Summ
119 recipes found
Cheesy Gnocchi With Corn and Pesto
Tasty and effortless, store-bought gnocchi offers a much-needed shortcut for busy weeknight dinners. You can bypass boiling a pot of water for the gnocchi, and instead simply give them a quick sear over high heat, which creates perfectly crispy edges. Toss the crispy gnocchi with lots of sweet, fresh corn kernels, prepared pesto and a hefty sprinkle of grated cheese, and broil until the cheese gets bubbly, gooey and slightly charred in spots. The molten cheese brings all the ingredients together, but a high ratio of corn to dumpling and the bright basil in the pesto keep this dish light enough for summer.
Grilled Little Gems With Creamy Tarragon Dressing
Dense, crisp Little Gem lettuce (also known as baby romaine) gets kissed on the grill to char on one side and soften up slightly, while tarragon’s unique grassy, sweet anise flavor infuses a simple yogurt dressing. Grilling the lettuce not only adds a deeper flavor, it also changes the texture of the lettuce, making this dish surprisingly rich and satisfying (especially with that creamy dressing). Add some crunchy breadcrumbs and a tin of seafood to make this a main, or serve alongside other grilled delights. The Little Gem lettuce can also be swapped out for romaine or a wedge of iceberg.
Grilled Skirt Steak With Smoky Cucumber Chimichurri
With just a few simple seasonings (salt, pepper and oregano), quick-cooking skirt steak needs only the light smoke of a grill to amplify its beefy flavor. For this vibrant chimichurri, cucumbers are charred on the grill, too, resulting in a smoky, tangy and herbaceous sauce that cuts through the rich beef. Enjoy leftovers as stuffed pita sandwiches the next day: Mix the cucumber chimichurri with some plain Greek yogurt and dollop into pitas, then top with the sliced steak and any fresh salad options you might have around, like chopped lettuce and tomatoes.
Pan de Elote (Mexican Corn Cake)
Mexican corn cake — call it budín, panqué or pan de elote — is like cake and cornbread mashed together into a lush, custardy dream, bursting with fresh corn flavor that screams summer. It’s as easy as whirling juicy, sweet corn, eggs, milk, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla in a blender. It bakes in less than one hour, and it’s soft and just sweet enough. You’ll find this dessert, or pan dulce, sold by the slice at mercados and bakeries in nearly every corner of Mexico. Eat as is, warm or at room temperature, or top the cake with whipped cream, ripe fruit or spoonfuls of a fruit compote for a simple, sunny treat.
Spicy Gazpacho
This bright and vegetal gazpacho is a cooling summertime soup or even a refreshing drink, straight from a glass. Red Fresno chile imparts lively heat (remove some or all of the seeds for a milder soup) along with nice fruity notes that complement the other veggies. Olive oil is simply whisked in at the end to ensure a velvety texture that eats silkier than fully blended gazpacho, which is more aerated and frothy. This gazpacho is best served cold, so make it a few hours ahead and keep chilled, or try this speedy solution: Serve it over ice.
Eggplant, Chickpea and Tomato Curry
The texture of raw eggplant is quite spongy, which is a key indicator of its remarkable ability to absorb flavor. For this reason, eggplant is an excellent ingredient for curries. Here's how this recipe proves that theory: Planks of seasoned eggplant tumble through a base of curry-infused olive oil and golden-brown onions. While the eggplant drinks in the flavors, tomatoes break down entirely to join the pool of sauce, contributing both sweetness and a light acidity. To finish the dish, a big spoonful of vinegar does something imperceptible but important, adding a cheerful quality, as do the fresh-tasting sliced scallions. Though this recipe welcomes just about any curry powder, Caribbean curry powder is preferred thanks to its warm spices like allspice, cloves and ginger, which pair particularly well with the eggplant, tomato and potato mix.
Sheet-Pan Ravioli With Burst Tomatoes
Transform store-bought ravioli and a mélange of tomatoes into this low-effort, high-reward sheet pan dinner. Roasting the ravioli at high heat gives the pasta pockets crispy edges and delivers bursting tomatoes that collapse into a rich, tangy sauce. Use whatever tomatoes you have on hand: Small cherry, Sungolds or grape varieties can be left whole, while larger ones like beefsteak or Roma can be cut into irregular chunks to help them fall apart. The ravioli and tomatoes are finished off with grated pecorino and lots of black pepper, reminiscent of cacio e pepe.
Tomato and Burrata Salad With Chile Crisp
Tomato and burrata couple up nicely for a light summer meal, and they get an instant makeover with the addition of chile crisp. A powerful weeknight tool, the condiment is made with a heady mix of spices suspended in a fiery red oil, brimming with complexity and umami. In this recipe, the chile crisp both seasons and dresses the salad. Every brand of chile crisp will vary in spice, heat and saltiness, so vary the amount accordingly. The spicy oil is tamed by the milky, buttery burrata, though you could also substitute with fresh mozzarella or ricotta. Be generous with the cilantro, as it brings a bright, floral note to the tomatoes. This makes an excellent main-meal salad served with bread, or can be enjoyed with noodles or pasta.
