The fresh summer produce you need to cook with right now

Known for its nutritional value and hearty texture, the jackfruit has been a common meat substitute in many Southeast Asian cuisines. When ripe, the tropical fruit tastes like a combination of peaches, pears, and mango, making it the perfect ingredient for a multitude of fruity desserts.

Floral and semisweet, lychees are nature's bonbons. Not only is this luscious fruit a perfect cocktail garnish, it can also be a refreshing addition to fruit salads and ice cream. Lychee juice can also be made into an exotic syrup for cakes and ice cream.

The king of summer vegetables, okra can be found in a number of international cuisines. Low in calories and highly versatile, okra can be stewed, fried, pickled, or eaten fresh. The pods are gelatinous and a great way to thicken a seafood gumbo.

While the thick skin of the fruit is inedible, the pulp of the passion fruit is tangy and intensely aromatic. For a tropical spin on your regular summer staples, use passion fruit in fruit salads, frozen yogurt, and cocktails.

These soft, mildly sweet spears are harvested from the inner core of palm trees. Whether you eat them fresh or pickled, they can be substituted for artichokes, and complement salads, soups, and sauces.

Your favorite Japanese appetizer is actually in full season this time of year. Throw the soybeans into salads, soups, or eat them fresh with just a dash of garlic salt.

The marionberry is actually a cross between blackberries, loganberries, and raspberries, developed at Oregon State University. They are bigger and glossier than the other berries, making them great for shakes, tarts, sorbets, and salads.

Champagne grapes are teeny tiny, sweet, and seedless. Contrary to their name, these grapes are not used to make Champagne. Add them into pastries or pair them with fresh cheese for a pretty tabletop accroutement.

A staple in Mexican cuisine, tomatillos are sour when eaten raw, tasting almost like green apples. Blanching or roasting them will bring out a more nutty, earthy flavor, which makes them ideal additions to gazpacho, salsas, and guacamole.

Unlike the bell-shaped European pear, Asian pears are round, and more crisp in texture. The fruit can stay fresh for up to three months in the fridge, and is delicious in slaws and marinades.

A sweet, Asian pepper, shishitos are mellow and rarely spicy. They are often sautéed since their thin skin blisters quickly. For a simple and healthy appetizer, briefly char them before sprinkling on sea salt.

Fresh figs are extremely versatile to cook with. Wrap them in prosciutto for a simple starter, or stuff them with grilled cheese for a sweet and savory combination.

Chefs jump at the chance of using zucchini blossoms, which are delicate and taste subtly of zucchini. They are perfect either fried or fresh in salads.

Because of its lemony tang, this leafy green is a great side to fish and poultry entrées. For a more delicate flavor, stock up early, because the greens get more bitter in the later months.

A distant cousin to radicchio, escarole, and frisee, the endive has a crisp texture and pleasantly mild bitterness. Add a European flair to summer appetizers by using the spears as boats to carry salads and dips.

Sour cherries are smaller, softer, and more acidic than their sweet relatives. Exceptionally short in season, they are best cooked into desserts.

While most squash varieties can be found year-round, an array of options floods farmers' markets in the summer. Pattypan, Cousa, Eight Ball, and Zephyr are just some of the kinds that you can find for savory applications.