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Gold Summer Salad with Grilled Squash, Corn, Roasted Peppers, and Tomatoes
This may be the most cheerful salad my table has seen all summer. With golden shades of the season’s vegetables, it features roasted peppers, tiny sweet tomatoes, and grilled squash and corn. Dressed with vinaigrette and served with herbed ricotta, it’s bright in flavor and beautiful to serve. While the vegetables are monochromatic, their textures and flavors are anything but similar. Even the squash and corn, both cooked on a grill or in a grill pan, respond differently to the same application of heat. Where the squash softens, the corn becomes crisp-tender. The yellow peppers are roasted until their skins char and are removed before being sliced into ribbony pieces.…
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Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce and Charred Scallions
A savory sauce made with fresh cherries and merlot tops tender boneless pork chops in this dish that comes together in one skillet. Even the scallions soften and char in the same pan, with their mild onion flavor being tempered by the same heat that gives the pork a golden crust. When abundant bunches of cherries are available at the market, scoop them up for this recipe. If you’ve read about my five favorite specialty kitchen tools, you know that I recommend having a cherry pitter on hand for the season. Certainly, you can slice the cherries in half and remove the pits, but a pitter makes the task so…
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Fourth of July Celebration Ideas
July 4th is one of the most enjoyable holidays because it comes with so few expectations and so many opportunities for creativity. Let this list be your guide for a stylish and tasty celebration. Make a Seasonal Barbecue Sauce: Inspired by summers on the Maine coast, this recipe relies on fresh blueberries to create a slightly sweet and smoky sauce in the style of Carolina barbecue. The vinegar-rich sauce celebrates flavors from along the East Coast. Wherever you are, it’s a tasty way to celebrate summer’s finest while adding delicious flavor to chicken and meat. Mix Plaid, Gingham, Stars and Stripes: Traditional red, white, and blue can be found on…
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Tomato Salad with Fresh Apricot Vinaigrette
Ripe heirloom tomatoes are at their finest when dressed simply, in this case with a fresh apricot vinaigrette. Paired with ricotta salata and basil, you have a light side dish that’s packed with flavor or a delicious lunch that makes use of the season’s best picks. Often people ask how I decide what to make for meals in any given week, knowing that the dishes I share with them on Thirsty Radish are what I’m enjoying at the moment. As I walk around the market, I’m guided by whatever looks freshest. In this case, brilliant yellow heirloom tomatoes caught my attention followed by other brightly colored varieties stacked in the…
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Roasted Potato Salad with Horseradish Dressing
Skip the mayonnaise and let baby potatoes roast in the oven for a twist on traditional potato salad. For this side dish, I heighten the color and natural sweetness of the potatoes before adding a horseradish dressing that’s packed with flavor. It’s not as thick as a mayonnaise-based version, and it can be mixed with the potatoes when they are warm or room temperature. Herbs and capers lend even more deliciousness before the bowl hits the table. I’ve served this dish alongside roasts and haricot verts as well as simple picnic foods. It’s a bit of a side dish chameleon that works with all types of menus. Ingredients 1 ½…
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