Las Cruces Cooks Share 5 Simple Meals Using July's Local Produce

Las Cruces shoppers found sweet corn, Hatch green chiles, yellow squash, tomatoes and peaches at stands across town on July 7.

Peak ripeness for these crops lines up with the hottest stretch of summer, when residents seek lighter dishes that still deliver steady energy without heavy prep.

The Las Cruces Farmers Market at Main Street and the High Desert Food Co-op on Lohman Avenue both reported strong deliveries from farms in the Mesilla Valley on Monday morning.

Market tallies showed corn priced at $4 for a dozen ears on July 5, down from $6 two weeks earlier, according to posted vendor sheets.

Five recipes built on what is in season right now

Grilled corn and chile salad combines three ears of corn, two roasted Hatch chiles, diced red onion and a squeeze of lime; serve it chilled after a quick chill in the refrigerator.

Summer squash ribbons tossed with olive oil, salt and fresh basil make a no-cook side that uses two medium yellow squash sliced thin on a mandoline.

Tomato and peach salsa mixes two chopped tomatoes, one diced peach, a handful of cilantro and a pinch of salt; spoon it over grilled chicken or fish the same evening.

Stuffed squash blossoms filled with a spoonful of ricotta and a strip of roasted chile are lightly battered and fried for ten minutes in a shallow pan.

Chilled peach and corn relish pairs two sliced peaches with kernels from one ear of corn, a teaspoon of honey and chopped mint; it keeps three days in the fridge for quick breakfast bowls.

Residents can pick up the listed items at either market location before 11 a.m. most weekdays and test one recipe each evening through the weekend.