🍅🥒SUMMER 🥒🍅

As the weather heats up and the markets brim with ripe tomatoes, juicy stone fruit, and crisp cucumbers, summer is all about keeping things simple and fresh. In this class, we’ll make three no-fuss dishes that highlight the season’s bold flavors and are perfect for picnics, potlucks, or quick weeknight dinners. You’ll leave with ideas that keep your kitchen cool and your plate full of color.

Sungold Tomato & Cantaloupe Gazpacho

Inspired by a recipe of my former boss, Chef Ana Sortun, this is one of the only cold soups I crave. Following Ana’s lead, keep the fragrant calyxes on the tomatoes and blend them right in. I can never decide what to garnish the gazpacho with because so many ingredients are complementary. On the A-list: fresh herbs like basil and mint, raw or grilled corn sliced off the cob, Urfa pepper, toasted garlicky breadcrumbs, olives, capers crisped in a bit of olive oil, plain yogurt and Dungeness crab.

Makes about 4 cups

1 pint Sungold tomatoes (stems in tact)
3 cups chopped ripe cantaloupe 
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt  
Sparkling water to thin or torn bread to thicken, optional

1. Place the cantaloupe, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a blender and purée until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more olive oil, lemon, and/or salt.

2. Blend in some sparkling water if you prefer a thinner soup or bread to thicken.

3. For a smoother soup, through a sieve over a bowl to strain out any bits of seeds and skin. Pour a little soup in the strainer at a time and use a ladle to push the soup through in a circular motion to speed up the process.

4. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least one hour. Stir well before serving. Keeps for up to 4 days.
   
   

Fig and Grilled Olive Tapenade

Adapted from David Lebovitz’s adaptation of his recipe in The Sweet Life in Paris.

Grilling olives deepens their flavor, softens their texture, and adds a hint of smoke that makes it well worth the bit of extra time. You can grill them on an outdoor grill, a stovetop grill pan, or under a broiler. Make the tapenade at least a day ahead to allow the flavors to meld and deepen. Serve with grilled pita or good bread, spooned over pasta, as a dip for fresh vegetables, thinned into a salad dressing, or as a sauce for cooked vegetables, beans, or grains.

Makes about 1¼ cup

½ cup stemmed and quartered dried figs 
1 small garlic clove, peeled
*1 cup grilled olives, pitted (see below)
1 teaspoons capers, rinsed, drained and squeezed dry
1 sprig fresh rosemary (about ½ teaspoon minced)
1 lemon, zest and 1 tablespoon or more juice
½ teaspoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small saucepan, simmer the figs in ¾ cup water for about 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving the liquid.

2. Smash the garlic into a paste with a pinch of salt. Leaving the garlic on the cutting board, chop in the olives, figs, capers, rosemary, and lemon zest, incorporating them into a rough paste as you go. Use the side of the knife blade to mash everything together as needed.

3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper if needed. If desired, thin with a little of the reserved fig poaching liquid.

4. Cover the tapenade with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from drying out. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Grilled Olives

Grilled olives add smoky depth and a meaty texture to the tapenade. Use only whole olives with pits in them since pitted olives don’t hold up as well to grilling. If you’re using the olives for tapenade, let them cool after grilling, then smash them with the side of the knife blade to remove the pits.

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup whole olives (Castelvetrano and Kalamata recommended)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
A few rosemary needles or thyme leaves (optional)

Toss the olives with the olive oil and herbs, if using. Grill in a grill basket or on skewers over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and slightly charred in spots. Best served warm.

Cherry Herb Salad

Sweet cherries, fresh herbs, and nutty grains come together in this bright, textured salad that’s just as comfortable at a summer picnic as it is on your lunch table. Toasted hazelnuts add crunch, goat cheese brings creamy contrast, and a sherry-maple dressing ties everything together with a hint of tang and sweetness. Feel free to swap in quinoa or your favorite grain, and don’t be shy about using a mix of tender herbs—this salad is all about flexibility and freshness.

Serves 4

For the salad:
1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved (about 10 oz.)
1 1/2 cups cooked wheat berries (or quinoa, or another grain or legume)
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 Tablespoons chopped dill
2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
3 green onions, green and white parts thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
4 ounces soft goat cheese 

For the dressing:
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons pure dark maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons roasted hazelnut oil (or olive oil)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined.

2. Gently toss the cherries, wheat berries, herbs, green onions, and hazelnuts with the dressing in a large bowl.

3. Divide between plates, top with the goat cheese, and serve immediately.