Just because the summer is cooling down doesn’t mean your kitchen has to. Take advantage of the local farm stands and fresh seafood for as long as possible with these light dishes.
Bon appétit!
Baby Arugula, Sunflower Seeds And Medjool Date Salad Garnished With Lump Crabmeat(Serves 4 for lunch, or 6 as first course)For the dressing:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or more as needed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the salad:
6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry
10 Medjool dates, halved lengthwise
12 thin slices red onion
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted and salted, to taste
White cheddar cheese, grated, for garnish
10 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
Optional: Classic cocktail sauce for crabmeat for dippingTo prepare:Slowly whisk together mustard, vinegar and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl.
Add oil.
Continue whisking, until the mixture becomes an emulsion.
Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Toss arugula, dates, sunflower seeds and red onion together.
Drizzle dressing over the salad.
Transfer to salad plates or platter.
Shave cheese over the greens with a small grater.
Arrange crabmeat in the center.Seared Fluke With Lemon And Heirloom Tomatoes(Serves 4)4 6-ounce fillets of fluke
Wondra flour, for dusting
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Smoked paprika, for dusting
1 tablespoon safflower oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, minced
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, for swirling
Snipped chives, for garnishTo prepare:Rinse and pat fish dry with paper towels.
Make 3 or 4 diagonal, shallow slits in the skin of the fish.
Season with salt and pepper.
Dip in flour.
Tap off all the excess.
Dust the skin side with paprika.
Coat the bottom of a heavy sauté pan over moderate heat with oil.
Add the fish, skin-side down, when the pan shimmers.
Press down on the top of the fillet with a flat spatula to prevent the sides from curling up.
Sauté, until brown and crisp, about 2 or 3 minutes.
Turn fillet over.
Sear the other side, about 1 minute.
Transfer the fish to a plate.
Tent with foil and keep warm.
Add butter and shallots to pan.
Sauté, until they are soft and translucent, about 1 minute.
Add vermouth and half of the lemon juice.
Cook until liquid is reduced by half.
Stir in tomato.
Cook briefly, about 2 minutes.
Taste and season with pepper and lemon zest.
Add more lemon juice, if needed.
Swirl in butter.
Place fluke on warm dinner plates.
Spoon sauce on top.
Garnish with snipped chives.Grilled Summer Vegetables(Serves 4)2 medium bright yellow summer squash, scrubbed, trimmed and halved
2 medium zucchini. scrubbed, trimmed and halved
5 patty pan squash, scrubbed, trimmed, and halved
5 purple Japanese eggplant, washed and trimmed
5 white Japanese eggplant, washed and trimmed
2 red bell peppers, washed, quartered and seeded
1 red onion, halved and peeled
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs—parsley, basil, chervil, mint, or your favoriteTo prepare:Preheat the grill, until coals are white hot.
Prepare all the vegetables, keeping them large enough so they do not fall through the grid.
Place the vegetables on a large baking sheet.
Drizzle with oil.
Roll vegetables in oil, until completely coated.
Place the firmest vegetables on the grid.
Grill, turning them over until dark grid marks appear on all sides.
Transfer to a cutting board.
Slice each vegetable into bite-sized pieces.
Repeat until all vegetables are grilled.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the vegetables about 45 minutes before serving.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bake, until the vegetables are tender, or according to personal taste.
Transfer each vegetable to a platter.
Sprinkle with chopped herbs.
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