Summer Produce First and Second Team

Here are my Summer Produce First and Second Team performers. We're in the thick of the NBA Playoffs and the All-NBA teams will be announced shortly after the season concludes, which is my inspiration for the post. We'll go over the highlights of each, how to select them in the market, and what you can do with them in the spirit of the playoffs and the coming summer season!

First Team: Selected for consistency, versatility, price point, and Chef Lem's personal bias. 
Watermelon
Peaches
Tomatoes
Mangoes
Squash

Second Team: These are really good picks, but struggle with performance from time to time.
Cherries
Plums
Okra
Green Beans
Cucumber

First Team:

Watermelon- I mean, what is there not to love? It's the perfect snack if you need to cut down on added sugar. Have it with breakfast, lunch, and dessert after dinner. Buy a whole melon. Markets over charge for the labor of cutting the melon into pieces for us, honestly. Watermelon molasses is at the top of my list of things to make when I finish the Whole30 program, but for now devouring fresh chunks is more than satisfying. 
According to my mother, and my girlfriend's grandfather you want to listen for a hollow sounding melon. Look for yellowing on the bottom of the melon to indicate ripeness, and smell for sweetness. If you purchase a seeded melon cut it immediately when you get home. If you go seedless, you may need to let it sit for a day or two for the sweetest flesh. Shamefully I do prefer seedless, I'm an all fun no work type of guy when it comes to my melon. 

Peaches- I may eat three peaches in a row, in less than 5 minutes if they're sweet enough. Countless bowls have disappeared in a day at House Lemons, pits thrown far into the woods hoping a peach tree would randomly grow. Peaches are wonderful in jams, jellies, upside down cakes, vanilla ice cream, and garden salads next to salmon. 
At the market, look for Georgia or South Carolina grown peaches first and foremost. Next, feel for firm flesh and look for brown blemishes. Leave those with brown spots sitting where they are. Take home a bag of firm peaches and give them a couple of days to soften, not ripen, but soften. Fruit is considered "ripe" when its picked from the vine or tree. Peaches with the most evenly rosy skin have received the most sun and will likely yield the most sweetness. 

Tomatoes - Perfect with your collard greens, in a salad, roasted and turned into salsa, or fried and green! Fried green tomatoes give your brunch menu a familiar change of pace and make for a light, hearty lunch option. In the summer you should keep at least one tomato on hand in the kitchen. 
In the market feel for firm flesh and check to make sure there are no blemishes on the tomato. Store them on the counter, then refrigerate once you cut it. Don't hesitate to grow your own heirloom varieties either. You can buy the plants from any home improvement or gardening store. They need lots of sun but are a low maintenance plant to grow. I have 5 planted myself (cherokee purple, rutgers, golden jubilee, beefsteak, san marzano) and cannot wait to share the yield with friends and family. 

Mangoes- It took me a while to come around on Mangoes, but they are for sure a summer time first teamer. Of course enjoy them fresh, puree and freeze for a sorbet treat with no added sugar, make chutney to pair with your grilled meats, or blend them into your smoothies.
Most mangoes in the market are going to be quite firm and thats fine. Allow them to soften on the counter for a couple of days like you would a peach. Peel the skin with a knife and cut vertically avoiding the pit of the mango. Knives don't make it through and you could cut yourself in the struggle.  

Summer Squash- Better known as yellow squash. As a kid I hated squash, flat out. As a chef, I love its versatility and price point in the market. I use squash as an omelet fixing, for ratatouille, or roasted next to chicken, fish, or steak. If you're meal prepping this summer I highly recommend squash. 
Check for squash that have been handled with care in the market, free of scratches. The flesh should be firm, but not rock solid. It's hard to pick a truly awful squash honestly. For roasting, avoid a mushy dish by removing the seeds from the middle after splitting it into 4 spears. Then chop into 1" pieces. 

Second Team:

Cherries- A second teamer for inconsistency and price point. Cherries can get expensive while not always being the sweetest fruit. But, when you get a good batch you can't stop eating them. Look for dark red cherries that are still firm. Rainer cherries are eye catching, but are even more inconsistent than red cherries. Make sure they are bone dry before storing in the fridge, but you can leave them on the counter if you plan on eating them quickly enough. 

Plums- A second teamer as well for inconsistency with sweetness. Feel for plums that are firm, without blemishes or browning in the market. You'll need to allow them to soften on the counter just like peaches. They can actually go in the same bowl without spoiling each other. Sweet plums rival peaches in the summer, but they are a lot harder to come by than sweet peaches. Plums are definitely are worth the gamble, however. 

Okra- You can never go wrong with fried okra, or okra and tomatoes. Obviously its perfect in a good gumbo, you can even pickle it. In the market feel for firm flesh free of blemishes. Okra stores well in the refrigerator up to a week if kept dry, but like always I suggest purchasing with a plan for use in mind. 

Green Beans- A second teamer strictly for painful childhood memories of being randomly pulled from the TV screen to snap the ends of each bean for Sunday dinner. But man are they good. If you don't have the time to boil the beans in smoked turkey broth opt to steam, then roast the beans with garlic. Look and feel for firm beans free of browning in the market. They store well in the fridge or a cool dark place, but make sure they are dry before doing so. 

Cucumber- Add some natural flavoring to your water, make a quick salad with fresh tomato and herbs, quick pickle for a banh mi, or add crunch to your garden salad. If you have the time, make some homemade pickles to enjoy for a cookout or game night with friends. At the market I select cucumbers based on length. Not too big or I know I may waste it. That's pretty much you're only concern when selecting cucumbers. They store well in the fridge for a few days, but after that you'll begin to notice softening. Purchase with a plan.

That's my first and second team all-summer produce list. Make sure to wash your produce off before consumption, always.  Tweet me your first and second team! (@_cheflem)