Chicken, Cucumber and Nectarine Salad
This light yet satisfying summery salad is meant to be flexible and adaptable, the kind of easy weekday recipe that helps you turn the odds and ends in your fridge into a quick and healthy meal. Consider swapping in torn mozzarella or goat cheese for the feta, using basil instead of mint, or using any roasted nuts you’ve got on hand. If you can’t find a ripe nectarine, a peach, a plum or a handful of juicy berries would work great, too. The key is to keep the ingredients fresh and bright, and to dress the salad just before eating it so everything stays crisp. Serve with a cold glass of white wine and a nice hunk of bread on the side.
Skillet Pork Cutlets With Fresh Peach Butter
Thin pork cutlets are perfect for fast weeknight meals: They cook in less than 10 minutes and readily take on the flavors of the brown butter sauce they’re topped with. The rich sauce gets a bright lift from fresh summer peaches, coarsely grated so they release all of their fruity sweet juices. (The step also skips the trouble of peeling them.) Steamed or grilled corn is a perfect accompaniment for both the juicy pork and sweet-tart peach butter.
Pasta Salad With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Sun-dried tomatoes take center stage in this pasta salad that tastes just as delicious at room temperature as it does chilled. The dressing (combining elements of pesto rosso, pesto alla Trapanese, and pesto alla Genovese) leans on oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to yield a sweet and tart base. A combination of toasted pine nuts, fresh basil and garlic round out the pesto, providing that characteristic nutty, sharp, herbaceous flavor. To bring it into dressing territory, a splash of red wine vinegar laces the pesto. That gentle punch is accentuated by a generous squeeze of lemon juice over the pasta, yielding a salad that’s undeniably savory and bright. For the best tomato flavor, avoid oil-packed sun dried tomatoes that contain vinegar as the tomatoes can take on too strong of a vinegary bite.
Chile-Garlic Steak and Zucchini
Umami-rich rich steak and mild yet hearty zucchini are paired with a simple sauce that works to enhance both. First the steak is sliced thin, then cooked hot and fast. One side is cooked a little longer to brown and caramelize, while the other has just brief contact with the skillet to keep the steak medium-rare. The zucchini is cooked similarly, steaming in its own moisture until tender yet still somewhat firm. A bright, slightly spicy, tangy sauce is drizzled over, with a handful of refreshing mint to finish. Serve as is, or pair with chunks of baguette, roasted potatoes or a lightly dressed green salad.
Corn Quesadillas
Loosely inspired by the flavors of elotes and esquites, these vegetable-forward quesadillas are sweet thanks to peak-season corn, slightly smoky, and gently spiced, making for the most satisfying of summer meals. Fresh, plump corn (save the frozen stuff for another day) is quickly sautéed with poblano and jalapeño chiles until crisp-tender, helping to maintain its texture in the quesadilla. Creamy Monterey Jack cheese mellows the heat of the corn mixture, bringing its earthy savoriness to the forefront. The filling can hold for up to 3 days, meaning you can have fresh quesadillas on demand. To contrast with the richness of the cheesy, savory filling, a zesty lime dipping sauce brings brightness and rounds out each bite.
Chicken Soup With Corn and Spinners
This recipe is a more streamlined take on a Jamaican Saturday soup, a simmered-until-tender marriage of beef or chicken and starchy vegetables. Thanks to a few strategic moves, this recipe takes only one hour but tastes like the result of an hours-long endeavor. Simmering bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in chicken stock fortifies the soup, coaxing out gelatin from the bones and releasing fat from the skin to create a rich foundation. Instead of cutting corn kernels off the cob, the corn cobs are cut into pieces, which are less fussy to prepare, and more fun to eat — with hands, as nature intended! Handmade dumplings called spinners thicken the soup further and add a chewy bite.
Balsamic Roasted Chicken With Peaches
Boneless chicken thighs, shallots, peaches and cherry or grape tomatoes are coated in a simple balsamic marinade and roasted until crispy, sweet and juicy. After roasting, extra marinade is added to the pan to simmer with the juices, creating a thick, tangy sauce that begs to be drizzled over everything or sopped up with a crusty hunk of bread. In addition to a sprinkling of fresh basil for serving, a ball of broken burrata or crumbles of feta would also be delicious. This recipe works well with any peaches, even those that may not be perfectly ripe or sweet, and can be made with other stone fruits like nectarines or plums, as well.
