Salads-

101 Simple Salads for the Season

SUMMER may not be the best time to cook, but its certainly among the best times to eat. Toss watermelon and peaches with some ingredients you have lying around already, and you can produce a salad thats delicious, unusual, fast and perfectly seasonal.

Thats the idea behind the 101 ideas found in this section. In theory, each salad takes 20 minutes or less. Honestly, some may take you a little longer. But most minimize work at the stove and capitalize on the season, when tomatoes eggplant, herbs, fruit, greens and more are plentiful and excellent.

This last point is important. Not everything needs to be farmers market quality, but its not too much to expect ripe fruit, fragrant herbs and juicy greens.

Salt, to taste, is a given in all of these recipes. Pepper, too (if I want you to use a lot of pepper, I say so).

Herein, then, are enough salad ideas to tide you over until the weather cools down.

MOSTLY Vegan SALADS

1. Cube watermelon and combine with tomato chunks, basil and basic vinaigrette. You can substitute peach for the watermelon or the tomato (but not both, O.K.?). You can also add bacon or feta, but there goes the vegan-ness.

2. Mix wedges of tomatoes and peaches, add slivers of red onion, a few red-pepper flakes and cilantro. Dress with olive oil and lime or lemon juice. Astonishing.

3. A nice cucumber salad: Slice cucumbers thin (if theyre fat and old, peel and seed them first), toss with red onions and salt, then let sit for 20 to 60 minutes. Rinse, dry, dress with cider vinegar mixed with Dijon mustard; no oil necessary.

4. Shave raw asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler. Discard the tough first pass of the peeler i.e., the peel but do use the tips, whole. Dress with lemon vinaigrette and coarse salt. (Chopped hard-boiled eggs optional but good.)

5. Grate or very thinly slice Jerusalem artichokes; mix with pitted and chopped oil-cured olives, olive oil, lemon juice and a sprinkling of coarsely ground cumin. Unusual and wonderful.

6. Sichuan slaw: Toss bean sprouts, shredded carrots and celery, minced fresh chili, soy sauce, sesame oil and a bit of sugar. Top with chopped peanuts and chopped basil, mint and/or cilantro. (The full trio is best.)

7. Grate carrots, toast some sunflower seeds, and toss with blueberries, olive oil, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Sweet, sour, crunchy, soft.

8. Chop or slice radishes (or jicama, or the ever-surprising kohlrabi) and combine with chopped or sliced unripe (i.e., still crunchy) mango, lime juice and mint or cilantro.

9. Chop or slice jicama (or radishes or kohlrabi) and mango and mix with coconut milk, lime juice, curry powder and cilantro or mint.

10. Cook whole grape tomatoes in olive oil over high heat until they brown lightly, sprinkling with curry powder. Cool a bit, then toss with chopped arugula, loads of chopped mint and lime juice.

11. Chop and steam baby or grown-up bok choy until crisp-tender, then shock it in ice water. Drain, then toss with halved cherry tomatoes, capers, olive oil and lemon juice.

12. Combine sliced fennel and prune plums; serve with vinaigrette spiked with minced ginger. Nice pairing.

13. A red salad: Combine tomato wedges with halved strawberries, basil leaves, shaved Parmesan and balsamic vinegar.

14. A classic Moroccan thing: Thinly slice carrots, or grate or shred them (the food processor makes quick work of this). Toss with toasted cumin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and cilantro. Raisins are good in here, too. There is no better use of raw carrots.

15. Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half; toss with soy sauce, a bit of dark sesame oil and basil or cilantro. I love this the tomato juice-soy thing is incredible.

16. Slice fennel and crisp apple about the same thickness (your choice). Combine, then dress with mustardy vinaigrette and chopped parsley. Come fall, this will be even better.

17. With thanks to Szechuan Gourmet restaurant: Finely chop celery and mix with a roughly equal amount of pressed or smoked tofu, chopped. Dress with peanut oil warmed with chili flakes and Sichuan peppercorns, then mixed with soy sauce.

18. Roughly chop cooked or canned chickpeas (you can pulse them, carefully, in a food processor) and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, lots of chopped fresh parsley and mint, and a few chopped tomatoes. Call this chickpea tabbouleh.

19. Mix cooked cannellini or other white beans, chopped cherry or grape tomatoes and arugula or baby spinach. Lightly toast sliced garlic in olive oil with rosemary and red pepper flakes; cool slightly, add lemon zest or juice or both, then pour over beans.

20. Shred Napa cabbage and radishes. The dressing is roasted peanuts, lime juice, peanut or other oil, cilantro and fresh or dried chili, all whizzed in a blender. Deliciousness belies ease.

21. Dice cucumbers (if theyre fat and old, peel and seed them first) and toss with cubes of avocado, a little mirin (or honey, but then its not vegan), rice vinegar and soy sauce. (You could mix in a little lump crab meat, really not vegan, even rice, and call it a California roll salad.)

22. Thinly slice button mushrooms; toss with finely chopped carrots and celery and mix with mung bean sprouts. Finish with peanut or olive oil, sherry vinegar, a little soy sauce and minced ginger. (This is a super vinaigrette, by the way.)

23. Thinly slice some cucumbers (if theyre fat and old, peel and seed them first), red onions, radishes and fresh chili pepper. Soak for a few minutes in equal amounts vinegar and water, with some salt and sugar. When they taste lightly pickled, drain and serve, alone or over rice.

