When it comes to summer cooking, I follow a few simple tenets. The first one is minimal stove use. (When I do need the stove, I use it in the morning.) The second is making the most of your farmstand. Produce will never taste better than in the summer season when the fruits and veggies develop their natural sugars in the bright sun and heat.
The third is prepping things ahead of time. I like the peace of mind knowing that I can spend my day at the beach and come home to a dinner that is, for the most part, already made. Here’s a late-summer recipe for using the best of what the East End’s farmstands have to offer, with a little inspiration from travels to Senegal thrown in, too. Hot countries offer insight into the best ways to grace your summer table with big flavors and minimal effort.
Shaved Zucchini Salad with Crushed Peanuts and Lime
(Serves 4–6)
My friend Mikal introduced me to this salad. She lived with her family for eight years in Senegal where she ate this at a restaurant on an island called Mar Lodj and has been re-creating it ever since.
4 zucchini or mixed summer squash and pattypan (1 zucchini will feed about one to two people)
½ cup roasted and salted peanuts, finely chopped
2–3 organic limes, for zest and juice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky salt, such as Maldon
Optional: parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves
Slice the zucchini on a mandoline or very thinly with a sharp knife. Layer it on the platter you want to serve it on, one or two layers, overlapping the slices. Squeeze the juice of two limes over the zucchini. Cover the platter with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
To serve:
Take the platter out of the refrigerator and sprinkle the crushed peanuts over the top. Drizzle with a little olive oil (this is one of the few times I will say not too much). Zest the third lime and then squeeze the juice of the third lime over the salad. Finish with a good pinch of flaky salt. Garnish with herbs, if using, and serve.
Lemon Conchiglie with Cherry Tomatoes, Pistachios and Basil
(Serves 4-6)
In the summer time cherry tomatoes have to find their way into everything. This super bright and citrusy pasta is great on its own or perfect with an addition of grilled shrimp or a generous handful of clams. If you want to make it a seafood pasta, leave the cheese out. Although this is not a make-ahead dish, it comes together very quickly and leftovers can turn into a cold pasta salad for lunch at the beach.
1 pack conchiglie (medium-sized shells)
2 tablespoons good-quality butter
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
4 organic lemons for juice and zest
Grated pecorino, about 2 cups (optional)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cup raw pistachio kernels, finely chopped
Fresh basil leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Boil pasta according to package instructions, and save ¼ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. While the pasta is in the strainer, add the pasta water, butter, olive oil, and grated garlic clove to the pot you cooked the pasta in. Add the zest of two lemons, and the juice of all four. Add the pasta and toss well, adding a generous amount of salt. Toss the cheese if using, and gently ladle into a serving platter.
Garnish with the cherry tomato halves and the pistachios. Generously grate black pepper over the top and garnish with fresh basil.
Caramelized Summer Eggplants with Feta
(Serves 4-6)
This is on repeat in my house in the summer, when eggplants are in season. Roasted with grated tomatoes and lots of onions, everything turns into sweet deliciousness when roasted until very soft and caramelized. Topped with salty feta and served with fresh bread, this is a main course vegetarian dish that is also delicious served cold, straight from the fridge.
4-6 small/medium eggplants
2 white onions, sliced into thin half moons
2 garlic cloves, chopped or thinly sliced
2 medium/large ripe tomatoes
½ a cup extra virgin olive oil
Good quality feta to crumble on top
Parsley leaves for garnish
Salt
Pepper
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and slice the eggplants in half, lengthwise. Score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern. Nestle the halves, flesh side up, in a large cast iron skillet or other baking pan that can hold the eggplant halves snugly. Drizzle with lots of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place the onion slices and garlic in a bowl. Grate one of the tomatoes into the onions, coarsely chop the other one and toss all together. Drizzle with olive and salt. Arrange the onions over the eggplants.
Cover tightly with tin foil and place in the oven. Bake for 1- 1⅓ hours until you lift off the foil, and everything is very soft. Place back in the oven, increase temp to 425 and roast until the top is golden brown in spots.
Remove from the oven and crumble feta on top. Add parsley and serve hot, room temperature or cold.
Maple Whipped Mascarpone with Sea Salt and Seasonal Fruit
This is so good, so easy, and an infinite crowd pleaser. Mascarpone is whipped with maple syrup and a pinch of salt that makes for a caramel-like dip for seasonal fruit. Use anything you find at the market such as nectarines, peaches, plums, and berries.
1 container mascarpone
¼ cup maple syrup (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Whip well with a whisk and ladle into a bowl. Arrange fruit of your choice around the bowl of cream that can easily be dipped.
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