Summer cooking should be a breeze, more pleasure than chore. So keep it simple. Have a simple salad, something for the grill, a homey fruit dessert. If you can find someone to help with the preparation, so much the better.

This menu, relying on fresh summer produce, is easy to accomplish and yields a refreshingly light, flavorful meal.

For an utterly summery first course, consider a shaved zucchini salad. The idea is very thinly sliced, very fresh zucchini or other summer squash, lightly dressed with salt, lime juice and olive oil, and finished with lots of basil, mint and crumbly creamy feta. It’s extremely refreshing and takes no time to make. Adding strips of squash blossom for a colorful garnish is nice, as are other edible blossoms like nasturtium or calendula.

The farmers’ market is where you’ll find the best-tasting choices for summer squash. I prefer not-too-small, not-too-big specimens, shiny, smooth and unblemished. They’re worth seeking out.

For a casual hot-weather main, whether lunch or dinner, I like spicy lamb burgers with tahini sauce, inspired by the Eastern Mediterranean.

The lamb base is no trouble to put together: You just knead hot pepper, spices, garlic and olive oil into a pound of ground lamb. Press the mixture into small patties as thin as possible and grill them quickly over hot coals for three minutes per side, or pan-fry them with olive oil in a hot cast-iron skillet if you prefer. (The patties will be cooked medium but remain juicy.)

Top the burgers with a dollop of the garlicky tahini sauce you have just stirred up. I like to add sliced tomato and avocado, and a few strips of roasted pepper. They’re heavenly served in toasted pitas but are just at home on a bun.

When it comes to dessert, I’m of the persuasion that fruity desserts are the way to go all year round but especially in summer, when produce is in great abundance. A crumble is both simple and delicious.

Truth be told, for this menu, I had my mind set on apricot — until there were none at the market. So I pivoted to ripe mangoes instead. I had never before ventured into cooked mango territory, though I know others have. My only (happy) experiences had been with raw ripe mango and green mango salad. I’m thrilled to report that indeed mango makes an excellent crumble, with or without a handful of berries thrown in.

But if you can’t manage baking a crumble, rest assured that a plate of sliced juicy mango is a perfect summer dessert, too.

Zucchini Salad With Basil, Mint and Feta

By David Tanis

For an utterly summery first course, consider this shaved zucchini salad. The idea is very thinly sliced, very fresh zucchini or other summer squash, lightly dressed with salt, lime juice and olive oil, with lots of basil and mint and crumbly creamy feta on top. It’s extremely refreshing and takes no time to make. Adding some strips of squash blossom for a colorful garnish is nice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 small zucchini or other summer squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon lime zest plus 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1/4 cup torn or whole mint leaves

1/4 cup torn or whole basil leaves

A few squash blossoms, torn in strips (optional)

Sumac, for sprinkling (optional)

2 ounces mild feta, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and trim zucchini. With a sharp knife or mandoline, cut crosswise into very thin rounds. Wrap slices with a damp towel until ready to use, up to several hours ahead in the refrigerator.

2. In a small bowl, stir together lime zest, juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place squash slices in a shallow salad bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add dressing and, using your fingers, coat all slices well. Add mint and basil, and the squash blossoms, if using. Toss everything together.

4. Sprinkle with a pinch of sumac, if using, and top with crumbled feta.

Spicy Lamb Burgers With Tahini

Spicy lamb burgers with tahini and zucchini salad with basil, mint and feta. A zucchini salad is a fresh, light pairing to a bright, garlicky lamb burger. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

By David Tanis

This dish, inspired by the warm flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, is a breeze to put together. Hot pepper, spices, garlic and olive oil are blended into a pound of lamb before being formed into small, thin, quick-cooking patties. They’re then cooked quickly in a hot cast-iron skillet and served with a garlicky tahini sauce. Tuck it into a toasted pita, or go with a bun. Either way, it’ll be delicious.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 30 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling

INGREDIENTS

For the burgers:

1 pound ground lamb

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for assembly

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground fennel

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

2 large garlic cloves, finely grated

1 serrano chile, finely chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil

For the tahini sauce:

2 teaspoons lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice (from 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 or 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

3 tablespoons tahini

1 cup plain yogurt (full-fat or low-fat)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green scallion tops

2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill

For assembly:

Small pitas, toasted

Tomato slices

Avocado slices

Roasted red peppers, jarred or fresh

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the burgers: Place the ground lamb on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large bowl. Add cilantro, paprika, cumin, salt, coriander, fennel, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, garlic and serrano.

2. Knead mixture until the spices are well incorporated. Wrap the meat and refrigerate for an hour or up to 48 hours.

3. With wet hands, form into 8 (2-ounce) balls, then flatten balls into thin patties. Refrigerate until ready to cook. (Patties can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.)

4. Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce: Put lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl. Add salt, garlic and tahini, and stir to dissolve. Whisk in yogurt, and stir in scallions and dill.

5. Cook the burgers: Heat a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. When oil is wavy, cook 4 patties at a time, in batches, to keep from crowding the pan, for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned. The thin patties will be cooked medium but will remain juicy. (Alternatively, cook over a hot grill for 3 minutes on each side.)

6. To serve, tuck each patty into a pita with a spoonful of tahini sauce, tomato, avocado, cilantro and roasted red pepper.

Mango Crumble

Mango crumble. Mango is an excellent filling for a simple, summery crumble. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

By David Tanis

Fruity desserts are the way to go all year round, but especially in summer, when produce is in great abundance, and a crumble is both simple and delicious. Here, tangy mangoes bake until jammy under a crisp crust spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger for an unforgettable contrast in textures.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

For the topping:

3/4 cup/96 grams all-purpose flour

1/2 cup/110 grams light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 cup/65 grams salted butter, melted

For the filling:

4 cups mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 to 6 mangoes)

1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Put flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a medium bowl. Stir in butter and mix together with a fork, leaving mixture crumbly.