24. Blanch spinach, then drain and shock in ice water. Squeeze it dry, chop it and toss it with toasted pine nuts, raisins, olive oil and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Capers are good, too. Quite elegant, actually.

25. Combine chopped bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, chilies and cilantro, then toss with corn tortilla strips, toasted in a 350-degree oven until crisp (or yes, use packaged chips; why not?). Dust with chili powder and lots of lime juice.

26. Combine mushroom caps and thinly sliced red onions with olive oil; broil gently until tender and browned. Toss with a lot of chopped fresh parsley or basil (or both) and a simple vinaigrette. Some chopped escarole, arugula or watercress is good, too.

27. Cook whole, unpeeled eggplant in a dry, hot skillet or on a grill, turning occasionally, until completely collapsed and soft. Chop and toss with toasted pita, toasted pine nuts, cooked white beans and halved cherry tomatoes. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice and lots of black pepper. Or a (non-vegan) yogurt dressing is good, especially one laced with tahini.

28. Toss mche or another soft green with toasted slivered almonds and roughly chopped fresh figs. Thin some almond butter with water and sherry vinegar to taste and use as a dressing. Some will like this with fresh goat cheese.

29. Pit and halve cherries (or halve and pit cherries), then cook gently with olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar until they break down. Toss with chopped radicchio, endive, escarole or a combination, some toasted hazelnuts and more oil and vinegar, if necessary.

30. Fast, grown-up potato salad: Boil bite-size red potatoes. While still warm, dress them with olive oil, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, capers and parsley. Chopped shallots, bell peppers, etc., all welcome, too.

31. Roast beets whole (or buy them precooked), then slice or cube and toss with a little chopped garlic (or a lot of roasted garlic), toasted walnuts, orange juice and olive oil.

32. Same deal with the beets, but toss with cooked corn, arugula, olive oil, sherry vinegar and chopped shallots.

33. The real five-bean: Chickpeas, cannellini or other white beans, kidney or other red beans, steamed string beans and steamed yellow wax beans. Toss with vinaigrette, chopped scallions or red onion, and parsley.

34. Grill quartered romaine hearts, radicchio and/or endive. Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar, and add dill and chopped shallots. Teeny-tiny croutons are great on this.

35. Combine cooked or canned black beans with shredded cabbage and this vinaigrette: olive oil, fresh orange juice, not much sherry vinegar, ground cumin.

36. Mix cooked or canned chickpeas with toasted coconut, shredded carrots, chopped celery, curry powder, olive oil, lime juice and cilantro.

Vegetarian SALADS

37. Cube smoked tofu, then brush it with a mixture of honey and orange juice; broil until browned. Toss with chopped cucumbers, radishes and peas or pea shoots; drizzle with soy sauce and lime juice.

38. Cube watermelon; combine with roughly chopped mint, crumbled feta, sliced red onion and chopped Kalamata olives. Dress lightly with olive oil and lemon juice. Despite saltiness of feta and olives, this may need salt.

39. Yucatecan street food as salad: Roast fresh corn kernels in a pan with a little oil; toss with cayenne or minced chilis, lime juice and a little queso fresco. Cherry tomatoes are optional.

40. Slice cucumber and top with capers, olive oil, lots of pepper and little dollops of fresh ricotta. Note: cucumbers, ricotta and oil must all be really good.

41. Halve avocados and scoop out some but not all of their flesh. Roughly chop and toss with black beans, queso fresco, cilantro, chopped tomatillos and lime juice. Serve in the meaty avocado shells.

42. Trim crusts if necessary from day-or-two-old bread (or even three-day-old bread), cube and marinate in black olive tapenade thinned with more olive oil. Add chopped capers and toss with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. (Anchovies optional.)

43. Grate raw beets (use the food processor to avoid ruining everything within spattering distance) and toss with watercress or arugula. Top with sherry vinaigrette and a little goat cheese. Especially obvious, perhaps, but also especially popular.

44. Make a crisp grilled cheese sandwich, with good bread and not too much good cheese. Let it cool, then cut into croutons. Put them on anything, but especially tomato and basil salad. This you will do forever.

45. Halve or quarter cooked artichoke hearts (the best are fresh and grilled, but you can use canned or frozen) and combine with cherry tomatoes, bits of feta or Parmesan or both, olive oil and lemon juice.

46. Saut mushrooms and shallots in olive oil. Add a lot of spinach, chopped unless the leaves are small. When it wilts, stir in parsley and crumbled blue cheese. Feels like a steakhouse side-dish salad.

47. Thinly slice raw button mushrooms; combine with sliced or shaved Parmesan, parsley and a vinaigrette of olive oil, sherry vinegar and shallots.

48. Toss roughly chopped dandelion greens (or arugula or watercress) with chopped preserved lemon, chickpeas, crumbled feta and olive oil. (Before you start cursing me out, heres a quick way to make preserved lemons: chop whole lemons and put in a bowl with the juice of another lemon or two, sprinkle with a fair amount of salt and let sit for an hour or so.)

49. Toss greens with walnuts, blue cheese and raspberries; drizzle with a simple vinaigrette. Sell for $14 a serving.

50. Its puttanesca-ish: Egg salad with pitted black olives, chopped tomatoes, capers, anchovies (optional), a tiny bit of garlic and some red onion; mayonnaise as needed.

