1,182 summer recipes

Traditional barley water made by simmering pearl barley and fig, then straining and sweetening with honey, apple juice, and lemon. A soothing, old-world refreshment served cold.

Slow cooker navy bean soup with ham hocks or chicken, potatoes, carrots, celery, and thyme. A hearty crockpot bean soup that simmers all day and freezes well.

Gourmet glazed figs simmered in brandy, apple cider vinegar, and cloves until plump and transparent, then stuffed with toasted almonds. Pairs with roasted meats.

Hungarian potatoes simmer eggplant, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and tender potatoes in a paprika-spiked tomato sauce. A hearty meatless one-pot main with deep, smoky-sweet flavor.

A North African-inspired vegetarian stew with chickpeas, butternut squash, turnips, and carrots simmered with harissa and served over fluffy couscous. Warm, spiced, and feeds 8.

Tangy cabbage relish simmered in red wine vinegar with tomatoes, Dijon mustard, turmeric, and warm spices. Makes ahead beautifully and keeps for 5 days.

Old Virginia wassail simmers apple cider, orange juice, pineapple juice, and warm cinnamon-clove spices in a stovetop percolator. A fragrant Southern holiday punch for a crowd.

30-minute vegetarian chili with kidney beans and great northern beans simmered in tomato sauce, spooned over fluffy rice. Quick, low-cal, and full of flavor.

Homemade Worcestershire sauce with tamarind, soy, molasses, mustard seeds, and warm spices. Simmered and aged two weeks for a deeply complex, tangy condiment you can't buy in a bottle.

Beef and bay stew: a rustic Irish-style beef stew with leeks, turnip, carrots, potatoes, and celery, simmered gently with bay and thyme. Old-fashioned slow-cooked supper served with crusty bread.

Homemade seafood stock made from shrimp or lobster heads simmered with celery, onion, garlic, and lemon. A Cajun-style base for gumbo, bisque, etouffee, and chowder.

Jerry's Barbecue Sauce: a slow-simmered BBQ sauce with white wine, honey, dried mint, and three cups of onion. Cajun-style with a surprising herbal note. Makes a generous batch.

Heritage crystal pickles brined for 5 days, boiled with ginger and alum, then simmered in sweet pickling spice syrup until glass-clear. A Southern canning tradition worth the wait.

Hearty vegetable soup with 7-grain cereal, tomatoes, green beans, corn, mushrooms, and winter squash simmered until tender: finished with canola oil and fresh parsley for bright flavor.

Sweet and sour cabbage soup: a classic Jewish Eastern European soup simmered low and slow with cabbage, tomatoes, brown sugar, and vinegar. Tangy, warming, and even better on day two.

Warm cranberry apple cider simmered in the crock pot with cinnamon sticks and a clove-studded orange. The holiday party drink that fills the whole house with spice.