New Potato Salad with White Beans and Herbs

This is another simple salad where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It disappeared very quickly at the table. I used a mix of parsley and basil for the herbs, which worked well, but you could also try dill, mint, or oregano.

1 pint new potatoes (ideally small ones)
2-3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1-2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini (or one can)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces if needed (leave the skin on). Boil then in a pot of salted water until tender but not too soft. Drain.

Combine the vinegar and olive oil and carefully dress the potatoes, ensuring they are all well coated but not mashing them. Refrigerate until cool.

Combine the cooled potatoes with the beans and herbs and toss gently to mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves about 4.

Chickpea Feta Salad with Dill

I got some great aged feta from Upinngil Farm that I used in this salad. Regular feta would work well, too, but I liked that the aged feta was firm enough to dice and had a slightly milder flavor. This salad is simple but hearty, satisfying, and delicious. It can form the basis for a good hot weather dinner when paired with one or more additional salads or alongside some bread, salami, and olives.

3 cups cooked chickpeas
4-6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cut into small dice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, or more to taste
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 4-6.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Jean. It's simple and delicious. I especially like it on New England Spinach Salad.

Combine in equal parts:

Maple syrup
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil

Shake or stir vigorously to combine.

This will keep for a good long while in the pantry.

Red and White Potato Salad with Dill

New potatoes are coming out of the ground right now, and they make for a truly excellent potato salad. This one combines red and white potatoes for the visual effect, but feel free to use all of one kind (I suggest red in that case).

3 lbs new potatoes, washed but not peeled
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/3 - 1/2 large red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup good quality olive oil

Cut the potatoes into bite sized chunks. Boil in a large pot of salted water until nice and tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain cool to room temperature. .

Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Combine the vinegar, salt and pepper and drizzle over the potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes so the potatoes can absorb some of the vinegar.

Add the onion, parsley, and dill to the potatoes and mix gently. Drizzle with olive oil and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Serves 6-8.

Bulgur Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Dill

Another good main dish salad for hot weather. This one is especially good, as there is nothing in it that requires cooking. Just soak the bulgur until tender, then combine with other ingredients and serve. If it's not scape season, throw in some chives or a couple finely sliced scallions.

1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat
Water
1 garlic scape, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup dried tomatoes, soaked and finely chopped
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted and cooled
3-4 ounces crumbled feta
1-2 cups chopped snap or snow peas (optional)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the bulgur in cold water for an hour or so, or until tender, then drain. You can do this in advance and refrigerate the bulgur in a sealed container for a day or two if you like.

Combine the soaked bulgur with the scape, dill, chickpeas, dried tomatoes, walnuts, and feta. Drizzle with the lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. Stir well, adding more oil if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6.

Cashew Chicken Salad with Snow Peas

This simple, satisfying hot weather meal is adapted from a recipe my mother-in-law has been making for decades. You can use leftover rice (or make extra with another meal, planning ahead), or cook the rice in the morning or evening before and stash it in the fridge until you're ready. If you're making this outside of scape season, use a couple of scallions or some chives instead.

3-4 cups cooked and cooled brown rice (I like a short grain brown rice here)
2-3 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup minced garlic scapes
3 cups chopped snow peas (or snap peas)
1/2 - 1 cup cashews, lightly toasted and cooled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Serve cold.

Serves 4-6.

Orzo Salad with Raw Corn, Zucchini, and Feta

This salad is light, fresh, and refreshing, full of the flavors of summer.  Feel free to substitute summer squash for the zucchini.

8 oz. orzo
Olive oil
2 medium zucchinis, shredded
Kernels from 3 ears of corn (sliced off)
5 garlic scapes, minced (or 1-2 minced garlic cloves)
5-6 large scallions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh basil
4-6 oz crumbled feta
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup grated Parmesan (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the orzo in a pot of salted boiling water.  Drain, then cool by rinsing in cold water and drain again.

Drizzle the cooked and cooled orzo with olive and toss to coat.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Serves about 6.

