Summer officially started last week, but it began earlier in my kitchen. Ripe berries and peaches are at their best, and heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn, glossy eggplant and zucchini are just waiting to be invited to the table. But I don’t blame you if you don’t quite know where to start.
At NYT Cooking, we believe the path to healthier eating starts with cooking more at home. And there’s plenty of research that shows the benefits of fruits and vegetables and, for that matter, eating less meat.
My strategy has always been fairly simple: Build meals around the season’s produce; add proteins that don’t need much, or any, cooking; then go all in with the condiments, herbs and spices. You’ll find a few more of my favorite tips below.
TURN YOUR DINNER INTO A SALAD
Take your preferred protein — rotisserie chicken, canned beans, quick-cooking salmon filets — then, instead of sides, add lettuces, herbs, tomatoes and other vegetables to make it a vibrant main course. These two recipes do just that, pairing salmon, chicken and chickpeas with loads of greens.
Recipe: Chickpea-Chicken Salad With Green Harissa Dressing
In the bustling streets of Morocco, you’ll often find vendors selling tayb o’hari, a traditional Moroccan street food of warm chickpeas served in paper cones and topped with fragrant cumin, sweet paprika and chile powder. This recipe is like a salad version of the beloved dish, with precooked chicken added for heartiness, fresh tomatoes and olives for crunch, and a spicy green harissa dressing for brightness. Serve either warm or at room temperature with good bread.
By Nargisse Benkabbou
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Green Harissa Dressing:
- 4 to 5 green chiles, such as jalapeno or serrano
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Chickpeas:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon chile powder, such as ground cayenne (optional)
For the Salad:
- 2 cups arugula or rocket
- 1/2 cup roughly torn fresh cilantro leaves, and more for garnish
- 2 heaping cups boneless cooked chicken (such as rotisserie, grilled or poached), roughly chopped or torn and seasoned lightly with salt
- 1/2 cup cherry-tomato halves, seasoned lightly with salt
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives
Preparation:
1. Prepare the dressing: If you have a gas range, turn burner to medium high. Use tongs to hold a green chile carefully about 1 to 2 inches over the open flame for about 60 seconds on each side until the skin is charred. Repeat the same process for each green chile. Alternatively, you can also roast the chiles in the oven under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until their skin is charred.
2. Let the chiles rest until they’re cool enough to handle, then use your hands or a butter knife to roughly remove the skins and seeds from the chiles, discard, then chop the flesh very finely with a knife.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chopped chiles, Greek yogurt, cumin, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, honey, salt and black pepper. If the consistency of the dressing seems too thick, don’t hesitate to add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if necessary.
4. Make the chickpeas: Heat the olive oil in a medium (10-inch) skillet over low. Add the chickpeas, cumin, paprika, salt and chile powder, if using. Cover with a lid and let cook until the chickpeas are warm and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and keep on the side, covered, until ready to serve.
5. Assemble the salad: In a large shallow bowl, arrange the arugula and cilantro. Scatter the chicken and the chickpeas on top of the leaves. Top with the tomatoes and olives. Garnish with more cilantro. Serve with the dressing on top or on the side.
Recipe: Grilled Salmon Salad With Lime, Chiles and Herbs
Made of soft, supple salmon; crisp lettuces and vegetables; and a very savory dressing run through with chiles and lime, this light salad is tangy and full of flavor. The dressing, based on nuoc cham, a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, has just enough fish sauce to give it depth and pungency without overpowering the brightness of the lime. You can substitute other fish, or even chicken, for the salmon. Just adjust the grilling time as needed, and toss with the dressing while still warm. Note that if you don’t have a grill, you can roast the fish in the oven.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 limes
- 2 small fresh red or green chiles or 1 large one, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you like
- 1 shallot (or 2 scallions, or 2 tablespoons red onion), thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Kosher salt
- Pinch of sugar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet, preferably 1 large center-cut piece
- 8 cups salad greens, such as Little Gem, bibb or Boston lettuce
- 1 cup mixed soft herbs (such as cilantro, mint and basil), leaves and tender stems
- 1 cup thinly sliced radishes, cucumbers or both (optional)
Preparation:
1. Light the grill for indirect heat, or heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. As the grill or oven heat up, make the dressing: Halve 1 lime, and squeeze its juice into a small bowl. Add the chile slices, half of the sliced shallot (save the rest for serving), the fish sauce and a pinch each salt and sugar. Let sit for 1 minute to dissolve the salt, then whisk in the olive oil. It won’t emulsify, so mix again before using.
3. Brush the salmon with oil, and place it in a grilling basket if you have one. Cook over the indirect (unlit) side of the grill, for 2 to 5 minutes per side, depending on how hot the grill is and how thick the salmon is. Note that individual fillets will cook faster than a single large piece. Check the salmon often. (Alternatively, roast the salmon on a baking sheet in the oven, until just cooked to taste, 7 to 12 minutes; you don’t have to flip it.)
4. As the salmon cooks, halve the other lime. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and grill, cut-side down, over direct heat until charred, about 1 minute. If using the oven, throw the halves, cut-side up, on the roasting pan with the salmon. They won’t char, but they will cook and mellow in flavor, which is the aim.