2. Make the filling: Toss together mango, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon; transfer to a 9-inch pie pan or a similar baking dish.

3. Sprinkle topping over mango mixture. Bake until bubbling and nicely browned, 35 to 40 minutes.

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The Saints took a solid start from Adam Plutko and turned it into a 7-2 win over the Louisville Bats on Wednesday afternoon in Kentucky.

Plutko (1-1) allowed one run in on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Diego Castillo singled to score Tony Kemp and put the Saints on the board in the second inning.

The Saints hit their stride in the seventh inning, plating four runs with four walks. After Patrick Winkel’s double to right, Nick Martini walked. Matt Wallner and Yunior Severino made it two outs and three straight walks, plating two runs and giving the Saints a 5-1 lead.

After a pitching change, Tony Kemp added a two-run single, giving the Saints their final score.

St. Paul and Louisville play game three of the series today at 5:35 p.m.

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Walker-Hackensack-Akeley junior Parker Brock fired a bogey-free, 3-under round of 69 on Wednesday to rally to win the Class A crown at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker.

Lakeview’s Carson Boe started the day with a three-shot lead, but struggled with the par-5s in the final round en route to a 2-over round. Still, Boe managed to hold onto second place. Heritage Christian Academy senior Evan Villagomez shot a 69 to move into third place. New Life Academy junior Avery Ross shot a 1-under round to finish in a tie for fourth.

Fertile-Beltrami won the team title with a two-day tally of 627, eight shots better than Walker-Hackensack-Akeley. Legacy Christian Academy finished in 637 strokes, good for third.

CLASS 2A

Hawley senior Jack Justesen won the individual title on a day where the final round was shortened to nine holes because of weather at Sand Creek Golf Course in Jordan.

Justesen shot a 1-under nine holes to get to 3-under for the tournament — one shot better than Holy Family Catholic senior PJ Herron, who also carded a 1-under nine.

Totino-Grace sophomore Collin Ramos finished in fourth, four shots back of Justesen. Holy Family Catholic won the team title at 438 strokes, 16 better than Detroit Lakes. Totino-Grace placed third.

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Owatonna’s Carmen Jirele finished 34th at the Class 3A girls golf state tournament a year ago.

But she’d played so well since then, from the summer of 2023 into this spring, and she performed at a high level in Big Nine conference play, as well as in sections. So, Jirele entered this week’s tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids with high expectations.

“I was thinking maybe like top seven-ish,” Jirele said.

And then the sophomore ended up winning the whole thing. That came as a clear surprise to her.

After leading the tournament following the first round Tuesday, Jirele’s final round was filled with ups and downs. She bogeyed three straight holes on the front nine to cough up the lead.

She birdied No. 14, but then bogeyed No. 16. She stayed the course through it all.

She stepped up to the difficult par-3 17th and hit a tee shot just off the green that left her with a lengthy putt from the fringe that she then drained. But after a good look at birdie on No. 18 didn’t fall, Jirele figured winning the tournament was out of reach.

She was a shot back at that point.

But scoreboard checks as time elapsed revealed something different. Maple Grove senior Amelia Morton was the tournament leader and in the midst of an incredible round in blustery conditions when Jirele stepped off the course.

But then Morton triple-bogeyed No. 16, putting Jirele back in front. When that update hit, Jirele looked a little stunned. Then Morton parred No. 17, meaning she’d have to eagle the final par 4 to tie. Morton hit a massive drive, leaving a chip for her second. She gave it a great run, but it stopped a few feet short of the hole. As soon as it did, Jirele’s face briefly hit her hands.

“Kind of crazy,’ Jirele said. “Just surreal.”

Morton hit the birdie putt to finish at even par for the day and 1-under par for the tournament — one shot back of Jirele, who shot a 73 on Wednesday to finish at 2-under for the week.

Three shots back were Orono’s Ava Hanneman and Simley’s Reese McCauley. McCauley — the defending champ and a two-time winner — started the day five back, and forced herself into contention with a string of four birdies from holes No. 8-15.

“I kind of knew the entire back nine I was just trying to be really aggressive. Somewhat conservative, but really aggressive when I can,” McCauley said. “I ended up being able to make a few putts on the back, which was nice. Yeah, I kind of was in a little bit of a rhythm.”

But after birdieing No. 15 to move within two of the lead, McCauley’s tee shot on No. 16 found the water. She recovered nicely to card a bogey, but that effectively ended her title hopes. The senior hit the ball well both days, but “just couldn’t really make a ton of putts.”

McCauley had a large contingent of fans in attendance, including her sister, Isabella, and new Gophers head coach Matt Higgins. She’ll join both in the fall at the U.

“I’m really excited. I’m excited for the team aspect and stuff, too,” McCauley said. “I’m excited to be with my sister. I know there’s really good competition in those college tournaments.”

As for Jirele, who has two more years of high school golf to play?

“I’m just looking to continue to improve,” she said, “and be better.”

OF NOTE

-Maple Grove won the team title with 611 strokes over two days, 17 shots clear of second-place Wayzata. Minnetonka was third. East Ridge finished in sixth.

-Lakeville South’s Jovie Ordal finished in a tie for fifth for the tournament at 4-over.

-The round of the day Wednesday belonged to Apple Valley senior Avary Johnson, who shot a 4-under 68 — 16 shots better than her Round 1 score — to move up to 11th overall for the tournament.