Aguachile Shrimp Salad
Aguachile, the fiery dish from Mexico’s Pacific coast, means “chile water,” a reference to the bold sauce, which blends lime juice, dried chiles, fresh serranos, cilantro and cucumbers. Fresh raw shellfish, such as shrimp or scallops, are marinated and lightly cooked by the acid. Here, the aguachile sauce is swirled into sour cream with just a touch of mayo to turn it into a silky and electric dressing for quickly boiled shrimp, and thinly sliced tomatillos add a crisp, gooseberry-like freshness. Since the shrimp is cooked, the dish travels well, making it the perfect centerpiece for a picnic or a summer get-together. Feel free to use shell-on shrimp if you prefer and peel them after cooking.
Zucchini Butter Pasta
Make a dent in your glut of summer zucchini with this weeknight-friendly pasta. Grating the zucchini, a technique embraced by Julia Child, allows it to become so tender that it melts into the buttery, cheesy sauce. Cooking the zucchini with vegetable stock over low heat highlights the fruit’s sweetness and prevents it from caramelizing, giving the sauce a creamy rather than charred finish. Once the butter and Parmesan are added, give the mixture a good stir to encourage the zucchini to melt into the liquid. As always with zucchini, its mellow earthy flavor lays dormant until it is seasoned, so be generous with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Turmeric-Butter Pasta With Tomatoes
Resembling an endless summer sunset, this pasta’s sauce is golden and warm and packed with flavor from just a handful of ingredients: Rich butter, citrusy turmeric, sweet tomatoes and zesty garlic. The sauce comes together simply, too. Sizzle turmeric, garlic and black pepper in butter until the aroma fills the air, then simmer cherry tomatoes until they start to burst, sweetening and brightening the sauce before tossing with pasta. That’s it. To finish, feta cheese is highly recommended to add bursts of tangy richness. For added heft, stir in chickpeas or other beans, or serve with grilled chicken.
Grilled Shrimp Ceviche With Corn and Coconut
Though technically not a ceviche, as the shrimp are grilled first, this dish is deeply inspired by the ceviche variations that span across Latin America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific Islands. Marinated in rich limey coconut milk, this lively, refreshing dish feels quintessentially summery — perfect for outdoor dining — while grilled corn and shrimp add depth and a subtle smokiness. Serve as a salad or with tortillas, plantain chips or saltines. It’s best to not overcook the shrimp on the grill and let it continue to “cook” in the marinade.
Grilled Patty Melts
Oozy and crisp, a patty melt is always a treat to eat, but not so much to cook: The process can be splattery, and it can be tricky to make them for more than two people at a time. The grill not only solves these problems, but imbues the simple components — ground beef, bread, cheese and onions — with a hint of smoke. Grill the onions until golden, then the patties, mostly on one side, for a chargrilled exterior and medium-rare inside. While that’s happening, toast the bread and melt the cheese on the cool side of the grill. Serve with a pickle and mustard alongside to cut through the richness.
Vegetarian Tomato Mapo Tofu
Mapo tofu, the classic Sichuan dish that is now a Chinese American staple, receives a summery twist with the addition of tomatoes. Its signature tingly and assertive flavors are intensified by the umami tanginess of tomatoes, which also add a hint of fresh acidity. When you add the tofu, it will look like there’s not enough liquid, but rest assured, the tomatoes do break down during the cooking process, providing a soupy base. Not all brands of doubanjiang are created equal, so look for ones that come from Pixian, in Sichuan, as they tend to be the most flavorful thanks to a long period of fermentation under sunlight, resulting in a reddish-brown color with a deep and complex umami.
Iced Coconut Limeade
Modeled after Brazilian lemonade, this drink is sure to cool you off on the hottest days with an almost mouth-puckering bite. It may at first taste remind you most of tonic water, but it goes further in its blend of bitter, sharp and sweet. Unsweetened coconut milk or cream is used here, along with sugar, fresh herbs and lots of ice. A quick whiz in a blender and a strain through a fine mesh sieve will produce a frothy base that can last in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. To serve, fill a glass with ice, pour in the drink and serve immediately with fresh basil, mint leaves and a crack of black pepper for garnish.
Clams and Tomato-Garlic Rice
Clams, tomatoes and garlic come together quickly to make a simple and satisfying one-pot dinner. It tastes of the sea without being overly fishy, and the tomatoes add acidity and brightness while the chorizo gives it richness and a bit of smokiness. While some brands of tinned shellfish can be on the pricier side, consider that each 4-ounce can packs in up to 4 dozen clams without the bulk of the shells. Look for whole clams in brine and olive oil for the best flavor.
Clams and Chorizo Rice
Clams, tomatoes and chorizo come together quickly to make a simple and satisfying one-pot dinner. It tastes of the sea without being overly fishy, and the tomatoes add acidity and brightness while the chorizo gives it richness and a bit of smokiness. While some brands of tinned shellfish can be on the pricier side, consider that each 4-ounce can packs in up to 4 dozen clams without the bulk of the shells. Look for whole clams in brine and olive oil for the best flavor.