5. When the salmon is cooked, transfer it to a plate and spoon some dressing over it. Let it cool slightly, then break up the fish into large chunks.
6. Place greens, remaining shallots, herbs, and radishes or cucumber, if using, in a large shallow bowl or on a platter, and add a little more of the dressing. Squeeze some of the juice from a charred lime half over it and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss and taste, adding lime juice, olive oil or salt as needed.
7. Top with the salmon chunks and drizzle with more (or all) of the dressing. Serve with the remaining charred lime half on the side for squeezing.
THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT TOFU
If you can appreciate the golden exterior and crisp edges of fried or baked tofu, you may think you’ve found the best it has to offer. But the tofu-verse has soft, silky regions that are worth exploring too, especially in summer, when sultry weather encourages shorter cook times and delicate textures. The following no-cook recipe lets tofu’s soft side come through, with little to no effort.
Recipe: Silken Tofu With Spicy Soy Dressing
This recipe is inspired by the many cold silken tofu dishes from East Asia, like Japanese hiyayakko and Chinese liangban tofu. This no-cook dish is a handy one to have up your sleeve, especially for warm evenings when the desire to cook is nonexistent. Silky soft tofu is draped in a punchy soy dressing, creating a lively dish with little effort. The tofu is ideally served cold, but 10 minutes at room temperature can take the edge off. Make it your own with other fresh herbs such as Thai basil, mint or shiso leaves, or add crunch with fried shallots or roasted peanuts. A salty, fermented element like kimchi, pickled radish or ja choi, also known as zha cai, a Sichuan pickled mustard root, would work well, too. One block of silken tofu is usually enough to feed two people, but for a more substantial meal, serve it with hot rice or noodles to create a pleasing contrast of temperatures.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Spicy Soy Dressing:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chile oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 scallion, green and white parts, finely sliced
For the Tofu:
- 2 (14-ounce) blocks silken tofu, cold
- 1 scallion, green and white parts, thinly sliced
- Handful of cilantro leaves
Preparation:
1. Make the dressing: Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chile oil, sesame seeds, sugar and scallion in a small bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Carefully drain the liquid from the package of tofu, and gently tip the block onto a kitchen towel. (Try to keep the block in one piece, if possible, but don’t worry if it falls apart; it will still taste great.) Pat with another clean kitchen towel, removing as much liquid as possible. Transfer the blocks to one large plate or two smaller plates — leave whole or cut into 1-inch blocks — and spoon the soy dressing over the top until the tofu is completely covered. Top with scallions and cilantro leaves, and eat on its own or with rice or noodles on the side.
SIP YOUR SUPPER
When it’s too hot to cook, or even chew, a cold soup might be the perfect answer. Cold fruit- and vegetable-based soups are a balm on a steamy day, and they’re relatively fuss-free. Let these drinkable dishes sustain you, even when cooking is the last thing on your mind.
Recipe: Best Gazpacho
More of a drink than a soup, served in frosted glasses or chilled tumblers, gazpacho is perfect when it is too hot to eat but you need cold, salt and lunch all at the same time. Gazpacho is everywhere in Seville, Spain, where this recipe comes from, but it’s not the watered-down salsa or grainy vegetable puree often served in the United States. This version has no bread and is a creamy orange-pink rather than a lipstick red. That is because a large quantity of olive oil is required for making delicious gazpacho, rather than take-it-or-leave it gazpacho. The emulsion of red tomato juice, palest green cucumber juice and golden olive oil produces the right color and a smooth, almost fluffy texture.
By Julia Moskin
Yield: 8 to 12 servings, about 1 quart
Total time: 20 minutes plus chilling time
Ingredients:
- About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
- Salt
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling
Preparation:
1. Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
2. With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
3. Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.
Recipe: Chilled Cucumber Soup With Avocado Toast
A chilled cucumber soup, whirled together in the blender to serve as an instant dinner, is one of the quiet rewards of midsummer. The trick to making it hearty enough is to not stint on the seasonings, especially when something as mild as cucumber is the main ingredient. Garlic, plenty of herbs, jalapeno and anchovy add plenty of flavor, while buttermilk contributes a creamy, light texture. You could serve this with nothing more than some crusty or toasted bread on the side and be satisfied, but a topping of soft avocado dressed with a little lemon juice and feta cheese fills out the meal nicely. And the muted green colors of avocado toast and cucumber soup look as cooling as they taste.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 2 cups buttermilk (or use 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup water)
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed
- 2 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 2 small whole scallions, trimmed
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeded, deveined and chopped
- 1/2 cup packed mixed fresh herbs (like mint, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil and cilantro)
- 1/2 teaspoon sherry or white wine vinegar, more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt, plus more to taste
- 4 slices baguette or other bread, toasted
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ear of corn, shucked, kernels sliced off
- Fresh dill, for serving
Preparation:
1. In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine cucumber, buttermilk, garlic, anchovy, scallions, jalapeno, fresh herbs, sherry vinegar and salt. Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning as needed.
2. On the toasted bread, smash the avocado slices. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the top and finish each with a drizzle of olive oil and some pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Distribute soup between 4 bowls and garnish with raw corn kernels and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve avocado toast on the side.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.