Brunch photos lined up to the millimeter, avocado toast decorated with edible flowers… In summer, our Instagram feeds are overflowing with perfect tables where each plate seems designed for the purpose rather than for appetite. However, another desire takes hold: that of summer cuisine without filter, rawer and more generous.
On networks, millions of photos of meals are published every day, and the hashtags #food, #foodstagram or #foodlover accumulate several hundred million publications. In this very smooth decor, an opposite trend is emerging: the return of summer dishes which are not designed to be beautiful, but simply to be good.
Summer cooking without filter: fed up with perfect plates
For a long time, appearance took as much space as taste, to the point that some restaurants designed plates mainly for photography. Graphic presentations, dazzling colors, impeccable symmetries: in summer, between terraces and vacations, the pressure of the “pretty dish” becomes even stronger, including at home.
On the other hand, many amateur cooks admit that they no longer recognize themselves in these codes. Because ultimately, a gratin that overflows, a sauce that runs over the edge of the plate or a piece of cake that collapses often remain the dishes that we remember, even if they are not worth a like.
The return of ugly but good summer dishes
In many kitchens, we are seeing the return of simmered dishes, gratins and grandmother’s recipes adapted to the summer. Eggplant moussaka with beef, ricotta and zucchini lasagna, stuffed tomatoes, velouté or zucchini flan: once served, these dishes mix, sink a little, take on golden or brown hues, but they fill the table with reassuring aromas.
On the sweet side, same logic. Strawberry and rhubarb crumble, West Indian coconut flan, banoffee in a glass or Eton mess with red fruits will never produce perfectly clean portions. With peach, the star of the summer and its nearly 300 varieties, family clafoutis, peach–Roquefort–honey bruschetta or Cajun-roasted poultry salad and peaches fully embrace this messy side, as long as the bite is delicious.
Ugly fruits and vegetables: the hidden driving force behind un-Instagrammable summer dishes
This filter-free cooking also joins an anti-waste approach. A young chef like Jean Covillault made his mark by making “ugly dishes” his signature, by giving back their place to downgraded products and crooked vegetables. Twisted carrots, damaged tomatoes, very ripe fruits become the basis of popular recipes long considered unattractive, but rich in taste.
For a real table of non-Instagrammable summer dishes, the idea is simple: use what the season offers, without seeking visual perfection. Almost overripe peaches transformed into clafoutis or crumble, exploded tomatoes cooked in the oven or in sauce, irregular zucchini slipped into a gratin, leftover roasted vegetables recycled into savory cake or zucchini–cherry tomato quiche… And then, when serving, look at the guests rather than your smartphone.
What’s a non-Instagrammable summer dish?
It’s a seasonal dish designed for taste, conviviality and sharing, not for photos. Vegetable gratin, moussaka, muddled salad or fruity crumble: the presentation is imperfect, sometimes messy, but generosity and flavor come first.
What are some examples of ugly but delicious summer dishes?
We can cite eggplant moussaka with beef, zucchini lasagna, stuffed tomatoes, a chicken, apricot and almond tagine, or even a peach clafoutis and a strawberry-rhubarb crumble. Served with a ladle, they are not very photogenic, but often unforgettable.
How to cook anti-waste with ugly summer fruits and vegetables?
Very ripe peaches are transformed into clafoutis, compote or savory salad with poultry. Damaged tomatoes are perfect for a sauce, rustic gazpacho or roasted tomatoes. Irregular zucchini and eggplant nourish moussaka, gratins, veloutés or savory cakes.