51. Arrange sliced ripe tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs on a platter; scatter a handful of chopped pitted green olives on top. Drizzle with a dressing made with olive oil, sherry vinegar and a teaspoon of pimentn.

52. Chop hard-boiled eggs and mix with just enough mayonnaise to bind; spoon into endive leaves. Top each with a small canned sardine and drizzle with a vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice and mustard.

53. Peel beets and grate them in a food processor. Mix equal parts plain yogurt and tahini, and toss with the beets along with lemon juice and zaatar (a mixture of toasted sesame seeds, dried green herbs and ground sumac; you can make it yourself using dried thyme).

54. Slice roasted red peppers (if you must use canned, try to find piquillos) and fresh mozzarella. Toss with cooked white beans, olive oil, red wine vinegar, a chopped shallot and fresh rosemary or parsley.

SALADS WITH SEAFOOD

55. Mix watercress with chopped smoked salmon, avocado, red onion and capers. Make a vinaigrette with olive oil, sherry vinegar and mustard powder.

56. Salade nioise, sort of: On or around a bed of greens, make mounds of olives, cooked new potatoes and green beans (warm or at room temperature), good tomatoes, capers, fennel slivers, hard-cooked eggs and good quality Italian canned tuna. None of these is crucial; you get the idea. Serve with vinaigrette or aioli.

57. Toss cubes of day-or-more-old good bread with soy sauce, chopped sauted shrimp, chopped radishes and cilantro. Like a weird shrimp toast panzanella.

58. Sear tuna until rare (for that matter, you could leave it raw) and cut it into small cubes. Toss with shredded jicama or radish and shredded Napa cabbage; season with mirin, soy sauce and cilantro. Avocado and/or wasabi paste are great with this, too.

59. Sear tuna, or use good canned tuna. Chop it up and mix with chopped olives, capers, tomatoes, parsley and olive oil.

60. Ditto on the tuna. Mix with chopped apples, halved seedless grapes, chopped red onion, olive oil, a bit of cumin and black pepper.

61. Mix canned salmon (sockeye, or use cooked fresh) with capers, chopped celery, yogurt or mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Serve on greens or in endive leaves.

62. Dust shrimp with chili powder. Saut in butter or oil (or a combination) with fresh corn kernels and flavorful cooking greens (bok choy is good, as is watercress). Add halved cherry tomatoes and lime juice at the last minute.

63. Sunday brunch salad: Mix diced cucumbers, chopped tomato, minced red onion and capers with bits of smoked salmon. Dress with lemon juice (you wont need much oil, if any). Take a step further by adding croutons of cubed toasted bagels.

64. Alternative Sunday brunch: Shred or chop cucumbers (if theyre fat and old, peel and seed them first), then toss with flaked smoked trout or whitefish, capers, dill, lemon juice and olive oil.

65. In a hot pan, flash-cook cut-up squid in a little olive oil for no more than two minutes. Toss with cooked or canned chickpeas, chopped bell peppers, lemon juice, a little more oil and parsley.

66. In a hot pan, sear sea scallops for a minute or two on each side, depending on size. Slice or chop, then toss with thinly sliced fennel and lemon or orange vinaigrette and some chopped fennel fronds.

67. Bread salad for anchovy lovers: Chop together many anchovies, a few capers, lemon juice and olive oil (or anchovy oil). Toss with cubes of toasted bread and chopped tomatoes or halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

68. Mix crab meat with pan-roasted corn, chopped avocado, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and perhaps a bit of cilantro and crumbled ancho chili.

69. Stir-fry small or chopped shrimp in olive or peanut oil with lots of ginger; while still warm, combine with tomato wedges, chopped romaine, cilantro, scallions and lots of lime juice. Good in pita.

SALADS WITH MEAT

70. Shred brussels sprouts in the food processor, preferably with the slicing disk. Toss with vinaigrette and crumbled bacon.

71. Combine sliced green tomatoes and sliced fresh mozzarella; top with roughly chopped basil, olive oil, black pepper and crumbled bacon.

72. Sort-of carpaccio salad: Broil or grill skirt or sirloin steak very rare and slice very thin. Arrange on a plate with tomato wedges, lettuce and lemon juice.

73. Hawaiitalian: Combine pineapple chunks with bits of any cured pork product cooked guanciale is ideal, or any ham and a not-too-subtle chili vinaigrette.

74. Julienne red, yellow and orange bell peppers; mix with thinly sliced red onion, olive oil and cooked crumbled sausage or chopped salami.

75. The Little Italy salad: Chop or julienne salami and prosciutto, then toss with cubed mozzarella, chopped tomato, pepperoncini, oil and wine vinegar.

76. Slice fresh figs many, if you live where they grow and top with crumbled bacon, balsamic vinegar (the best you have) and crumbled blue cheese.

77. Combine shredded cabbage or lettuce with bits of good turkey, Swiss cheese and rye croutons. Top with good old Russian dressing, call it a turkey sandwich salad and dont knock it until you try it.

78. What happens when your Chicago hot dog falls apart: Toss together tomato wedges, chopped pickles, hot peppers, shredded lettuce and a few slices of broiled or grilled hot dog. Dress with a vinaigrette made with mustard (should be yellow for authenticity, but ...) and celery salt. (You could throw in freshly made croutons; inauthentic, but better than a hot dog bun.)

79. Sear a steak and move it to a cutting board (dont wash the pan); wait a minute or two, then slice. Cut kale (preferably black, also known as Tuscan, or dino kale) into thin ribbons and toss in the pan over high heat for a minute. Turn off the heat, add chopped black olives, olive oil and sherry vinegar. Serve kale with steak on top.

