What to Cook in June: Fresh Summer Salads

Is there anything better on a hot summer’s day than a nice cold slice of watermelon? It’s my birthday month, and I love the abundance of fresh summer fruits in June — like Mother Nature is offering up a birthday bounty just for me. 

All the melons are at peak freshness this month. Watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew, all of which people either love or hate. I think they get a bad rap — all melons are aces in my book. 

You’ll also find stone fruits starting to make an appearance. Plums and peaches are appearing at lower prices, which is awesome. A big summer salad with grilled peach is a favorite for me. 

And good news: it’s peak season for my favorite fruit: avocados. So I’ve got a lovely, refreshing way for you to enjoy them that you’ll love, trust me. 

Let’s take a look at some refreshing ways to enjoy these sumptuous summer treats.

Watermelon Salad

Cold straight from the fridge or as a big glass of agua fresca de sandía, watermelon is the perfect way to cool off in summer. And with only three ingredients, who doesn’t love a cheeky watermelon margarita! 

But have you tried watermelon in a salad? It’s amazing. 

We’re talking sweet watermelon with salty cotija cheese, refreshing mint, tied together with a nice zesty lime dressing. It might sound unusual, but for most, it’s love at first bite. Plus, let’s not forget all watermelon’s health benefits: improved hydration, muscle recovery and heart health. It’s also an excellent source of vitamins A and C and lycopene, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. 

This summer salad is the perfect way to beat the heat of June. 

Watermelon salad ingredients:

• 8 cups cubed watermelon
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• ½ cup of either cojita or feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons (tbsp) fresh mint, finely sliced

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 limes zested and juiced
• ¼ teaspoon salt, more if desired

Directions:

1. Add watermelon, cheese, jalapeño, red onion and mint to a large bowl.
2. Whisk olive oil, lime juice and zest and salt together. 
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine. Serve immediately. 

Avocado ice cream

Easy to make in 10 minutes, I dare you not to fall in love with avocado ice cream.  If there was ever going to be a healthy-ish ice cream, it’s made from a superfood, right? Creamy and delicious, avocado ice cream is competing for favorite summer treat against mango sorbet in my house. Best of all, no ice cream maker needed! You probably have all the things you need already in the kitchen.

We all know avocados are healthy, full of vitamins and those glorious healthy heart-smart fats, so I don’t feel guilty making them into ice cream. Not one bit. Plus, it’s a win-win; they’re cheaper at peak season, so I can indulge.

Avocado ice cream ingredients:

• 2 large whole avocados 
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup condensed milk
• 1 lime, zest and juice

Directions:

1. An hour before making the ice cream, place a glass bowl in the freezer (this helps the cream get fluffy). Then line a rectangular loaf pan with plastic wrap. 
2. Slightly smash the scooped-out avocado in a bowl and add the lime juice and zest. Stir to combine. Beat with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes until it has a smooth, even consistency. 
3. Take the glass bowl from the freezer and pour in the heavy cream. Starting slowly, then increasing the speed, whip until the cream has formed peaks after about four minutes.
4. With a spatula, gently fold in the avocado mixture until incorporated. Be careful not to lose too much of the cream’s fluffiness. 
5. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least four hours. 
6. Take it out five minutes before serving so it’s soft enough to scoop and enjoy!

Taquería-style salsa

Okay, this salsa should come with a warning: It’s addictive. It’s so good, you’ll want to put it on everything, not just your tacos pastor. Best of all, you can roast, fry or boil the ingredients to suit your taste. I like them roasted. 

I love that this recipe has tomato and tomatillos. But then again, I’m a sucker for tomatillo anything. Thankfully, they’re also available year-round. Oh, and this salsa can be spicy. Adjust the heat to your liking by not adding as many chiles arbol. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large tomato
• 4 medium tomatillos (or 6 small ones)
• ⅓ medium white onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
• 13-15 dry chile de árbol, dry
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tomatillos, tomato, garlic and onion to roast. 
2. Cook, turning occasionally, for about eight minutes until everything shows signs of blistering and softening. The garlic will cook faster than everything else, in just a few minutes, so remove it and set it aside. 
3. Remove everything from the skillet and place it in a blender. Now add the chile de árbol to the skillet and continuously stir to slightly roast them. They can burn fast, so keep an eye on them. 
4. Add them to the blender with the garlic and blend until smooth. Add a little water if too thick.
5. Place in a bowl and enjoy!

Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.