Tangy Fresh Raspberry Vinaigrette

Our raspberries are coming in thick and fast in the hot weather.  Some have gone into the freezer, some into frozen yogurt, others eaten fresh or in the morning cereal.  This dressing was a new experiment, and I was pleased with the result.  You won't confuse this with the overly sweet commercial raspberry vinaigrette you typically find. If you find it's too tangy for you, add a spoonful of maple syrup.

1 cup fresh raspberries, pureed
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt to taste

If you don't mind this being seedy and a bit crunchy, just combine all ingredients and mix well.  If you'd rather remove the seeds, press the puree through a sieve before combining it with the oil and vinegar.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Asparagus and White Bean Salad

Quickly blanched asparagus and white beans complement each other in texture and flavor.  Feel free to jazz this up with some chopped fresh herbs, too, if you like (try basil or dill). I got the idea of combining blanched asparagus and white beans in a salad from the New York Times, but the seasonings are my own.

1/4 lb asparagus, tough ends snapped off
Ice water
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked white beans
2-3 Tbsp minced red onion
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar, or more to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the asparagus thinly on the diagonal.  Have a medium bowl of ice water ready.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.  Salt, then add the asparagus and blanch for 1 minute.  Drain the asparagus immediately and put it in the bowl of ice water to cool it and stop the cooking.  Drain again once cool.

Combine the blanched asparagus with all other ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Serve cold or room temperature.

Serves about 4.

Green Salad with Roasted Butternut and Goat Cheese

This winter salad is delicious with cold hardy greens, still pretty easily available from local farms.  Use a salad mix if you can, or just a bed of baby spinach or arugula.  You can assemble the salad in a single bowl or platter if you like, but I suggest composing individual servings on on small plates for each diner.  My sister and I made this salad as a first course for Christmas dinner.  You can serve it with whatever kind of dressing appeals to you, but I recommend a balsamic vinaigrette or a Dijon apple cider vinaigrette.

Salad greens
Caramelized Roasted Butternut Squash, room temperature
Walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds, lightly toasted and cooled
Dried cranberries
Goat cheese, crumbled

Make a bed of greens on each plate.  Top with a small mound of  cubed squash, then sprinkle with nuts, cranberries, and goat cheese.  Dress at the table.

Tomato Peach Salad with Feta

Another sweet and tangy tomato-peach concoction, this time in salad form.

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 medium peaches, pitted and diced
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil

Place the diced tomatoes in a colander over the sink for a few minutes to drain off excess liquid, then combine with the peaches in a bowl.  Add the onion, feta, and salt and pepper.  Combine the oil and vinegar in a small glass, then drizzle over the salad.  Toss to coat.  (For a more visually spiffy version, make the salad in layers: tomatoes on the bottom, then peaches sprinkled over, then onions, then feta on top, with salt and pepper and dressing over all.)

Serves about 8.

Watermelon Salad Three Ways

Watermelon - especially good, sweet, flavorful local watermelon - is pretty great straight up.  But it also lends itself well to sweet-savory combinations, especially with sour or salty counterpoint ingredients.  You can easily freestyle with the general concept, but here are some ideas to get you going.  Quantities are basically according to your  taste and the amount of watermelon you start with; add seasonings in small amounts until you are happy with the flavor.

In all cases, start with cubed watermelon, seeded if you like.
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1. The classic: chopped fresh mint, lime juice, touch of salt

2. Diced tomato, chopped fresh cilantro, lime juice or cider vinegar, salt and pepper

3. Crumbled feta, freshly ground black pepper.  Add diced tomato or cucumber if desired.

Pasta Salad with Snap Peas and Herbs

Another cold dish for another hot June day.  If you like, you can beef this up into more of a main dish by adding tuna (3 cans is about right), cooked shredded chicken, or cooked beans.  Feel free to substitute shelled English peas for the snap peas, or even fava beans or edamame.  You can also mix up the herbs for different flavor profiles: try mint, cilantro, or dill here in place of the basil and/or parsley.

1 lb pasta, cooked and cooled
3-4 cups diced snap peas
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp minced garlic scapes
1 cup chopped chives
1/2 - 1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until everything is coated with mayo and ingredients are evenly distributed.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Serves about 6.