80. Sort-of-Cobb salad: Choose any combination of hard-cooked eggs, chopped prosciutto, cooked chicken, crumbled Gorgonzola, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas or white beans, sliced red onion, olives. Make vinaigrette with capers and anchovies.

81. Soak sliced prune plums or figs in balsamic vinegar for a few minutes, then add olive oil, chopped celery and red onion, shreds of roasted or grilled chicken, chopped fresh marjoram or oregano and chopped almonds. Serve on top of or toss with greens. So good.

82. Cut pancetta into matchsticks and crisp in a skillet with some oil, then caramelize onions in the fat. Toss both with chopped bitter greens radicchio, escarole or endive, for example toasted pine nuts and halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

83. Toss thinly sliced Vidalia or other sweet onions with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Sear a skirt steak and let sit a minute; slice it thin. Toss salad greens with the onions, roasted red peppers, and steak; add a little more oil and vinegar if necessary.

SALADS WITH NOODLES

84. Spring rolls, unrolled: One at a time, soften a few sheets of rice paper in warm water. Drain, pat dry, cut into strips and toss with chopped cucumber, grated carrots, chopped cilantro, bean sprouts, chili flakes and chopped roasted peanuts. Dress with toasted sesame oil, fish sauce or soy sauce, and rice vinegar or lime juice. A few shrimp are a nice addition.

85. Mix lots of arugula with somewhat less cold whole wheat penne, lemon zest, olive oil and Parmesan. The idea is an arugula salad with pasta, not a pasta salad with arugula.

86. Toss chilled cooked soba noodles with diced cucumber (if theyre fat and old, peel and seed them first), a small amount of hijiki reconstituted with water, toasted sesame seeds and a vinaigrette laced with soy sauce and miso.

87. Cold not-sesame noodles: Combine about a half-cup peanut butter with a tablespoon soy sauce and enough coconut milk to make the mixture creamy (about a half cup), along with garlic and chili flakes in a blender or food processor. Toss sauce with cooked and cooled noodles, a load of mint, Thai basil, and/or cilantro, and lime juice. Shredded cucumber and carrots optional.

88. Toss cooked pasta with roasted red peppers, toasted walnuts, fresh goat cheese, basil and olive oil. Corny, but still good.

89. Soak or cook rice noodles, drain and rinse; toss with cubed unripe mango, chopped peanuts, shredded carrot and minced scallion. Make a dressing of rice vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, chili and a bit of sugar.

90. Sort of classic pasta salad: Pasta, artichoke hearts, sliced prosciutto or salami, chopped plum tomato. Dress with olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar, perhaps with some mustard.

GRAIN SALADS

91. Cereal for grown-ups: Start with puffed brown rice; toss with chopped tomatoes, scallions, a minced chili, cooked or canned chickpeas and toasted unsweetened coconut. Dress with coconut milk and lime juice.

92. Simmer a cup of bulgur and some roughly chopped cauliflower florets until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Toss with chopped tarragon, roughly chopped hazelnuts, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil and lemon juice.

93. Mix leftover rice with lemon or lime juice, soy sauce and a combination of sesame and peanut oils. Microwave if necessary to soften the rice, then serve at room temperature, tossed with sprouts, shredded radishes, chopped scallions, bits of cooked meat or fish if you like and more soy sauce.

94. Cook and cool quinoa. Toss with olive oil, loads of lemon juice, tons of parsley, some chopped tomatoes and, if you like, toasted pine nuts. Call it quinoa tabbouleh.

95. Mix cooked couscous or quinoa with orange zest and juice, olive oil, maybe honey, sliced oranges, raisins or dried cranberries, chopped red onion and chopped almonds. Serve over greens, or not.

96. Cook short-grain white rice in watered-down coconut milk (be careful that it doesnt burn) and a few cardamom pods. While warm, toss with peas (they can be raw if theyre fresh and tender), chopped cashews or pistachios, a pinch of chili flakes and chopped raw spinach.

97. Toss cooked, cooled farro, wheat berries, barley or other chewy grain with chopped-up grapes. Add olive oil, lemon juice and thinly sliced romaine lettuce; toss again, with ricotta salata or feta if you want.

98. Toss cooked bulgur with cooked chickpeas, quartered cherry or grape tomatoes, a little cumin, lots of chopped parsley, and lemon juice.

99. Toss cooked quinoa with fresh sliced apricots, cherries, pecans, and enough lemon and black pepper to make the whole thing savory.

100. Mash a canned chipotle with some of its adobo and stir with olive oil and lime juice. Toss with drained canned hominy, fresh corn cut from the cob (or drained pinto beans), cilantro and green onions.

101. Cook a pot of short-grain rice. While its still hot, toss with raw grated zucchini, fermented black beans, sriracha, sesame oil, sake and a touch of rice vinegar. Add bits of leftover roast chicken or pork if you have it, and pass soy sauce at the table.

Scallions- Scallions are most commonly referred to as green onions in the United States. They are a variety of young onions with a long, thin white base that has not yet developed into a bulb and long straight green stalks that look like giant chives. Both the white base and the green stalks are commonly eaten.

