Good morning! Today we have for you:
A spoon salad to swoon overI’m going back on the road this week, touring more colleges with our rising high school senior. This time our route takes us north through the mountains, which will give us ample opportunity to picnic along with way. I’ll be sure to incorporate the helpful tips that Vaughn Vreeland, our resident picnic maven, suggests in this great article he wrote earlier this summer. And among them is a reminder to pack foods that can take the heat, including mayonnaise-free salads featuring sturdy vegetables. Potato salad can be a classic move depending on the recipe, and Vaughn’s tahini-dressed, pepperoncini version looks utterly divine. But I’m also extremely fond of Ali Slagle’s halloumi, peach and cucumber spoon salad with its buttery toasted almonds. Ali writes that it’s best served right away, but I think it’s just as good a few hours later. True, the cheese and nuts lose some of their crispness. But allowing the peaches and cucumbers to sit makes them even juicer and more flavorful. Give it a try and see what you think. Featured Recipe Halloumi, Peach and Cucumber Spoon SaladMore food for thoughtChicken salad slaw with peanuts and nori: Another picnic banger from Ali, this crunchy salad holds up well as long as you add the nuts and nori just before serving. Pack them together in a separate container to sprinkle on top of the salad before devouring. Stir-fried pork and plums with fresh herbs: Yewande Komolafe’s one-pan dinner makes the most of fleeting summer stone fruit — black plums receive star treatment with pork belly, scallions and plenty of aromatic ginger to boost their tart flavor. A little brown sugar in the pan gives this dish a mild sweetness that tempers the red pepper flakes. Serve it over rice or thin egg noodles to catch the pungent sauce. Shrimp salad: Although this is not necessarily right for picnics because of the mayonnaise, Millie Peartree’s lovely Southern recipe will be welcome whenever you need a succulent, gently seasoned salad that keeps the focus on the shrimp. Serve it sandwiched between toasted country bread or mounded over greens for a festive warm-weather meal. Zucchini fritters: Easy to make but difficult to stop eating, Melissa Knific’s crisp-edged, vegetable-filled fritters are a great place to use up all the zucchini in season right now. Serve them with something tangy on the side — either lemon wedges for squeezing or a punchy sauce like ranch dressing or tzatziki for dipping. Fruit crumble: With a crunchy, gluten-free topping of nuts and oats covering whatever ripe fruit you’ve got in abundance, Genevieve Ko’s crumble is an excellent summer dessert to share far and wide. And be sure to bookmark the recipe — it’s just as good made with apples or pears in the fall. That’s all for now. If you need help with a technical problem, email cookingcare@nytimes.com for help. And I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started.
|
