Summertime and the Livin' is Easy

July 2022 Issue
By Leslie Rohland
Photography by Lucy Rosen

Whether you’re enjoying some eagerly-awaited time off, or simply basking in the longer, more leisurely days and nights the season brings, summer is all about easy living. Without school and the chaos of after-school activities, the easy living of summer means less commitments, less stress…and, thanks to some simple recipes and cooking techniques, it can also mean less time in the kitchen!

This month, I hope you enjoy three of my favorite summer recipes that bring something special to the table whether you’re serving it as part of a weeknight family dinner, or cooking up bowlfuls to bring to a summer soirée or cookout. My fresh Fruit Salsa brings together the distinct summer tastes of sweet, ripe strawberries and fresh mangos, uniquely mingled with the flavors of avocado, jalapeño, red onion and cilantro. This refreshing salsa is delicious! I recommend taking delightful deep dips of it onto tortilla chips. Plus, everyone will claim a new favorite when you use it as the perfect topping for tacos or grilled fish, or just about anything off of the grill—even chicken will perk up!

When it comes to a main course, there’s no better way to spice up a summer night and add something special to a traditional shrimp entrée than with Drunken Shrimp with Tequila. And, since nothing says summer more than a huge bowl of freshly made chilled coleslaw, I’m sharing my Summer Coleslaw recipe, featuring the combined fresh tastes of both purple and green cabbage, along with a special mixture of other perfectly-blended ingredients.
So sit back, chill out and try these easy recipes that will serve up a true taste of summer in the Lowcountry. It’s a great way to take advantage of all that the easy, breezy days of summer have to offer and bring a little fun—and a lot of fabulous—to your table all summer long.

Fruit Salsa
Serves 4-6 | Pictured Above

1 cup Strawberries, diced
1 cup Ripe mango, diced (about 2 mangos)
1 cup Blueberries
1 Jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 Avocado, diced
2 Tbsp. Red onion, finely diced
2-3 Tbsp. Cilantro, diced
1/4 tsp Salt (plus more to taste)
1 small Lime, juiced
Tortilla chips, for serving/dipping
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Garnish with extra cilantro. Serve with chips for dipping. This is also a great topper for grilled fish and tacos

 

---

Summer Coleslaw
Serves 6-8

For the slaw:
2 cups Carrots, shredded
1 cup Cilantro, finely chopped
1 Jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup Green onion, chopped
1/2 cup Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup sliced Almonds, toasted
1/2 medium head of Purple Cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
1/2 medium head of Green Cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)

For the dressing:
3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Pure maple syrup
1 Clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Slaw: Add all the ingredients for the slaw into a large bowl, except for the almonds and pepitas. Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Pour all of it over the slaw and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Cover and place in fridge for at least an hour to allow flavors to marinate together. Before serving, sprinkle with sliced almonds and pepitas (toasted if preferred).

---

Drunken Shrimp with Tequila
Serves 4

3 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tsp Red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Salted butter
Freshly ground Black Pepper
6 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Cucumber, small, peeled and sliced thin Kosher salt
2 lbs. Local Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Mango, diced
1 Red onion, small, thinly sliced
2 tsp Fresh Lime juice, (plus lime wedges for garnish)
½ cup Tequila (white or silver), added to 1 cup of water
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

Stir together shrimp, lime juice and half the salt, and set aside. Mix tequila with the cup of water, and set aside. Over medium heat in a large skillet, heat the oil and butter until butter begins to foam. Add the garlic, stirring often. Add the tequila/water mixture, red pepper, rest of the salt, bit of black pepper and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, until mixture is reduced to about half, roughly 6 to 8 minutes. Add the shrimp—they will cook quickly. As soon as shrimp is cooked, turn off heat and add the cilantro, more salt and pepper to taste, then place in a serving bowl. Toss in the cucumber, red onion and mango. Garnish with more cilantro and lime wedges.

 

---

 

Apple Crumb Cake
Serves 6-8

For the topping:
1/3 cup Granulated sugar
1/3 cup Light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1½ cups All-purpose flour
1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the cake:
3/4 cup All-purpose flour
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp Baking soda
1/8 tsp Salt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp Milk
3/4 tsp Pure Vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tsp Vegetable oil
1 large Egg
2 to 3 Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 Tbsp Granulated sugar
1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar

Grease and flour an 8” round springform pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F.For the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together both sugars, cinnamon, salt and flour. Add melted butter and fluff with fork until mixtures creates crumbs. Set aside. For the cake: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, oil and egg. Whisk until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the pan.
In a medium bowl, toss together apple slices with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and the apple cider vinegar. Arrange apple slices over the batter. Sprinkle crumb topping over the apples covering completely. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Let cool completely in the pan, then transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream!

 

 

---

 

Leslie Rohland, owner of the Cottage Cafe, Bakery and Tea Room in Old Town Bluffton, is an award-winning recipe creator who is known for her delicious and ever-changing menu at her extraordinary restaurant. She is also the owner of the popular healthy eatery The Juice Hive and the micro-roastery May River Coffee Roasters. For more information about The Cottage Cafe, visit www.thecottagebluffton.com or call 843-757-0508.