Recipe from Flos Walter fellow csa'er- Here is a recipe for scallions - a traditional spring dish given to me by a Russian friend.
Scallions chopped (as many as you wish - I suggest several cups at least)
Sour cream to taste (to make it more healthy I use 1/2 plain nonfat yogurt, 1/2 mayonaise
sliced radishes and/or cucumbers make a good addition but are not necessary.

Mark Bittman's Oatmeal with Scallions and Soy Sauce
- serves one -
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats (steel cut is my personal recommendation)2 cups water2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon scallions for stirring, 1 teaspoon for garnishA couple shakes of sea salt
1. Combine water, salt, and oats in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to high. When the water boils, turn to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the water is just about absorbed (about 5 minutes).
2. Turn off heat, stirring in 1 tablespoon of scallions and soy sauce while the pot cools down. Sprinkle that last teaspoon of scallions on top for extra crunch.
Note: You can also do this in the microwave. Some will call this sacrilegious, and sure, maybe the texture is compromised a tad, but if you're in an office or getting anxious thinking about a pot, it's fine. Just cook the oats, water and scallions for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, and add soy sauce and extra scallion garnish after.

Spinach- Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach with its delicate texture and jade green color provide more nutrients than any other food. Although spinach is available throughout the year, its season runs from March through May and from September through October when it is the freshest, has the best flavor and is most readily available.

Spinach Quiche

Snap Peas-

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

1/2 lb sugar snap peas
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
S & P to taste


1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut off rough edge of peas and a bit of the string along the side (your preference how much).
3. Spread peas onto baking sheet so that they are in a single layer. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with shallots, thyme and salt.
4. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Servings: 4

SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH ASIAN DRESSING

Serves 6 To mingle the flavors, you can let the peas and dressing stand for up to ten minutes. More than that and the peas start to lose their bright green color.

2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 scallion (white and green
parts), sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh gingerroot
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Salt and ground black pepper
1 recipe Blanched Sugar Snap Peas

1. Toast sesame seeds over medium heat in small skillet, shaking pan often to promote even cooking, until light brown and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine juice, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, scallion, and ginger in small bowl. Whisk in oils. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in sesame seeds. (Dressing can be set aside for several hours.)

3. Toss dressing with peas and serve.

Summer Squash-Summer squash are a subset of squashes that are harvested when immature (while the rind is still tender and edible). All summer squashes are the fruits of the species Cucurbita pepo (although not all squashes of this species are considered summer squashes), but they are considered vegetables in terms of culinary use. The name "summer squash" refers to the short storage life of these squashes, unlike that of winter squashes.

Grilled New Potato and Summer Squash Salad

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

- serves 6 to 8 as a side -

Ingredients

10 medium-size new potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
3 to 4 small yellow summer pattypan squash, cut in half
1 bunch of green onions or spring onions
A big splash of olive oil
2 lemons, cut in half
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Clove of garlic, mashed and chopped
A couple drops of toasted sesame oil
Salt
Half a head of red leaf lettuce, washed and cut into bite-size pieces

Procedure

1. Light a chimney 3/4 full of charcoal. While the fire is lighting toss the potato halves, squash, and green onions with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

2. Whisk together the rice vinegar, olive oil, garlic, sesame oil, and a couple pinches of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. When charcoal is fully lit and covered in gray ash, pour coals out and arrange them on one side of the charcoal grate, keeping the other side empty. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Place potato halves, squash, green onions, and lemons, cut side down, directly over the fire. Move and flip vegetables for even browning. When potatoes are browned on all sides, move to the cooler side of the grill. When squash, green onions, and lemons have browned, remove to a platter. Continue to grill potatoes, covered, until cooked through. Remove potatoes to the platter with the other vegetables.

4. Toss the lettuce with a splash of the dressing, and turn it out onto a large platter. Now toss the vegetables (but not the lemons) with a big splash of the dressing and arrange it on top of the lettuce sprinkled with the reserved grilled green onion segments. Garnish with the lemon and serve.

Swiss Chard-

Chard Frittata
from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters (posted by Christina Schubert)
Wash and separate the stems from
1 bunch of chard
Cut the stems into 1/4-inch slices. Coarsely chop the leaves.
Heat in a heavy pan, over medium heat:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Add:
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
Cook for 5 minutes and add the chard stems. Season with salt.
Cook for 4 minutes and add the leaves. Cook until the leaves are
tender, adding a splash of water if the pan dries out. Turn out of the
pan onto a plate. Crack into a large bowl:
6 eggs
Add:
Salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Fresh-ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Beat lightly. Gently squeeze the chard with your hands, wringing out
most, but not all, of the liquid. Stir the chard into the beaten eggs.
Thoroughly preheat a 10-inch heavy or nonstick pan over medium-low
heat. Pour in:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
After a few seconds, pour in the egg mixture. As the eggs set on the
bottom, lift the edges to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath.
Continue to cook until mostly set. Invert a plate on top of the pan;
turn the plate and pan upside down to turn out the frittata onto the
plate. Pour in 1 teaspoon olive oil. Slide the frittata back into the
pan. Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes. Slide onto a plate and serve warm
or at room temperature.
(or you can stick the pan in the oven for a few minutes instead of
flipping it onto a plate to set the middle)

Swiss Chard Tian
from A Complete Menu Cookbook for All Occasions by Brother Victor-Antoine dAvila-Latourrette 4-6 servings

1 pound (or one generous bunch, if thats what youve got!), trimmed
Olive oil, as needed
1 leek or 1 onion, chopped (if using a leek, make sure its cleaned, and only use the white and light green parts)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
S and P to taste
4 teaspoons water
Bread Crumbs, as needed

1. Chop the chard, both leaves and stems, and then boil the chard for about 20 minutes in lightly salted water. Drain the chard and set it aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour some olive oil into a large skillet. Add the onion and saute lightly over low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for another minute. Add the Swiss chard and continue sauteing for 2-3 minutes more, blending the ingredients well. Beat the eggs in a deep bowl, add the salt, pepper, and water. Mix well.

