We’re on a high with cooking at my house. Pretty much everything we’re eating is from one farmers’ market or another, because glorious summer produce is upon us. It’s heavenly. The fresh, fully formed flavor of ripe, in-season fruits and vegetables makes cooking exciting — and easier.
Take, for example, hothouse tomatoes. In winter, they require a fair amount of intervention to taste like much, whereas ripe summer tomatoes need little more than a sprinkle of salt and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil.
It needn’t be as simple as that, but the summer first course here isn’t much more complicated. It takes a cue from bruschetta and panzanella, both Italian favorites that feature tomatoes, bread, garlic, basil and oil.
In this variation on the theme, a multicolored mix of well-marinated cherry tomatoes are served spooned over toasted sourdough bread to catch all the delicious juices. The key is, after dressing them, to let the halved cherry tomatoes sit for half an hour or so, to meld with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and garlic. Of course, these marinated tomatoes could also be tossed with greens for an easy salad or spooned over grilled fish.
For a main course, I wanted something akin to clam chowder.
Inspired by New England-style white chowders, made with milk and potatoes, it’s more of a dinner stew than a soup. Fairly easy to put together, it all cooks in one pot, with various ingredients added along the way. Start with sautéed onions and celery, building a savory white sauce thickened with a touch of flour. Sliced potatoes go in next, followed by sweet corn and a few clams.
When the clams have opened, seasoned chunks of cod are added to finish the stew. It’s nice if some of the fish stays firm and some breaks up a bit.
Checking the seasoning, I pronounced my chowder delicious but a touch bland. So, to add spark, I finished it with grated lemon zest, slivers of serrano chile and lots of chopped dill and chives, which supply a necessary zing to the mild, creamy base.
You can prepare the chowder up to two hours in advance and reheat it gently just before serving, to avoid any last-minute rushing.
I always say fruit — whether a bowl of sweet berries or a wedge of watermelon — makes the best dessert. But stone fruits are a real treat, especially nectarines, and a little lime syrup makes them into something truly special, adding sweetness and a pronounced lime flavor. (A squeeze of fresh lime juice, though, is necessary to provide the acidity you want.)
Serve the fruit well chilled, for an inordinately refreshing finish to a meal on a hot summer day.
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes on Toast
Marinated cherry tomatoes on toast. Letting the tomatoes sit for a half-hour or so lets them meld with the garlicky red-wine dressing. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)
By David Tanis
Taking a cue from Italian bruschetta and Spanish pan con tomate, these easy marinated cherry tomatoes go with everything. Toss them over greens for a summery salad or spoon them over grilled fish. Or serve them as they are here, on toasted bread, a great vehicle for catching all the delicious juices.
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ marinating
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, preferably a mix of different colors
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, grated
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
6 basil leaves, plus more for garnish
6 (3/4-inch-thick) slices sourdough bread
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and place in a salad bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Add olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red-pepper flakes and basil. Toss well. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3. To serve, toast the bread and place on a platter or individual plates. Spoon cherry tomatoes over toast, dividing evenly among slices, and drizzle over any remaining juices from bowl. Garnish with more basil leaves.
Summer Chowder With Cod and Clams
Summer chowder with cod and clams. A generous amount of lemon zest, herbs and chile before serving lend verve to this chowder. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)
By David Tanis
Based on East Coast white chowder, made with milk and potatoes, but more of a dinner stew than a soup. Lemon zest and slivers of serrano chile add spark to the mild creamy base. Prepare the chowder up to two hours in advance and reheat it gently just before serving, to avoid any last-minute rushing.
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
1 pound cod or other white fish, cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped dill, plus 3 tablespoons chopped dill for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced small (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup diced celery (2 small ribs)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk
1 small dried bay leaf
Pinch of ground cayenne
1 1/2 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes (preferably on the smaller side), peeled and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 2 ears)
12 littleneck clams, rinsed
Zest of 1 lemon
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Place fish in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add olive oil and 1 teaspoon chopped dill. Toss to coat and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until onions are softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Lower heat as necessary to keep onions from browning.
3. Over medium-high heat, sprinkle onion-celery mixture with flour and stir to coat well. Add milk 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently to prevent scorching as it thickens, bringing to a simmer between additions, until all 6 cups have been incorporated. (Add more milk as needed to thin. The consistency should be like a thin milkshake.) Add bay leaf and cayenne. Taste and add salt, if necessary.
4. Lower heat to medium and add potatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Add corn and clams, and cook until clams begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add fish, stir well, and adjust heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, until fish is opaque. Stir in lemon zest.
6. To serve, divide fish and sauce among 6 soup bowls, with 2 clams per bowl. Add a few slivers of serrano chile to each bowl and sprinkle generously with chopped dill and chives.
Nectarines in Lime Syrup
Nectarines in lime syrup. Ripe nectarines need little adornment, but a simple lime syrup enhances their natural charms. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)
By David Tanis
Fruit — whether a bowl of sweet berries or a wedge of watermelon — makes the best dessert, but stone fruits are a real treat, especially nectarines. Sliced and dressed in a lime syrup, served chilled as they are here, they’re a refreshing, sophisticated and shockingly simple end to a meal.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 20 minutes, plus at least 1 1/2 hours’ cooling and chilling
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 large limes)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
4 to 6 ripe nectarines
Lime wedges, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small stainless-steel saucepan, combine lime juice, sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve. Turn heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool completely, then add orange liqueur.
2. Slice nectarines (no need to peel) about 1/2-inch thick and place in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup lime syrup and toss to coat. Chill well, about 1 hour. (Refrigerate leftover syrup for up to 1 month.)
3. To serve, spoon slices into dessert glasses or shallow bowls. Garnish with lime wedges, for a final squirt of fresh lime at the table.
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