By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times
My kids are surely among the last in the country to get out of school for summer break: Their year ended on June 26. That, along with some cool, rainy days that dampened the mood mid-June, meant that when summer vacation did finally come, it arrived with a big bang of watermelon, sweet corn, ice pops and pie. I’ve now had several grilled burgers and even more margaritas; we even set off fireworks in the yard one night (apologies to my very nice neighbors).
Summer eating can be exuberant like that. If you’re in need of seasonal inspiration, I’ve got five dinners from the list for you below.
July 4 is coming up, too, and I usually make a pie — maybe sour cherry? Blueberry? (Frozen blueberries are a dream in pie, by the way. I like to buy the small wild ones, which are also great in pancakes.)
Speaking of baking, I’m excited to spread the word about “Cookies,” our latest New York Times Cooking cookbook, which is arriving in late October. It’s written by Vaughn Vreeland and packed with 100 brilliant recipes for anytime treats.
1. Oven-Seared Salmon With Corn and Tomatoes
This one-pan dinner pairs browned fish with a colorful salad of charred corn, tomatoes, scallions, herbs and lime, proving that summer cooking is best when you get out of the way of the ingredients. The salmon develops a crisp crust without requiring a sear on the stovetop thanks to a light coating of mayonnaise and the direct scorch of the broiler. You won’t taste the mayonnaise; instead, it’s there to caramelize the salmon’s surface while insulating the delicate flesh. Corn kernels cook alongside just long enough to plump, sweeten and char in spots. The salmon and salad are a meal unto themselves, or you could accompany them with quinoa or garlic bread.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 (6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, patted dry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 lime
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil or cilantro leaves
Preparation
1. Heat the broiler to high and set a rack in the upper third of the oven. On a sheet pan, toss the corn with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Push to one side. Add the salmon to the empty side of the pan, skin-side down. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper, then coat the tops with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Broil, stirring the corn occasionally, until the salmon is opaque with a browned crust and the corn is bright in color and browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. To the corn, add the tomatoes, scallions and remaining tablespoon oil. Zest the lime on top of the vegetables, then squeeze half the lime on top; cut the remaining half into wedges for serving. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper, then top with the basil leaves. Serve the salad alongside the salmon, with a squeeze of lime as you like. (After cooking, wedge your spatula between the salmon and skin to easily remove the skin.)
2. Chicken Gyro Chopped Salad
This upgraded chopped salad harnesses all the delight of a classic gyro into bite-sized, flavor packed components using ingredients and pantry items that may already be in your kitchen. Seared chicken takes the place of the usual spit-roasted chicken, pork or lamb. The meat is marinated in yogurt and a homemade Greek seasoning blend, tenderizing the meat in less than an hour. This step can also be done the day prior, with the chicken marinating for up to 24 hours. The feta adds just the right amount of tangy, briny flavor with support from the creamy tzatziki-style dressing. For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for extra firm tofu or hearty vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.
By Kia Damon
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: About 1 hour
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 7 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 2 small lemons)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally in half
- 1/2 cup dill, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup slightly crushed pita chips
- 4 ounces feta, crumbled, plus more for serving
Preparation
1. Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the oregano, cumin, cinnamon, basil, paprika, cayenne, 2 tablespoons of the garlic powder and 1 tablespoon salt with 1/4 cup of the yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the chicken to the marinade. Massage the chicken in the marinade, coating completely. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing: Whisk together the dill, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/4 cup yogurt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
3. When the chicken is done marinating, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a grill pan or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Let the excess marinade drip off the chicken and then cook the chicken, a few pieces at a time, for 5 minutes, flip and cook for another 3 minutes. The chicken should be browned on both sides and cooked though. (Because of the dairy in the marinade, expect it to caramelize a bit in the pan. Turn down the heat if it begins to burn.) Set the chicken aside to rest; it will continue to cook off the heat. Repeat with the remaining chicken. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
4. Assemble the salad: Make a bed of romaine in a large salad bowl or serving plate, then create rows of tomatoes, cucumber, onion, chicken, pita chips and crumbled feta. Drizzle with about half of the dressing and serve with the remaining dressing and more feta, if desired, on the side.