4. Butter thoroughly a long, ovenproof dish. Place the chard mixture in it and spread evenly. Pour the egg mixture on the top and also spread evenly. Sprinkle some bread crumbs over the top surface. Place the dish in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Greens Tacos

This recipe is one of my favorite breakfast recipes, but of course it would work at any time of day. Please note the amounts given are approximate, I don't measure anything when I make these. You could use more or less of any one of these ingredients. Serves 2-3

3/4 pounds greens, cleaned well and sliced into approximate 1 inch pieces (today I used arugula and radish greens, leaving the radish roots' in the fridge to be munched on later. the greens are good to eat, but they don't last long!)

2 teaspoons cooking oil
2 stalks green garlic, cleaned as a leek and chopped, or another allium family, whatever you have on hand (onion, green onion, garlic, leek.....)
Pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne
2 Tablespoons cream cheese
4-6 small corn tortillas or 2-3 larger flour ones

Heat the oil and add the garlic, having the greens ready to go, and cook garlic for about 30 seconds. Then add greens and cook until bright green and wilted, add red pepper (and salt and black pepper if you like). Take off heat and stir in cream cheese. Heat tortillas, divide filling among them.

SAUTEED SWISS CHARD

Melt butter with oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saut until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chard; stir to coat. Cover; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to bowl and serve. Serves 4.

Bon Apptit, March 1999

IDEAS FOR CHARD

- Saute chard with garlic in olive oil. Put a cover on the pan and allow chard to steam for about 5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and , if desired, some hot pepper flakes before serving.
- Blanch the leaves and add to soup. Try substituting chard for spinach or arugula in soup recipes.
- Make a gratin with the stems: Boil the stems until tender (about 30 minutes). Put them in a gratin dish, add seasonings (such as a little garlic and parsley), top with a bechamel sauce and cook under broiler until golden brown.
- Blanch the whole leaves and stuff them with meat or vegetable fillings.

Built around grains and produce, Asian diets are among the healthiest in the world and I think the stir-fry is a prime example. Meat and fish may be present in relatively small quantities, contributing protein, flavor and body. But 2 to 4 ounces of pork, chicken or shrimp per serving is plenty when the dish is filled out with snow peas or sugar snap peas, eggplant, red and green peppers, or greens.

Most of the time that you devote to a stir-fry goes into chopping and measuring out ingredients. Sometimes the list looks long to me, and I fear the dish is going to take forever to make. But while I may spend 30 minutes prepping everything, Ill spend only five minutes at the stove. For things to go well, its important that the mise en place be organized. If liquids are to be added to a dish at the same time, combine them in one bowl or measuring cup. If the garlic and ginger are to be added together, have them minced and combined in a small container. Clean your work area before you start cooking, and have everything close to the stove. Once you begin to stir-fry, you wont be able to do anything except grab the next ingredient. Read the recipe carefully from beginning to end, have the table set, your rice or noodles cooked and plates ready.

Stir-Fried Tofu With Red Chard

I love the pink color that tofu takes on when cooked with red chard. Beet greens would also do the trick. In this recipe, blanching the greens is part of the prep.

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped or grated fresh ginger

3/4 pound firm tofu, sliced 1/2 inch thick, into 1- by 2-inch dominoes

1 large bunch or 2 smaller bunches red chard (about 1 1/2 pounds), stemmed and thoroughly cleaned (retain the stems)

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1. Mix together the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the ginger and the sugar. Toss with the tofu in a bowl, and set aside. Marinate for 15 minutes or longer. Refrigerate if not using right away. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water.

2. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the red chard leaves. Cook the chard 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender, and transfer with a slotted spoon or deep-fry skimmer to the ice water. Drain and squeeze out the water (you dont have to squeeze it completely dry). Chop coarsely and set aside.

3. Trim the ends of the chard stalks, clean them well and slice crosswise, about 1/4 inch thick.

4. Heat a large, heavy nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirl to coat the pan and reduce the heat to medium-high. Lift the tofu from the marinade, and add to the pan. Stir-fry for two to three minutes, until lightly colored. Add the chard stalks, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic and remaining ginger, and stir together for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the blanched red chard, and stir-fry with the tofu for one minute. Add the tofu marinade and cook, stirring, for another minute or two, until heated through and fragrant. Remove from the heat and serve, with rice or noodles.

