By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times
It’s a myth that you can easily fry an egg on the sidewalk in hot weather, yet it still feels as if you could do that here in New York this week. The temperature is reaching 100 degrees, which is my cue to stay away from the sidewalk, the oven and, really, the kitchen altogether. I’ll pop some bread in the toaster or boil water for rice or pasta, but that’s about it for anything that involves the actual transfer of heat.
If you, too, are looking for no-cook dinner ideas, I’ve picked five recipes for you that I’d call “low-cook,” most requiring a small amount of stove time but not more than that.
1. Smashed Cucumber and Chicken Salad
A few simple elements — shredded rotisserie chicken, smashed, salted and drained cucumbers, and a sweet and spicy dressing — come together quickly in this Sichuan-inspired salad. The end result: a fresh, crunchy, flavorful main, served cold with no cooking time, perfect for hot summer days when turning on a stove feels like a Sisyphean task. It keeps in the fridge for a few days and tastes even better once the cucumbers have had a chance to marinate and soak up the briny dressing overnight. For a whole other salad, add chickpeas to whatever’s left, or sandwich leftovers between a couple of slices of bread to make a far-from-ordinary lunch.
By Zainab Shah
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 Persian or other thin-skinned small cucumbers
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (untoasted or toasted)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
- 1 pound coarsely shredded cooked chicken, about 2 1/2 cups (from a store-bought rotisserie chicken or 1 pound poached chicken breast, see Tip)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds (optional)
Preparation
1. Trim off the ends of the cucumbers and halve the cucumbers lengthwise. Place the flat side of each piece on the chopping board and, using the back of a chef’s knife, mallet or other heavy tool, smash the cucumbers to flatten them. Further break the flattened cucumbers by hand, then place them in a colander set over a large bowl. Mix in the salt and refrigerate 20 minutes to chill and drain.
2. Remove the cucumbers from the refrigerator. In the same large bowl (wipe dry if necessary), whisk together the vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and honey (if using). Add the drained smashed cucumbers and shredded chicken, and mix well. Top with cilantro, red-pepper flakes and sesame seeds, if you like. Though enjoyable at room temperature, this salad is best served chilled.
Tip
To poach 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts: Add 4 cups of cold water to a 4-quart (about 9-inch diameter) saucepan. Stir in 3 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in the pan, smooth side down. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium heat (this should take 10 to 12 minutes). Once the water begins to boil, flip the chicken breasts, cover the pot, turn off the heat and let the chicken cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Pasta Salad
This pasta salad has everything you could want in the bowl: loads of ripe tomatoes, chunks of mozzarella, sliced olives, salami and plenty of fresh green herbs, all tossed in a garlicky, oregano-spiked red wine vinaigrette. Serve it the same day it’s made for the brightest flavor and best texture.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 8 to 10
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
For the Pasta:
- 1 pound short-cut pasta, such as farfalle
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces mozzarella, cubed (or use small mozzarella balls)
- 4 ounces sliced salami, cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
- 3/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 3 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley and basil leaves
Preparation
1. Make the dressing: Combine vinegar, garlic, oregano and a big pinch each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in oil; taste and add more salt, pepper or vinegar as needed. Set aside.
2. Prepare the pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente. Drain well, transfer to the large bowl, and toss with the dressing while still warm.
3. Add tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, olives, cucumber and onion to the bowl and toss well; fold in herbs. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and vinegar, if you like.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and top with cracked black pepper just before serving.
3. No-Cook Chili Bean Salad
All the usual suspects found in a vegetarian bean chili appear in this salad — canned beans, tomato, bell pepper, red onion and spices — but there’s no cooking-with-heat required. The tomatoes are salted to tenderize and coax out their sweet, umami juices. Cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and dried oregano inject smoky earthiness and complexity. While black and pinto beans are used here, it is absolutely viable to use whatever beans you have on hand for this pantry-friendly recipe. Best of all, the salad can be dressed up with the usual chili toppings such as avocado, sour cream and cheese. Eat as is, or with tortillas or corn chips on the side.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatoes, roughly chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
- 1 bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 to 1 jalapeño, chopped
- Handful chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
- 1 lime, quartered
- Any combination of corn chips, tortillas, sour cream, avocado and cheese (such as Cheddar, crumbled feta or queso blanco), for serving
Preparation
1. Place the tomatoes, red onion, garlic, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Leave to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze the tomatoes to crush them roughly, extracting juice and softening them.
2. To the tomatoes, add both types of beans, the bell pepper, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, oregano, jalapeño, cilantro and 1/4 cup olive oil; toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper and more olive oil, if you like.
3. Divide the salad among four serving bowls. Serve with lime wedges on the side, and top with desired toppings.
4. Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette
Harness the crowd-pleasing power of dumplings in this hearty yet light main course salad. The base is simple and summery: Ripe tomatoes are lightly touched with salt, garlic and basil, providing a perfectly fragrant canvas for pan-fried pot sticker dumplings. Salting intensifies the tanginess and fruitiness of tomatoes, while also coaxing out some of the juice, which becomes a light sauce for the dumplings. (Salting also works wonders for out-of-season tomatoes, meaning you could eat this salad all year round.) Use your favorite chile crisp as it is the dominant flavor in the dressing and will greatly impact the final dish; all brands of crisp will have different levels of saltiness and spice, so season accordingly.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cut into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces (at room temperature)
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal brand) and black pepper
- 1 pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)
- Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
- 1 to 2 tablespoons store-bought crispy fried shallots (optional)
For the chile crisp vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons chile crisp (or chile oil)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste
Preparation
1. Place the tomatoes on a large serving plate or in a bowl. Add the garlic, half the basil leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.
2. To make the vinaigrette, combine the chile crisp, rice vinegar and soy sauce and whisk to combine. Taste and if it needs more saltiness, add 1/2 teaspoon more soy sauce.
3. Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium high for 1 to 2 minutes until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to packet instructions). Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.)
4. To serve, place the warm dumplings over the tomato salad and drizzle with the chile crisp vinaigrette. Toss very gently. Top with the crispy fried shallots (if using) and the remaining basil leaves. Serve either while the dumplings are still warm or at room temperature.
Tip
To steam, arrange the dumplings in a steaming basket lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. 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 purée 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 of 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.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.