Five recipes to beat the heat this summer

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As temperatures spike across the country, Canadians can learn a lot about eating from the ancient dishes of hot-weather countries – from climate-conscious cooking to foods that help beat the heat.

Leaning on drought-resistant, high-protein crops and bold flavours, these vibrant, room-temperature recipes take us on a trip around the globe with a fresh spin from professional chefs: Thai-inspired tomato salad (by way of Vancouver’s Angus An), Haitian red beans and rice and a fiery condiment from Michael Twitty, and Rebecca Peppler’s south of France-inspired ratatouille. Plus a Marseille-style cocktail (non-drinkers: think iced tea!) that can be stored in your fridge for a tasty, frosty libation waiting for when you get home.

What should you eat in the heat? Take notes from culinary traditions of hot-weather nations

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Haitian Red Beans and Rice

From RICE: A Savor the South® Cookbook by Michael W. Twitty. Copyright 2021 University of North Carolina Press.

Serves 4

• 1 cup dried kidney beans
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus 1 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups water
• 2-3 cups vegetable or chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
• 3 tbsp lard or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp ground ginger or minced fresh ginger
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cups long-grain white rice, washed and drained

Place the beans in a large fine-mesh strainer or colander and rinse under running water until the draining water runs clear. Transfer them to a medium Dutch oven and add ½ teaspoon of the salt and a few grindings of pepper. Pour in the water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, partially uncovered, for about 1 ½ hours, or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans in a fine-mesh strainer set over a deep bowl and set aside. Retain the water the beans were cooked in and add enough chicken or vegetable stock to make 1 quart. Keep the beans moist and warm for the time being by placing them in a bowl and covering it with a tea towel or lid.

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Wash and dry the Dutch oven, then return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Place the lard in the pot, and when it’s hot but not smoking, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the 1 quart of reserved bean broth, the coconut milk, Scotch bonnet, cloves, thyme, the remaining teaspoon of salt, and a liberal grinding of pepper. Add the rice and stir to combine. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer undisturbed for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the beans. Let the dish sit, covered, for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavours to blend, then serve immediately.

Haitian Pikliz

Makes 2-3 cups

• 1 large carrot, peeled
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 green onions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup thinly sliced mixed bell peppers (green, orange, red)
• 2 whole Scotch bonnet peppers
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp turbinado sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 12–14 whole black peppercorns
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 or 3 whole allspice berries
• 2 cups white, cane, or apple cider vinegar

Using a vegetable peeler, slice the carrot into shavings. Combine the carrot shavings, cabbage, green onions, onion, and bell peppers in a large mixing bowl. Add the Scotch bonnet peppers and the lime juice, then mix in the sugar, salt, peppercorns, garlic, cloves, and allspice berries and stir well.

Pack the mixture into a 1-quart Mason jar, then pour in the vinegar until the jar is full. Screw on the jar lid and place the jar in the refrigerator to marinate for about 5 days before using. After opening, keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 weeks.

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Heirloom Tomato Salad

From Maenam – A Fresh Approach to Thai Cooking by Chef Angus An. Copyright 2020 Appetite by Random House.

Serves 4

• 1-2 pounds ripe mixed heirloom tomatoes
• 4 red Thai bird’s eye chilies
• 2 garlic cloves
• Pinch of coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, skinned
• 2 tbsp dried prawns, plus 1 tbsp to garnish
• ¼ cup shredded green papaya
• 2 tbsp long beans cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 tsp shredded carrot
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 3 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
• 1 tbsp tamarind water (optional)

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Using a sharp knife, slice the tomatoes into random and creative shapes, making sure to preserve their texture. Place sliced tomatoes into a bowl and set aside.

To make the dressing, using a mortar and pestle. Pound chilies, garlic, and salt until crushed. Add the peanuts and dried prawns, and continue pounding into a coarse paste. Add the green papaya, long beans, and shredded carrot; pound until bruised. Season with palm sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and tamarind water. The dressing should taste sour, salty, sweet, and hot.

Carefully fold the tomatoes into the dressing with a spatula, and gently bruise with the pestle. Do not pound the tomatoes, as we are trying to preserve their delicate texture. Transfer the salad to a plate, and spoon the leftover dressing in the mortar onto the salad. Garnish with dried prawns and serve immediately.

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Ratatouille

Excerpted from Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur by Rebekah Peppler. Copyright 2024 Chronicle Books.

Serves 6

• 2 medium eggplants, (about 1¼ pounds), cut into ¾-inch dice
• 2½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more for seasoning
• ½ cup plus 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 medium white onions, cut into ¾-inch dice
• 3 medium zucchini, cut into ¾-inch dice
• 3 medium red sweet bell peppers, cut into ¾-inch dice
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp honey, preferably lavender
• 3 medium beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch dice, or one 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup dry white wine, rosé, or vermouth

Add the diced eggplant to a colander and toss with the salt. Set aside to drain for 20 to 30 minutes, then, working in batches, pat the eggplant dry with paper towels.

While the eggplants are draining, set a large skillet over medium heat and add ¼ cup of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and transfer the onions to a large bowl.

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In the same pan, add another ¼ cup of the oil to the skillet. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is golden on all sides and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to the bowl with the onions.

Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the zucchini to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then season lightly with salt and continue to cook until the zucchini are browned and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions and eggplant.

Again in the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until the peppers are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to the bowl.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and honey and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the wine and cook for 2 minutes, then return the rest of the vegetables to the skillet and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste, then remove from the heat. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature, finished with a final drizzle of olive oil. Ratatouille will keep, tightly covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Note: If you have even more time, make ratatouille a day or two in advance and serve the next day to give the flavours even more time to deepen.

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Sans Fin

Makes 6-8 drinks, to start

Peppler’s all-booze formula crafts a strong, bitter-leaning drink – think the Boulevardier meets Sazerac by way of Marseille. But if you let the mix sit in the bottle a week or four before drinking, say while you’re on vacation or taking time off from drinking, the spirits will soften in the bottle and the texture of the drink will thicken slightly. Once you pour a glass or two and refresh with fresh spirits, the sharper flavours and textures will intertwine with those that have tempered with time, gradually shifting sans fin into a drink that is distinct to your house, apéro perpetually at the ready.

• 6 ounces rye
• 6 ounces cognac
• 6 ounces blanc vermouth
• 6 ounces red bitter, such as Campari or Cappelletti
• 1 ounce pastis
• Lemon peels, for serving

Combine the rye, cognac, vermouth, red bitter, and pastis in a spouted measuring cup or pitcher. Pour the cocktail blend into a 750 ml bottle or jar, using a funnel if needed. When ready to serve a drink, pour 3 to 4 ounces [90 to 120 ml] of the sans fin into an ice-filled lowball glass. Hold a lemon peel by its long edges, skin facing down into the glass. Pinch the peel to express the citrus oils into the glass, then discard the lemon peel and serve.

Note: Peppler will sometimes use Lillet Blanc in place of vermouth when she’s out. Also, bourbon when she’s out of rye, brandy when she’s out of cognac. All to say: sans fin can and should be adapted to your bar and your tastes.

One in a regular series of stories. To read more, visit our Inspired Dining section.