Chard Stuffed With Risotto and Mozzarella
Adapted from La Zucca Magica, Nice
Time: About an hour
6 cups vegetable broth, more if needed
1 cup arborio rice
Large pinch of saffron
2 lemons, zested
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 big chard leaves
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling.
1. Cook rice in vegetable broth, starting with one cup; add broth in stages, using about 3 cups total, until rice is barely tender. Reserve unused broth. Dissolve saffron in juice of one lemon. Add to rice, along with butter, Parmesan, zest of one lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Allow rice to cool a bit. Recipe can be made up to an hour in advance at this point, but do not refrigerate rice.
2. Poach chard leaves in about 2 cups remaining broth for about 30 seconds. Take out, drain on a dishcloth, and cut out the hardest part of central stem. Reserve cooking broth.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With wet hands, form 6 balls of rice 2 to 3 inches across. Dig a hole in ball and insert a piece of mozzarella. Wrap each ball in a chard leaf.
4. Put balls in a close-fitting oven pan, with enough reserved broth to come about a half-inch up sides of balls; bake 15 minutes. Serve balls topped with a little more broth, more lemon zest, Parmesan and olive oil.
Yield: 6 servings.

White Beans With Swiss Chard and Rice
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This brothy dish isnt quite brothy enough to qualify as a soup its more of a filling stew. I like to combine beans and greens, but this time I threw in some rice, which makes the dish all the more comforting and filling.
3/4 pound Swiss chard (1 small bunch)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound (1 1/8 cups) white beans, washed and picked over
1 bay leaf
1 Parmesan rind (optional but recommended)
Salt
1 cup rice
Freshly ground pepper
A few drops of fresh lemon juice (optional)
1. Stem the Swiss chard, and wash both the stems and the leaves in at least two changes of water until thoroughly clean. Dice the stems if theyre wide, and set aside. Stack the leaves and cut in wide ribbons or chop coarsely. Set aside separately from the stems.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion and diced chard stems. Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about five minutes. Add half the garlic, and stir together for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant. Add the beans, bay leaf, Parmesan rind (tie the bay leaf and rind together with a kitchen string to make retrieval easier) and 2 quarts water. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat and simmer one hour. Add the remaining garlic and salt to taste, and simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour until the beans are tender.
3. Add the rice and pepper, and simmer 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir in the chard leaves, and simmer another five to 10 minutes until the chard is tender but still bright. The mixture should be soupy but thick. Season to taste with salt and fresh black pepper. Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice 2 to 3 teaspoons if desired, and serve in wide soup bowls.
Yield: Serves four.

Tomatoes- Heirloom & Standard-

What lies beneath that yellow and green striped skin? How does the muddy purple-red one taste, and why are some so lumpy and misshapen?

An heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down through generations of a family because of certain characteristics the family valued. For example, seeds might be saved from a variety of tomato plant because it was prized for juiciness, flavor, adaptability to a certain climate, resistance to cracking, sweetness, drought tolerance, or its suitability for canning or sauce.

Essentially, an heirloom tomato is an heirloom plant, an open pollinated (non-hybrid) cultivar of tomato. All heirloom varieties are open-pollinated, but not all open-pollinated varieties are heirloom.

The importance of heirloom tomatoes, in addition to their great flavor is the preservation of bio-diversity in our plant world. The fact that each heirloom is genetically unique will assure that some form of tomato survives, if the more popular hybrid varieties are attacked by a plant epidemic or infestation by pests.

Heirloom tomato names are colorful and prosaic: Brandywine, Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Orange Russian No. 117, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Hillbilly stripe, Mortgage Lifter, Boxcar Willie, and Black & Green Zebra to name a few...

Tomato and Corn Pie
Adapted from Gourmet, August 2009

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly pured in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipes suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if youre using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until youre ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired (see Notes above recipe), gently remove seeds and extra juices. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

Black Bean Soup With Cumin and Tomatoes
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Black beans are a great low-budget staple; ask anyone from southern Mexico or Brazil. They are loaded with anthocyanins, the phytonutrients found in blue and dark red foods (such as blueberries, red grapes, and red cabbage) that are being studied for their antioxidant properties. This is a simplified version of a black bean soup from the Veracruz region of Mexico. If you want spice, use the chipotle or serrano chile, but the dish is tasty with or without the extra heat.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, halved
1 cup dried black beans, washed and picked over
6 cups water
1 14-ounce can tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground
1 canned chipotle pepper, rinsed, or 1 serrano pepper, coarsely chopped (optional)
1. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, and add two of the garlic cloves. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, and add the beans and the water. Discard any of the beans that float, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours until the beans are tender.
2. While the beans are simmering, combine the remaining onion, drained tomatoes, cumin, chile and remaining garlic in a blender, and blend until smooth. Heat the remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot enough for a drop of the puree to sizzle upon contact. Add the puree, and cook, stirring, for five to 10 minutes until the mixture is thick and leaves a canal when you run a spoon or spatula down the center of the pan. Stir in a cup of liquid from the beans, and simmer over medium heat for five to 10 minutes until thick and fragrant. Scrape into the beans with a rubber spatula. Season the beans with salt, and simmer another 15 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
3. Blend the soup coarsely using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender (cover the top with a towel to avoid hot splashes) or a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Return to the pot, and heat through, stirring. Serve with warm corn tortillas.
Yield: Serves four.

Winter squash- Winter squash comes in shapes round and elongated, scalloped and pear-shaped with flesh that ranges from golden-yellow to brilliant orange. Most winter squashes are vine-type plants whose fruits are harvested when fully mature. They take longer to mature than summer squash (3 months or more) and are best harvested once the cool weather of fall sets in. They can be stored for months in a cool basement-hence the name "winter" squash.

Acorn Squash - Easily found in supermarkets. As its name suggests, this winter squash is shaped like an acorn. One of my favorite baking squashes, it's easy to slice into halves and fill with butter.. A small acorn squash weighs from 1 to 3 pounds, and has sweet, slightly fibrous flesh. Its distinct ribs run the length of its hard, blackish-green or golden-yellow skin. In addition to the dark green acorn, there are now golden and multi-colored varieties.