Veggie-Heavy Tabouli

Tomatoes, cukes, and fresh herbs form the heart of this tabouli, which goes heavy on the vegetables. No cooking required. Serve as a side dish, or add warm pita and hummus to make it a meal.

1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 large tomato, diced (about 3 cups)
1 small red onion, finely chopped (optional)
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the bulgur in cool water for 2 hours or so, until tender but still just a little chewy. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bulgur and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 6-8.

Potato Salad with Fennel and Herbs

This a delicious no-mayo potato salad, great for parties and potlucks. It is particularly good with fresh new potatoes, which are just showing up at markets now.

2 lbs new potatoes, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup finely chopped fennel
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and cool.

When the potatoes are cool, combine them with all the other ingredients in a large bowl, stirring carefully so the potatoes don't break up too much.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve cold or room temperature.

Serves 6-8.

Simple Fennel Salad

Raw fennel sliced thin makes a nice salad, especially when served cold. Here it's very simply prepared with a little parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil.

1 medium-large fennel bulb, thinly sliced or finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp good olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Pinch or salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat. If not serving immediately, refrigerate.

Serves 2-3.

Variations: Add shredded carrots or julienned cucumber to the salad.

Cucumber Basil Salad

Cool and refreshing...again, tomatoes welcome as an addition.

4 cups diced cucumbers (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet basil (or more if desired)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil, preferably a nice fruity one
Salt to taste

Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4-6.

Southwestern Orzo Salad with Raw Corn and Zucchini

This is pretty quick and easy, and good for a hot night (looks like a few of those coming up...). The only thing that needs cooking is the orzo. A food processor makes quick work of shredding the zucchini. This works as a main dish with the cheddar, or if you like you could add shredded chicken. Great for a party or a potluck.

1 1/2 cups dry orzo
1-1 1/2 lbs zucchini, shredded
5 ears corn, kernels stripped off
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (optional)
3/4-1 cup good quality salsa
Salt to taste

Cook the orzo in a pot of salted boiling water, then drain and rise with cold water until cooled.

Toss the orzo together in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

Serves about 6 as a main dish.

Variation: Add diced raw tomatoes.

Thai Cucumber Salad

So the cucumbers have starting coming in - with a vengeance. And when you've just picked half a dozen (or more!) at once, there's nothing like cucumber salad to use them up. There are many possible variations and flavor profiles - this is just one. (Feel free to add tomatoes if desired.)

4 cups diced cucumbers (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (or other sweet onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped Thai basil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Salt to taste
Sesame seeds (optional)

Toss all ingredients except sesame seeds in a bowl until thoroughly coated. Refrigerate if not serving right away. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds (if using) before serving.

Serves about 4.

Variations: substitute mint or cilantro for some or all of the Thai basil.

Potato Salad for a Crowd

This is a pretty basic, traditional potato salad, elevated from the humdrum by excellent ingredients and homemade mayonnaise. Use some of the incredibly delicious new potatoes available at farmers markets this time of year - fingerlings would be perfect, but any waxy type would work well. Red potatoes with the skin left on are nice visually, too. Feel free to halve or quarter the recipe if you're not making this for a party. The proportions for the mayo come from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

Salad
6 lbs potatoes, cubed (peel or not, your choice)
3 shallots, minced (about 1 cup)
8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup snipped chives
1 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Mayo
1 uncooked egg
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp spicy mustard
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

You can make the mayonnaise while the potatoes cook (see below). To make the mayo, crack the egg into a blender, then add the lemon juice, about 1/4 cup of the canola oil, the mustard, and cayenne. Blend briefly, then slowly add the remainder of the canola and olive oil while the machine is running. The mayo will thicken and turn light yellow. Taste, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until they are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Combine the potatoes with the shallots, hardboiled eggs, chives, and parsley, then stir in the mayonnaise until everything is well coated. Refrigerate the salad until ready to serve.

Don't leave this salad out of the refrigerator for more than an hour.

Serves about 20.