Celebrate summer with a host of fresh new recipes that will make al-fresco entertaining as easy as a summer breeze! From heirloom-tomato-loaded tarts and juicy salads to adventurous appetizers like our Parmigiano baskets, these are recipes you'll be coming back for again and again all season long.
Heirloom Tomato Quiche
There is really nothing so easy as putting together a seasonal savory tart, or quiche, as the French call it. Once you master the basic tart crust recipe, just fill it whatever you have in hand, mix with eggs to tie it together, then bake until set. During late spring and early summer there's a colorful riot of produce at the farmer's market, making cooking and baking pure joy. For this gorgeous Heirloom Tomato and Brie Tart we picked juicy, colorful heirloom tomatoes and blended them with ricotta cheese, brie, honey, crushed walnuts and sprigs of thyme for a mouthwatering dish that's perfect with a glass of chilled white wine.
Berry Delight Salad
We're so used to having strawberries for dessert, we overlook what a wonderful ingredient they can be when paired with savory partners like cheese. We gave our summery salad a twist of sweetness with bright strawberries (you can add any berry) and succulent mozzarella boconcino (little rounds of mozzarella). Basil, walnut oil and a balsamic dressing clinch the deal in this bright and vivacious Espelette-Marinated Mozzarella and Strawberries Salad recipe.
Another way to incorporate seasonal fruits that are not dessert to a summer menu is to make them part of an appetizer. Strawberries, especially, are super versatile: they don't have an overwhelming flavor, they're sweet without being syrupy, which makes them a great partner to meaty fish, plump seafood like shrimp and scallops, and of course, cheese. Take some shrimp and boil, sauté, or if you're firing up that grill, grill it! Then serve with wedges of avocado (always a must), micro greens and a strawberry halves. Mix some Balsamic Vinegar with great extra virgin olive oil or nutty walnut oil for a quick vinaigrette, and voila, easy-piecy summer breezy! You can also serve this combo as a kebab, skewered on a bamboo stick, and lightly grilled for maximum smoky flavor.
Summery Salmon
Now, if you're feeling more adventurous this summer, you HAVE to give our Salmon and Avocado Ceviche Recipe a try! Use sushi-grade fresh salmon for this, plus smoked salmon chopped into little pieces, scallops and minced apples and avocados, marinade in lime juice and olive oil, and layer it onto a sheet of acetate. Or, just layer it on a short glass and serve with a spoon and a Margarita!
One Delicious Basket to Hold it All
Sometimes a dish is so easy yet so impressive, you almost want to lie to your guests and tell them it was an intricate recipe. That's the case of our Parmigiano baskets. A hot skillet, a cup of shredded parmigiano, and a glass are all you need to make these fun, edible baskets. Once you've shaped them using the glass (or really any sized bowl will do if you want a wider, shallower "bowl"), fill them up with your favorite ingredients. We chose the tried-and-true combo of salty-sweet Prosciutto di Parma and sweet melon, for a juicy, delicious take on prosciutto e melone.