We’ve reached the point in the season when I’m trying to freeze summer, literally. I recently spent a Sunday afternoon making enough pesto to stretch out through the year, a version that uses almonds, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts in addition to pine nuts. I pack it flat in plastic bags, freeze and thaw as needed. Tomatoes are next: I’m thinking I’ll do what my mom does and roast them slowly in olive oil with an obscene amount of garlic.
But these are weekend projects; we’re here to talk weeknights. I’ve got five ways for you to translate summer’s best to the dinner table tonight, including one of my favorite ways to eat corn: tossed into pasta and topped with sharp cheese.
1. Orecchiette With Corn, Jalapeno, Feta and Basil
Sweet, peak-season corn is at the heart of this flavorful and simple-to-make summer pasta. The jalapeno offers a pleasant kick, and the feta cheese tossed in at the end melts slightly, giving the sauce a silky texture. Itap worth seeking out orecchiette here, as it nicely catches the corn kernels, creating perfect bites. If you can’t find it, fusilli or farfalle would work in its place. Serve with a bright, simple salad alongside and fresh fruit for dessert.
By Colu Henry
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound orecchiette
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
- 5 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (about 3 1/2 to 4 cups kernels)
- Kosher salt
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup torn basil leaves, plus more for serving
- Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just short of al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
2. While pasta cooks, make the sauce: In a 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add jalapeno and cook until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn and cook until it begins to brown in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water and bring to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add pasta to skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. Add feta cheese and an additional 1/4 cup of pasta water, tossing until pasta is slick and glossy with sauce. If needed, add in another 1/4 cup pasta water. Stir in basil. Transfer to a large bowl and scatter with remaining basil. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
2. Sheet-Pan Garlicky Chicken With Blistered Tomatoes
Drawing on some of the sunny flavors of the Mediterranean, this recipe coats boneless chicken thighs in yogurt, lemon juice, oregano and garlic, then cooks them with some lemon slices to infuse them with bright flavor. Paired with juicy, charred tomatoes, silky red onion and an array of toppings, this sheet-pan feast is perfect for piling into a pita pocket. Adding some of the feta to the reserved yogurt dip is encouraged, as is serving this with thinly sliced cucumbers for a cooling, refreshing bite.
By Yasmin Fahr
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup thick, full-fat yogurt, such as Greek or Skyr
- 2 lemons (1 halved and 1 thinly sliced crosswise)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup packed mint leaves, gently torn or chopped
- 4 (6- to 8-inch) pitas, halved, for serving
- 1 (6-ounce) block feta, loosely crumbled
Preparation:
1. Turn on the broiler and place a rack 6 inches from the heat source. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, the juice of 1/2 lemon and the oregano; season to taste with salt. Transfer half to a small serving bowl and set in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir the garlic into the remaining mixture in the large bowl. Season the chicken all over with salt, then add to the bowl; toss to coat.
2. On a sheet pan, combine the tomatoes, onion and olive oil; season with salt. Push to one side of the pan. Add the chicken to the other side in a single layer, scraping off any excess marinade. (You can crowd the tomatoes and onion to make room for the chicken.) Broil until the chicken is charred on top, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler.
3. Remove from the oven, use tongs to turn over the chicken, then tuck the lemon slices under and between the chicken pieces. Push the tomatoes and onion slices around so they cook evenly. Broil until the chicken is cooked through (cut through the biggest piece to check), the onion slices a deep purple color and the tomatoes blistered, 5 to 7 minutes more. When you return the chicken to the oven, place the pitas on another sheet pan on a lower rack to warm up.
4. Sprinkle the chicken with some of the mint. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Serve the chicken and roasted tomato mixture with the pitas, feta, lemon wedges, remaining mint leaves and reserved yogurt.
3. Basil and Tomato Fried Rice
Summer’s dynamic duo of tomato and basil make a surprising appearance in this aromatic fried rice. The tomatoes cook down slightly and become sweeter, coating the rice in their vibrant, sun-kissed juices, while basil adds a peppery perfume. This recipe is very adaptable, so make it your own. Use any tomato variety you like. Add more or less basil, or use Thai or holy basil in its place for even bolder flavors. If you want more heat, leave the seeds in the chiles. Finally, for a fresh element, serve with cucumber slices and a lime wedge on the side.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 to 2 bird’s-eye chiles (or other hot chiles), deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 pounds firm, ripe large or cherry tomatoes (see tip), cut into 3/4-inch wedges if using large tomatoes
- 5 to 6 cups cooked leftover rice, preferably jasmine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. Heat a large wok or 12-inch well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil, then pour in the beaten egg. Cook for 15 to 30 seconds, allowing the bottom to set slightly, before stirring and turning until just set. Break up the egg slightly, then remove from the wok and set aside.
