Making your own curry paste is surprisingly straightforward, and the resulting flavor and aroma blows the prepackaged variety out of the water. You’ll use just 5 tablespoons of the paste for the recipe, and you can freeze the rest. This squash and tofu dish is a relatively dry curry. Serve with brown or jasmine rice.
Creamy winter squash, sweet potatoes and red lentils are cooked in a creamy coconut-tomato broth, and enlivened by spicy turmeric, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, garlic and a touch of apple cider vinegar. Best when allowed to sit for a day.
With a just simple salad, this stuffed squash is a filling and hearty fall meal.
Serve this hearty curry with some steamed brown rice for a filling, wholesome and comforting meal.
These scalloped potatoes are a decadent twist on a classic, with tangy and buttery gorgonzola layered with thinly-sliced potatoes, heavy cream, garlic and three other kinds of cheese.
Roasting chicken and potatoes with lemons, rosemary and capers imparts them with tons of flavor, and your kitchen will smell amazing, too!
A versatile dressing that pairs well with all kinds of salads - from a vegetable-heavy green salad to fruit salad to sliced grilled chicken over arugula or spinach. Using a blender will result in a characteristically creamy, pale dressing, but whisking works too.
Savor the last of the summer’s bounty with this produce-heavy meal. Bonus - it’s vegan, and you can make it gluten-free with a 1:1 swap of gluten-free flour for the all-purpose.
This salad is so good alongside anything grilled. Its dressing has a healthy kick from jalapenos, but the creamy avocado and sweet onion work to balance it out.
This marinade, though light on ingredients, packs a punch that makes flavorful, tender steak every time.
This savory side dish goes nicely with grilled meats or kebabs, when it’s so hot out that you don’t want to turn on the stove. The mint and basil pesto is a unique accompaniment that you’ll want to make again and again.
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Roasting the peaches for this sherbet will intensify their flavor and sweetness.
When peaches are in season and the days are still long and sweltering, pour yourself a chilled glass of this refreshing sangria.Â
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Divide the peaches among 4 plates, and top each plate with 2 slices of ham.Â
Place the greens in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard until combined. Drizzle enough dressing over the greens to lightly dress them. Toss to coat.Â
Divide the salad between the plates and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serve with more dressing on the side.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for 4 minutes and use a slotted spoon to transfer to a cutting board to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the skins and scoop out the seeds. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the bread olive oil, garlic, basil, fennel, paprika, half of the green peppers, half of the onion, and half of the cucumber. Add the tomatoes. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining green peppers, onion, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Pulse to achieve your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
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Gluten-free and paleo.
If you’re in the mood for something different to spread on corn on the cob, this easy, smoky butter will do the trick. Similar to a compound butter but with roasted green peppers instead of herbs, there’s no need to chill it before eating - it’s nice at room temperature.
This salad is an unlikely mix of salty and sweet, and could end up a frequent addition to your summer table.
The combination of lime zest and crushed red pepper flakes on watermelon is really lovely, but you can try other flavor combinations like brown sugar, lime and cumin, or nothing at all. Â Be sure to slice the watermelon into wedges - large round steaks will likely fall apart when you try to flip them.
While mint is probably the most kid-friendly, you can try using basil or tarragon instead. When the pops are frozen, they will seem less sweet than when you’re preparing the puree, so keep that in mind when you’re adding sugar to the mixture.Â
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This summery salad is packed with herbs, spinach and heirloom tomatoes. It travels well and is great at room temperature, so it’s perfect for a picnic or packed lunches. Use a combination of red, yellow, green and orange tomatoes if you can.Â
This is simple and elegant meal, and the flavors of the varied ingredients remain bright and distinct. It’s a nice way to highlight very fresh herbs and a perfect summer tomato.
These over-the-top sandwiches are great for a crowd. Herb-marinated steak is piled onto buttery Texas toast and topped with juicy tomatoes and Chimichurri mayonnaise. Mince the herbs, arugula and garlic by hand or whiz in a food processor.
An unfortunate attribute of many tomato tarts is a soggy, tomato juice-laden crust, but in-season tomatoes are so full of flavor they deserve better! This recipe solves the mushy crust dilemma. A tart dough made with lots of hard cheese is par baked, sliced tomatoes are lightly salted to remove excess water and are then arranged in the tart shell just before serving. The uncooked tomatoes retain their vibrant summer flavor, and the tart shell retains its structure. Served with a leafy green salad (and a glass of wine) this tart makes a very special and unfussy meal.
Eggplant is a beloved and frequently used ingredient in Turkish cuisine, and Imam Bayildi is one of the most iconic eggplant dishes. Translated as "the imam fainted," the story goes that when the imam's wife made this for dinner, he passed out when he found out how much olive oil had gone into it. This version has a bit less than the original! Take note that the eggplant cooks for a very long time, so simmer over very low heat.
A very simple fish dish made spectacular with Indian curry butter.
Simple yet complex, the tart-sweet flavor of the mango chutney in this turkey sandwich serves as a perfect counterbalance to the creaminess of the Brie.
Frozen puff pastry is a convenient kitchen resource, easily kept in the freezer until you need it. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 4 hours or so, and it will be soft enough to roll. The rich, flaky pastry makes a simple pizza into a real treat.
Vegetables, whole grains and Sriracha-tahini dressing make this flavorful, easy, one-bowl meal a perfect addition to your weeknight dinner rotation.
Grilling season is here! Made with homemade seitan, these grilled teriyaki rolls are stuffed with bright green scallions, and  would be great served alongside a simple pot of steamed rice or with a cold gingery noodle dish. Much of this recipe could be done ahead of time - make the seitan, assemble the rolls, then grill when you’re ready to eat.