Bulgur and Freekeh Pilaf with Roasted Butternut Squash, Feta and Parsley

(makes about 6 servings)
1 cup bulgur1 cup freekeh5 cups waterabout 1 lb butternut squash, skinned, seeded and chopped into about 1-inch chunksabout 6 oz. Greek feta, crumbledhalf a bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, choppedabout 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oiljuice of half a lemondash of cayenne pepper (optional)salt and pepper to taste
Cover the bulgur with 2 cups of water and place on medium-low in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low when it begins to bubble, and cook for about 20-30 minutes, until water is all soaked up. At the same time, do the same for the freekeh and 3 cups of water. Once cooked, fluff grains with a fork and let cool, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash pieces in about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and the optional cayenne pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes; flip and toss once with a spatula and roast for another 10-15 minutes (depending on how large your chunks are) until pieces are just golden and crisp on the outside. Let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the grains with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and season with generous dashes of salt and pepper. Add the crumbled feta, squash and parsley. Serve immediately to retain crispness of the squash pieces; mixture can also be made up to a couple days in advance.

Honey Butternut Squash Soup

(makes about 4 servings)
2 lbs butternut squash (1 medium squash)3 cups vegetable stock (preferably homemade)4 tbsps honey2 tbsps olive oilSalt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp. Rinse seeds and pat dry completely. Coat in one tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Toast until seeds are just darkened.
Place squash cut side down in a separate tray coated with oil and roast about 30 minutes until tender. Cool and scoop the flesh from the skin. Puree in a food processor or with a hand blender in a pot until smooth. Thin the soup with stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Garnish with toasted seeds.

Miso Harissa Delicata Squash
1/2 pound / 8 oz / 230 g small fingerling potatoes, washed and dried
3/4 pound / 12 oz / 340 g delicata squash1/4 cup / 60 ml extra virgin olive oilscant 1/4 cup / 50 ml white misoscant 1 tablespoon harissa paste3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 ounce / 45 g kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
4 radishes, very thinly sliced1 1/2 ounces / 45g Marcona almonds, toasted pepitas, or other toasted nuts
Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C degrees. If the potatoes aren't tiny, slice them into pieces no larger than your thumb. Cut the delicata squash in half length-wise, and use a spoon to clear out all the seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch wide half-moons. You can leave the peel on these squash.
In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, miso, harissa. Place the potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 1/3 cup / 80 ml of the miso-harissa oil. Use your hands to toss well, then turn everything out onto a baking sheet. Bake until everything is baked through and browned, about 25-30 minutes. Toss once or twice along the way after things start to brown a bit. Keep an eye on things though, you can go from browned to burned in a flash.
In the meantime, whisk the lemon juice into the remaining miso-harissa oil. Taste, it should be intensely flavorful, but if yours is too spicy or salty, you can dilute it with a bit more olive oil or lemon juice. Stir the kale into the leftover dressing and set aside.
Place the warm roasted vegetables in a bowl and toss with the kale mixture, radishes, and almonds.
Serves 2 to 4.

Zucchini- Zucchini were, in the past, the quintessential Italian summer vegetable: Tiny, flavorful baby zucchini and their flowers would appear in the markets in mid-spring, to be joined by larger zucchini by early summer, and all three remained a fixture of the Italian table throughout the rest of the summer months. In many ways the situation is unvaried today; though hothouses have made zucchini available year-round, those that ripen during the summer are much more flavorful than the force-grown varieties, and consequently Italians buy zucchini primarily in the summer.

Cumin-Scented Summer Squash Salad
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
The summer squash is lightly steamed in this North African salad.

1 pound zucchini or other summer squash, thinly sliced or cut in 1/2-inch dice

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced or puréed

3/4 to 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. Steam the squash for three to five minutes until just tender. Remove from the heat.

2. Mix together the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss with the squash. You can serve this warm, in which case add the cilantro and serve. Alternately, refrigerate until shortly before serving. Toss with the cilantro and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: This will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, but the colors and flavors will be less vivid.

Zucchini and Ricotta Galette
Crust adapted from Williams-Sonoma, filling adapted from a Cooks Illustrated tart

Serves 6

For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chill again
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

Filling:
1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon slivered basil leaves

Glaze:
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Make dough: Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over dough and using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the biggest pieces of butter the size of tiny peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add this to the butter-flour mixture. With your fingertips or a wooden spoon, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make filling: Spread the zucchini out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the tops of the zucchini dry with paper towels before using. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and the garlic together; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon of the garlicky olive oil together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare galette: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet (though if you line it with parchment paper, it will be easier to transfer it to a plate later). Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Shingle the zucchini attractively on top of the ricotta in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of the garlic and olive oil mixture evenly over the zucchini. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze.

Bake the galette until the cheese is puffed, the zucchini is slightly wilted and the galette is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with basil, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Rigatoni with a zucchini sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (450 g) rigatoni or other short pasta
• 1 1/3 pounds (600 g) zucchini
• 4 tablespoons each olive oil and unsalted butter (or 1/2 cup olive oil)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 ounces (50 grams) ricotta, diluted with 2 tablespoons whole milk (optional)
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce (optional)
• Grated Parmigiano to be served at the table

Zucchini Souffl

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