It was the scent of my tomato plant that I was fussing with that gave me the recognition that summer is finally upon us and, this year, it feels like good things are around the corner. I remember casual summers with friends, and lite carefree evenings with family, and how easy summer cooking is. All the lovely produce, in season, needs little else to be scrumptious. A splash of vinaigrette here, a sprinkle of flaked sea salt there, a handful of herbs…Sip a frosty high ball, grill something easy, and serve a lovely plate of fresh and juicy summer on the side. These are a couple of my favorite salads. They look impressive, taste amazing, and are really easy to make. Have a sweet season…
Recipe
Tangy Thai Tomato Salad
This salad is simple to make and yet the flavors are complex and refreshing – evoking South East Asian cuisine. Basil, mint, garlic and lime, with just a hint of sweetness. This is my current favorite salad to celebrate the bounty of summer’s tomato crop. Go crazy with different varieties to create a beautiful and interesting mosaic of tomato color and shapes! We like these vinaigrette recipes where the garlic is cooked, which eliminates that sharp, acrid taste that raw garlic imparts.VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or grated
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- Juice and zest of one lime
- Salt and pepper
SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 3 lbs tomatoes, any and all sizes, colors, and shapes
- Big pinch of salt
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced or shaved
- 1 packed tbsp finely diced jalapeño pepper
- ¼ cup mint leaves, torn
- ¼ cup basil leaves cut in a chiffonade
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small saucepan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. When oil is hot, turn off heat and quickly stir in garlic. Then add sugar and lime juice and mix well. Let cool and add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a small bowl, let the onions soak in ice cold water for 10 minutes. Slice all the tomatoes into slices and wedges or, in the case of cherry tomatoes, halves. Plate attractively and sprinkle with salt. Drain the onions and distribute evenly over the tomatoes.
- Evenly sprinkle the jalapeño, basil and mint over the tomatoes. Evenly drizzle the lime dressing over the salad and serve.
Recipe
Summer Fig and Fennel with Parmesan Crisps
This salad is lovely. The orange vinaigrette brings it all a fresh sweet pop. I have always loved to peel off the stray cooked bits of cheese from a cookie sheet or pan when cooking. A toasty morsel. When I learned to make the cheese crisps, I was delighted! A bit of prosciutto would be right on this salad, very Italian. So, if you have some good prosciutto around go right ahead. We just felt the salad is good and satisfying enough without it. You can make the crisps a day early and store them carefully in an air-tight container at room temperature.VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, pressed or grated
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- Juice and zest of ½ of an orange
SALAD INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 8 large black figs, quartered
- 5 oz arugula greens
- ½ cup shaved fennel root
- A couple of tablespoons of the fennel fronds, optional
- ½ cup thinly-sliced or shaved red onion, let rest covered in ice water for 10 minutes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400. Line an oven sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone-baking sheet. Make piles of the Parmesan cheese leaving at least 1inch apart. Bake crisps in the oven for 3-6 minutes. Remove pan from oven, let cool, then remove crisps and store in a cool dry spot.
- While the crisps cool, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, remove from heat and stir in the garlic to quickly cook without burning it. Then add sugar, zest and juice from orange. Return to heat and cook a minute to condense the orange juice. Remove from heat and let cool, salt and pepper the dressing to taste.
- Toss arugula, fennel, onions and fennel fronds, and toss with ½ dressing. Plate greens, top with fig quarters. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Add crisps as a garnish and serve.