9 Recipes Our Editors Are Pumped to Make in June

In my experience, there’s what restaurants say is “in season” and then there’s what’s actually in season. Since I go to the farmers market at least once a week in NYC, where I live, I know when the restaurants are lying. I can’t blame them: Early spring can be bleak, especially in the upper reaches of the country. All you want is something that’s fresh and vibrant (maybe not a root), and it’s just not there yet.

But now? Now it’s here! By “here,” I mean not just fake summer (that time between Memorial Day and the solstice), but also the produce! At my market, we have snap peas, asparagus, leeks, fresh herbs, lettuces, rhubarb, radishes, onions, and even summer squash. My family, down south and in California, is rolling in even more seasonal produce.

That abundance of fresh produce has me and the rest of the Serious Eats team pretty damn excited about cooking right now and throughout the month. Read on below to see what we’re getting into, including a grilled (oh yeah, it’s grill time too) peach salad with creamy burrata, the best crispy smashed and double-sauced potatoes I’ve ever eaten, a fresh, lemony pasta salad, and some cookies and desserts, because Genevieve wouldn’t let a monthly editors’ roundup of recipes go by without including some desserts. And very fine desserts they are, indeed.

“Cardamom lemonade? That’s an automatic yes for me, cardamom is one of my favorite spices and lemonade season is here.” – Daniel Gritzer, editorial director

Get Recipe: Cardamom Lemonade

“When I was fresh out of college, one of my go-to dinners was slices of potato seasoned with paprika and sizzled in butter and oil until crispy. I’d plate them up over a swoosh of sour cream and scatter them with pickled onions and a handful of parsley. It was cheap and delicious. And this crispy potato dish from Daniel takes everything I loved about that simple dinner and cranks it up: ultra-crispy potatoes, tonnato, olives, calabrian chiles, parsley sauce. It’s a potato dish, but dressed up for the Met Gala.” – Grace Kelly, senior editor

Get Recipe: Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Tonnato Sauce

“Liz Cook’s butterscotch-pecan cookies sound like my favorite kind of cookie: salty, sweet, nutty, and wonderfully chewy. It might be summer, but that’s not stopping me from turning on my oven to make these!” – Genevieve Yam, senior editor

Get Recipe: Butterscotch-Pecan Cookies With Miso

“Summer is synonymous with peach season for me, and this salad is a shoo-in for my grilling rotation. My favorite part is the fish sauce in the dressing; its intense savoriness is a delightful contrast to the caramelized peaches and creamy burrata.” – Ashlee Redger, writer

Get Recipe: Grilled Peach and Burrata Recipe

“I’m tooting my own horn this month and owning it: I’m genuinely excited to cook my own recipes. (After all, if I’m not eager to make them, why should anyone else be?) At the top of my list is my lemony orzo and chickpea pasta salad—the kind of pasta salad I actually want to eat: bright, veggie-forward, and completely free of mayo. I’m also planning to make my grilled peach and burrata salad for a small family gathering in a couple of weeks. It comes together in minutes and delivers big payoff with minimal effort.” – Leah Colins, senior culinary editor

Get Recipe: Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad

“I once discovered on a second date that a guy did not like dips. As in the entire category of dips. There was no third date. So, yeah, I love a dip. And my current favorite is Laila’s phenomenal muhammara (Syrian red pepper dip). It’s bright, a little nutty, pleasantly assertive, and versatile—pretty much my dream in a dip. And in a date.” – Megan O. Steintrager, associate editorial director

Get Recipe: Muhammara: The Bold Middle Eastern Spread You’ll Want on Everything

“I’m a firm believer that a soaked cake is a superior cake (OK, maybe not always), and portokalopita makes a strong case. I love custardy cakes that make you question whether they’re actually a cake or a pudding. This one also happens to include some of my favorite ingredients—warm spices, orange blossom, and citrus.” – Laila Ibrahim, associate culinary editor

“On my trip to Greece last month, I had the opportunity to try portokalopita for the first (and second, and third) time. This light and bright dessert paired perfectly with an espresso! I’m sure I’ll be trying to recreate my experience with Sharon Brenner’s recipe all month long.” – Kelli Solomon, senior social media editor

Get Recipe: Portokalopita (Greek Orange Cake)

“The textures in this salad are unreal. Crisp! Crunchy! Soft! Tender! This recipe will convert any summer squash hater it meets.” – Rochelle Bilow, editor

Get Recipe: Summer Squash Salad

Carrot and Feta Borek

“Am I slightly over carrots right now? Maybe. But Renu’s carrot and feta borek—with its flaky, golden phyllo and savory-sweet filling—has been calling to me. You had me at phyllo. I’m finally giving in and making it soon.” – Kelli

Get Recipe: This Beloved Savory Mediterranean Pastry Is a Spiraled Delight

Read the original article on Serious Eats