Summer is for spending time outdoors doing fun things—and not toiling over a hot stove. Let these quick and easy recipes help you take advantage of the many joys of summer.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
FISH PICCATA
Serves 4
1½ pound haddock fillet or other thin white fish (sole, flounder, hake)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Juice of 2 lemons
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup capers, drained
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Thinly sliced lemon wedges, for garnish
In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and garlic powder, and season fish all over. Coat both sides of fish with flour, shaking off excess. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Add fish and cook 2–3 minutes on each side until firm and flaky. Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter. Add remaining butter to skillet and lower heat to medium. Add lemon juice, broth and capers and cook briefly. Return fish to pan and spoon sauce over fish. Serve directly from skillet, garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.
Shrimp avocado tacos
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1½ teaspoons chili powder
Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less depending on preference)
1½ pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
8 or more 6-inch corn tortillas
2 cups chopped red cabbage
2 avocadoes, peeled, pitted and diced
Salsa, store-bought or homemade (see tip below)
2 limes, cut into wedges
Sour cream
In a large bowl, combine 1½ tablespoons olive oil, chili powder, salt, cayenne and shrimp. Mix until shrimp are completely coated. In a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining oil. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes on each side until opaque and pink. (You may have to cook in batches to prevent crowding the shrimp.) Transfer cooked shrimp to a platter and keep warm.
Warm tortillas according to package instructions. To serve, add cabbage to each tortilla, three shrimp, a spoonful of avocado, salsa, lime wedge and sour cream (optional).
Chef’s tip: Easy homemade salsa recipe
This recipe lasts in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve with chips or use as a condiment for chicken, fish, tacos or scrambled eggs. Make lots—it goes fast!
2 15-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 white onion, quartered or roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, large minced
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt, optional
Place one can of tomatoes and remainder of ingredients into the bowl of a blender; blend until smooth. Pour in second can of tomatoes and stir to combine. (This is for a chunkier salsa.) Adjust seasoning by adding more lime juice and/or salt. Put into a storage container and refrigerate, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to fuse.
Grapefruit, prosciutto and seared scallops salad
Photo by Gina Moore
Serves 4
2 ruby grapefruits, supremed, reserve juice
2 cups arugula, washed
¼ cup red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
16 large scallops, patted dry
6 slices prosciutto, sliced lengthwise
In a medium bowl, combine grapefruit, arugula and sliced onions. In a small bowl or jar, combine reserved grapefruit juice, mustard and honey. Slowly whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil into the wet ingredients until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Season scallops with salt and pepper and allow to come to room temperature before cooking, about 20–30 minutes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook prosciutto until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In the same skillet over medium heat, carefully add scallops. Cook until lightly brown, springy to the touch and soft in the center, 2–3 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 2–3 minutes until slightly opaque.
Toss salad with vinaigrette and arrange on a large salad platter, placing scallops on top and sprinkling with prosciutto. Serve immediately.
Chef’s tip: What does it mean to “supreme” a grapefruit, orange or lemon? Supreming is the process of removing the juicy segments of the fruit from the peel and inner membrane. Once the fruit has been peeled, use a sharp paring knife to carefully slice
down each side of the membrane to release the fruit segment.
Lobster salad lettuce cups
Photo by Karen Hermann
Serves 4
¼ cup mayonnaise or aioli
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Kosher salt
3–4 large lobster tails, steamed, shelled and cut up
Iceberg lettuce head (can also use bibb or butter lettuce, if preferred)
Lemon wedges, for serving
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, chives and parsley, and season with salt to taste. Fold in lobster meat.
Cut out the hard core at the top of the lettuce, and cut lettuce in half from the top down. Carefully peel off sets of three layers of lettuce leaves to form lettuce cups, placing them on a serving platter. Scoop lobster salad into lettuce cups and garnish with lemon wedges, avocado slices and additional chopped chives. (Alternatively, serve lobster salad on buns for an original lobster roll experience.)