Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes(16)

1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, tarragon or dill, chopped

3 cups iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup feta cheese (about 4 ounces), crumbled

1. Set a colander in the sink; add cucumber, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. In a large serving bowl, whisk oil, vinegar and garlic until combined. Add chickpeas, mushrooms and parsley; toss to coat. Add cucumber mixture; toss again.

3. Just before serving, toss in lettuce and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

TIP: Salting, then draining the cucumber and tomatoes before tossing them with the other ingredients releases their liquid so they don’t make the salad soggy.

SUMMER

Heidi’s Arugula, Corn and Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese

When the corn is super-fresh, there’s no need to cook it. This salad is a great accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

4 ounces baby arugula (about 5 handfuls)

2 ears corn, kernels scraped off

1 large tomato, chopped

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a large serving bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper until blended. Add arugula, corn, tomatoes and basil; toss to coat. Top with goat cheese and serve immediately.

TIP: Use a serrated knife to scrape the kernels off the corn.

SUMMER

Caprese Pasta Salad with Balsamic Chicken

This is another one of those versatile dishes that can be served warm, cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1½ pounds)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

Pasta salad

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small shallot, minced

Salt and black pepper

1½ pounds ripe beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes

12 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 pound fusilli or gemelli pasta

½ cup fresh basil

For chicken:

1. In a resealable bag, combine chicken and all marinade ingredients. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

For pasta salad:

1. In a large serving bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper. Fold in tomatoes and mozzarella cubes; let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to 45 minutes.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water.

3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade. (Discard marinade.) Grill chicken until cooked through. (Alternatively, chicken could be cooked on the stovetop for about 6 minutes per side.) Transfer to a cutting board. Let stand 10 minutes; thinly slice.

4. Add pasta, chicken and basil to tomato mixture; toss gently to combine.

TIP: Remember that tomatoes taste best if stored at room temperature—only refrigerate them if they’ve been cut.

SUMMER

Green Pasta Pesto with Zucchini Carpaccio

Spinach adds bright green color and a blast of vitamins to this pasta sauce. Serve pasta warm, cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4–6

2 cups basil leaves, packed

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

⅓–½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons pine nuts

Salt

1 pound penne or fusilli pasta

1 large zucchini, very thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1. In a food processor, combine basil, spinach, ⅓ cup oil, cheese, pine nuts and 1 teaspoon salt. Process until puréed. Add additional oil, if needed.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, toss zucchini slices with ½ teaspoon salt in a colander set in the sink. Let drain 15 minutes, shaking colander occasionally.

3. In a serving bowl, toss warm pasta with pesto sauce. Let pasta cool. Before serving, add zucchini slices and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt.

TIP: Pesto can be made 2 days in advance. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

SUMMER

Buttery Tilapia with Dijon Dill Green Beans

You don’t need to worry about the timing for this meal. The beans can be served warm or at room temperature. And the tilapia is a flash in the pan—it cooks in the time it takes to set the table!

Serves 4

Beans

1 pound green beans, trimmed

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Tilapia

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Four 6-ounce tilapia fillets, halved lengthwise to fit in pan

Salt and black pepper

For beans:

1. Using a steamer, steam beans until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, whisk mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until blended. Add beans and dill to bowl; toss until coated.