To make the most of those hot-weather days, I sourced some summer recipes that are light, seasonal, and full of delicious ripe summer produce. Enjoy!
Arugula & Watermelon Salad from COOKIE + Kate
Ingredients:
Salad
- 5 ounces arugula (about 5 cups, packed)
- 2 cups cubed (about 1″) pieces of seedless watermelon (from ½ of a mini watermelon, or about ¼ of a medium watermelon)
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup halved and pitted Kalamata olives
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Hefty pinch of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To assemble the salad: In a medium serving bowl, combine the arugula, cubed watermelon, feta and olives.
- To prepare the vinaigrette: In a small liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and whisk until blended. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary, keeping in mind that the salad contains some salty ingredients.
- Wait until you’re ready to serve to dress the salad, since the arugula will start wilting once it comes into contact with the vinaigrette. Whisk the vinaigrette one more time, then drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over the salad. Gently toss to combine. Add more vinaigrette if necessary to lightly coat the arugula (I only needed about half of mine and saved the rest for a future salad). Serve immediately.
Ingredients
Barbecue Seasoning
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Chicken and Assembly
- 12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 4 lb.)
- Zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 4 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
- 5 Tbsp. Barbecue Seasoning, divided
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for grill
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. unsulfured blackstrap molasses
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Louisiana hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Barbecue Seasoning
Step 1
Whisk paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl to combine. Makes about ½ cup.
Step 2
Do ahead: Seasoning can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Chicken and Assembly
Step 3
Combine chicken and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and 4 Tbsp. seasoning and toss again to evenly coat. Cover and let chill at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
Step 4
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add brown sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until sugar turns a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. seasoning; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ketchup; cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar, molasses, mustard, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Set sauce aside.
Step 5
Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side; for a gas grill, leave 1–2 burners off). Lightly oil grate. Grill chicken over direct heat, turning every minute, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Move chicken over to indirect heat, cover, positioning vent over chicken if your grill has one, and grill, turning every 5 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs registers 140°–145°, 18–25 minutes. Uncover grill and continue to grill, basting with reserved sauce and turning occasionally, until thermometer registers 165°, about 10 minutes longer.
Ingredients
For the Baked Ricotta
- 500 grams ricotta cheese (full-fat / whole milk)
- 2 large egg whites (lightly beaten)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- zest of 1 lemon
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Radicchio
- approx. 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 large radicchio (cut into eighths lengthways)
- 1 lemon (to serve)
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/160°C Fan/350ºF.
Mix the ricotta with the beaten egg whites and add most of the chopped thyme, the lemon zest and salt and pepper.
Brush a 20cm / 8 inch Springform tin with oil, and pour in the ricotta mixture then drizzle with olive oil and scatter a little more chopped thyme over the top. Don’t be alarmed at how shallow this is; it is not intended to be other than a slim disc.
Place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes. The baked ricotta will rise a little and set dry on top, but will not turn a golden colour like a cake.
Let the tin cool a little before springing open, and removing to a plate. Leave to cool a little longer, then cut into wedges and eat, still warm, with the radicchio.
Talking of which, you should get on with this just before serving, which really means preheating the grill while the ricotta-cake is cooling. Mix the olive oil and thyme in a shallow bowl, and then wipe the radicchio slices in the herby oil before grilling them for a few minutes, turning them as necessary, until slightly wilted and golden at the edges.
Add a squeeze of lemon at the end before serving with the baked ricotta.
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated lime zest
- ¼ cup low-sodium or tamari soy sauce
- ¼ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil, plus more for grill
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, preferably with tails left on
- ½ cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for serving
- 8 oz. shishito peppers
- ½ cup basil leaves
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
Stir together garlic, lime zest, soy sauce, and ¼ cup oil in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Add ½ cup coconut and toss again to coat. Let sit while grill heats, at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
Prepare a grill for high heat, lightly oil grate.
Carefully arrange shrimp in an even layer on grate. Grill, carefully turning halfway through, until opaque and lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Some of the coconut will fall off in the process, and that’s okay. Transfer to a serving platter.
Grill peppers, turning occasionally and being careful not to let them fall through grate, until lightly charred all over, about 6 minutes. Transfer to platter with shrimp.
Top shrimp and peppers with basil, drizzle with lime juice, and sprinkle with sea salt and more coconut.