes meld together. I don’t know about you, but I want to appreciate each fleeting bite of summer goodness.
All this said, just as I did with the original recipe, feel free to make this your own!
Use pasta instead of polenta (or farro!), sauté the vegetables if that’s easier, skip the ricotta or change up the herbs. The beauty of a simple seasonal meal is that it’s endlessly adaptable. The fresh ingredients are the star of the show here!
A simple mixed green salad with a lemon/olive oil dressing would be perfect on the side.
Here is the recipe as I made it. None of the amounts are set in stone!
Grilled Summer Veggies Over Polenta with Lemon-Basil Ricotta
Ingredients
Polenta
- 1 cup cornmeal or polenta
- 5 cups water or a mix of water and milk
- Salt to taste
- Butter or olive oil optional, for richness
Vegetables
- 4 ears corn husks on
- 4 small zucchini sliced lengthwise into 3 strips each
- 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes quartered (or halved if smaller)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Lemon-Basil Ricotta
- 2/3 –1 cup ricotta cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- A handful of fresh basil or more!
- A few mint leaves (optional)
- 1 small clove garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- A few fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
Instructions
Roast the tomatoes:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top. Arrange the tomato quarters (or halves, if using smaller ones) cut-side up on the rack. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast for about 45 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened, collapsed, and begun to char. Finish under the broiler for 2–3 minutes, if desired, for extra caramelization.
Make the polenta:
- While the tomatoes roast, bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Reduce heat to very low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
- Add more water if it becomes too thick or dry.
- Polenta is done when the grains are sweet and fully cooked (not bitter or raw-tasting). Season with salt and finish with butter or olive oil, if desired.
Grill the corn and zucchini:
- While the polenta cooks, heat grill to medium-high.
- Place corn (in husks) directly on the grill and cook 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until husks are blackened. Let cool slightly, remove husks, brush with olive oil, and grill for 2–3 more minutes. Slice kernels off the cob, keeping some in small chunks for texture.
- Brush zucchini with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly charred and tender.
Make the lemon-basil ricotta:
- In a small food processor, combine basil, mint (if using), garlic, and lemon zest. Pulse until finely chopped. Add ricotta and lemon juice; pulse again until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- No processor? Chop herbs and garlic by hand and stir into ricotta for a chunkier version.
Assemble and serve:
- Spoon warm polenta into shallow bowls or pasta plates.
- Arrange two zucchini slices in an X shape, place one roasted tomato in the center, and scatter corn around. Top with a dollop or drizzle of ricotta. Garnish with thinly sliced basil.
- Optional: Warm assembled plates in the microwave for 30 seconds to reheat before serving.
And now, every good meal deserves a little something sweet to finish!
The Sweetest Ending: Blueberry Cornmeal Tart
I think you know by now—I’m wild about Maine wild blueberries.
I even wrote a blog post with that title.
So of course, my dessert of choice this time of year has to be something blueberry.
I recently discovered a new favorite: Alison Roman’s Blueberry Cornmeal Tart. (Yes, let’s keep the August corn theme going!)
And oh my, this recipe has it all—part crumble, part tart, and all delicious. As Alison describes it herself:
“It’s crunchy, it’s buttery, and it does what it came to do: celebrate your summertime fruit with minimal interference, low effort, and high reward.”
The tart comes together quickly—and definitely looks like it required more time and effort than it actually does. The same shortbread-like dough is used for both the crust and the topping, and the addition of a little cornmeal and brown sugar gives it a wonderful bite and depth of flavor.
I originally found this recipe on the NYT Cooking website, and several readers there recommended pre-baking the crust for 10 minutes before adding the filling to help prevent sogginess. That’s what I did, and I’d suggest it!
Maine wild blueberries are naturally very sweet, so I didn’t add any sugar to the filling. I recommend starting with a little and adjusting to taste. The crust has plenty of sugar already, so the filling can afford to be a little less sweet.
Don’t be alarmed if it seems like a lot of blueberries in the pan—they cook down as the tart bakes.
You can also make this ahead and store it, wrapped, in the fridge for a few days. It’s just as good the next day—maybe even better.
If, however, you’re in the mood for something a little different (but still blueberry, of course), here are two other tried-and-true favorites I’ve shared before:
• Blueberry Cobbler
• Blueberry Bread Pudding
This Week Into Next
Well, the week has finally arrived! Four of my kids (and my granddaughter Poppy) arrive on Thursday. The rest of the crew—including grandson Jamie and baby Mira—come on Sunday. So by the time you read this, I’ll be in full-on “Mim” mode… and loving every moment of it.
I’ve been getting ready for their visit all week. This blog post actually helped—since I prepped both recipes already, we’ll be enjoying them again for dinner on Thursday. Yes, I did a dry run for taste-testing, and I can’t wait to share them with my family now.
I’ve worked hard this summer to create content for you—even while hosting guests or traveling—but now it’s time for my vacation. I won’t be posting next Saturday so I can fully enjoy this time with my family.
I do have a little birthday outing planned—a visit to Cornish on the 19th, a town full of antique shops and small-town charm. I’ll share all the details with you when I post again on the 23rd!
Until then, I hope you’re making the most of these golden summer days.
Be well!