3. Heat the wok over high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, along with the onions, and stir-fry for 1 minute, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and bird’s-eye chiles and stir for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Next, add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing every now and then, until the tomatoes are softened. (Reduce heat to medium-high if it starts getting too smoky or the garlic begins to scorch.)
4. Add the rice, soy sauce and half the basil, and season with 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt, to taste. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes, allowing the rice to soak up the tomato juices. As the liquid cooks off, the rice will char (though less so if using a nonstick pan) and develop some smoky flavors.
5. Add the egg and remaining basil and toss for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and check seasonings, adding some black pepper and more salt if needed. Serve immediately.
TIP: If using cherry tomatoes, cut up 5 or 6 of them to add moisture during cooking. The rest can be added whole, as they will burst during the latter part of cooking.
4. Chile-Garlic Steak and Zucchini
Umami-rich rich steak and mild yet hearty zucchini are paired with a simple sauce that works to enhance both. First the steak is sliced thin, then cooked hot and fast. One side is cooked a little longer to brown and caramelize, while the other has just brief contact with the skillet to keep the steak medium-rare. The zucchini is cooked similarly, steaming in its own moisture until tender yet still somewhat firm. A bright, slightly spicy, tangy sauce is drizzled over, with a handful of refreshing mint to finish. Serve as-is, or pair with chunks of baguette, roasted potatoes or a lightly dressed green salad.
By Christian Reynoso
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/4 pounds hanger or skirt steak
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 4 medium zucchini (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut on a diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 1 big handful mint leaves (about 1/2 cup)
Preparation:
1. To a small bowl, add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, then stir in the vinegar and set aside.
2. Cut the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices and season with salt, black pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet (preferably not nonstick) over high. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil shimmers and easily glides to coat the bottom of the skillet when tilted, use tongs to add enough steak slices to form a single layer, without overcrowding the pan. If all the steak slices fit comfortably in a single layer, cook as instructed. If they don’t, cook the steak in batches, adding a little more oil as needed. Sear the steak slices, undisturbed, until they are deeply browned on the bottom but still rare on top, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook to medium-rare doneness, 20 to 30 seconds more. Transfer to a serving platter. Adjust heat down to medium.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan and arrange the zucchini evenly across the surface. Cook until some of the pieces start to become golden on the bottom in spots, then saute, gently tossing the zucchini and shaking the pan, until just softened throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat, season with salt, toss again and then transfer to the platter with the steak.
5. Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil into the bowl with the garlic vinegar and spoon it over the seared steak and zucchini. Garnish with mint and serve immediately.
5. Roasted Shrimp With Okra and Tomatoes
In the South, okra and tomatoes are the crown jewels of the summer. Frying is the most common preparation for okra, but roasting also brings the best out of these two favorites; tomatoes become sweeter, and okra softens, developing a deeper savoriness brought forward by a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. Shrimp brings the dish to a new level: The smoked paprika and oregano are a perfect foil to the shrimp’s own natural, delicate flavor, and, swirled together with the olive oil and tomato juice in the pan, the result is a meal with the makings of a stew with a fraction of the time and effort. It truly tastes like a warm, summer Sunday evening. When choosing okra, go for the smaller to medium-size pods. The bigger the okra, the more likely it is to be stringy and tough. Serve with cooked rice or atop angel hair pasta.
By Kia Damon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (21 to 30 count) peeled and deveined shrimp (tails on)
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 pound small to medium okra, trimmed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, oregano, smoked paprika, a few pinches of salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well and set aside.
2. Add the okra and tomatoes to the pan, season with salt and several cracks of black pepper, then drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over top. Mix well, spread evenly, then place on the top rack of the oven. Roast until the okra is softened and the tomatoes are soft and have released their juices, about 15 minutes.
3. Take the pan out of the oven, put the tomatoes and okra in a large bowl, then spread the shrimp evenly on the same pan and toss to coat in the pan juices. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the shrimp are cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove the shrimp from the oven, then toss with the okra and tomatoes, along with any pan juices. Taste for salt. Serve on a large platter and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
This article originally appeared in .
