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Grilled Nectarine and Arugula Salad with Feta, Pistachios and Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
“Talking of Pleasure, this moment I was writing with one hand, and with the other holding to my Mouth a Nectarine — good God how fine.” – John Keats Smoother than a peach, nectarines are an ideal stone fruit for grilling – no peeling required. Juicy and sweet-tart, they become even more flavorful after a brief turn on the grill pan, with char marks signaling where the natural sugars have caramelized. For a summer salad, I top baby arugula with the grilled wedges. Feta adds lightly salted creaminess, and pistachios lend the right amount of crunch. When nectarines are in season, tomatoes are too, right in a summer garden or…
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Cantaloupe Gazpacho
This cold summer soup balances savory and sweet with ripe, juicy cantaloupe and tomatoes as the base. Although gazpacho is a traditional Spanish soup, here the addition of cantaloupe and a garnish of prosciutto or jamón serrano makes it more broadly Mediterranean and, for me, taste like Italy. A staple appetizer on the Italian side of my family was prosciutto-wrapped melon. As a child, I would wrap the juicy slices and marvel at how my mother invented such a delicious pairing. I thought she had invented so many of the classics in the way we naturally ascribe inventor status to those we love. Topping the cantaloupe gazpacho with a bit…
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Pasta e Fagioli Soup with Chard
A rustic Italian soup made with pasta and beans, pasta e fagioli is a classic dish to which I add greens for extra flavor and nutrition. Even though I use mainly the leaves in this tomato-based recipe, I tend to make it with rainbow chard versus white-stemmed Swiss chard because the bright colors extend from the stems through the leaf veins, adding even more color to each bowl. If you’ve ever had a bland version of this soup or found the pasta to be too soft, try this recipe, perhaps when you’re craving a tomato soup with some tasty extras. The method and ingredients result in a satisfying meal perfect…
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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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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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