3. Chilled Tofu With Gochujang Sauce
This silken tofu, draped in a tangy, savory, chile-sweet gochujang sauce, is a warm weather epiphany: No cooking whatsoever. The sauce is essentially a chojang, a portmanteau of the Korean words for vinegar, cho, and for gochujang, the fiery fermented red chile paste, one of South Korea’s most delicious exports. Often served alongside salted boiled broccoli with sesame, this sauce is also excellent with tofu or on cold, crisp lettuce or hydrating cucumber and pepper. Make a double batch of the sauce, if you like, to keep in the fridge for last-minute crisper-drawer raids. Enjoy this on its own or with a bowl of rice.
By Eric Kim
Yield: 2 servings
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dark or light brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- Salt
- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) block silken tofu, cold
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives
Preparation
1. In a small bowl, stir together the gochujang, vinegar, brown sugar and garlic until the sugar dissolves. Season to taste with salt.
2. Run a paring knife around the edge of the box of tofu and tip out as much water as you can, then flip the tofu onto a plate. (Alternatively, you can scoop out large chunks with a spoon.) Pour the sauce over the tofu, then shower with the scallions. Serve cold.
4. Crispy Gnocchi With Spinach and Feta
Inspired by the herbaceous and jaunty flavors of spanakopita, the savory, ever popular Greek pie, spinach and feta headline this textural gnocchi salad. The spinach is not cooked, but is simply massaged, which softens it while ensuring it maintains its leafy structure. Incorporating some feta to the spinach massage is a functional move — the salt in the feta helps to tenderize the leaves — but it also adds a hint of quiet luxury to this dish, as the leaves become coated with the creamy, briny cheese. Be heavy-handed with your herbs and lemon, as these bring boldness and freshness that play off the saltiness of the feta. Everyday shelf-stable gnocchi from your local supermarket is perfect for crisping in the pan; if you choose to use the frozen variety, no defrosting is required.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 6 ounces Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 1 lemon, halved
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (16- to 17-ounce) package potato gnocchi (shelf-stable, fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Big handful of chopped dill
- Big handful of chopped mint
Preparation
1. Place the spinach into a large bowl. Add half of the feta, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt; rub the ingredients vigorously into the spinach to tenderize it. Leave to sit and soften further while you cook the gnocchi.
2. Heat a large (about 12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high; add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until golden and crispy all over. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes; they will further crisp as they cool.
3. Add the gnocchi to the spinach, along with the red pepper, scallions, dill and mint. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the remaining crumbled feta and toss to combine. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over top and serve.
5. Grilled Hasselback Kielbasa With Jalapeño Honey
Sweet, spicy and crisp, these grilled sausages and onions are a good reason to fire up the grill. Instead of leaving the sausages and onions plain, coat them with a mixture of honey, whole-grain mustard and pickled jalapeños beforehand. When hit with the heat, it will caramelize into a sticky glaze. Cutting deep slits in the sausage creates more crispy bits and area for the glaze to settle, and ensures that the sausage won’t explode or shrivel. The pickled jalapeños cut through the richness and can be nestled between the slits on the kielbasa for surprising pops of heat. Pile the sausage and onions into buns, eat alongside coleslaw and potato salad or cut the jalapeno-studded kielbasa into small pieces to serve with toothpicks for an appetizer.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, plus more for greasing
- 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- Salt and black pepper
- 14 ounces to 1 pound kielbasa
- 1 large red onion, halved through the root, then cut through the root into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices
Preparation
1. Heat the grill to medium. In a large dish, such as a 9-by-13-inch pan, use a fork to stir together the honey, oil and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prep the kielbasa.
2. Stopping short of cutting all the way through, make cuts 1/2 inch apart along the top of the kielbasa. Add the kielbasa, onions and pickled jalapeños to the dish. Use the fork to brush the kielbasa and onions with the honey mixture. Spread some of the honey mixture in between the kielbasa slices.
3. Clean and lightly grease the grill grates. Add the kielbasa and onions and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the honey mixture, until warmed through, tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep the top of a gas grill closed between flips.) Don’t worry if the kielbasa breaks apart; you’ll need to slice it for serving anyway. As ingredients are done, add them back to the dish. If you like, stick some of the jalapeños in between the slices of kielbasa.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.