A cool solution for hot summer nights
For some, a cold supper’s main virtue is expedience — a less-than-exciting but convenient way to get food on the table with no cooking required.
My friend from upstate New York, however, has fond memories of summer evenings and cold suppers eaten on the screened-in porch. His family’s small farm supplied everything but the cold cuts, which were picked up in town. Potato salad, macaroni salad and deviled eggs were always served, along with sliced tomatoes from the garden, a green salad and homemade pickles. A tall, frosty Tom Collins was the beverage offered to grown-ups. The kids drank lemonade.
But even this sort of idyllic farm supper requires some cooking. Water must be boiled, at the very least. No, you don’t want the oven on all day, but plan to make some use of your stovetop and grill if you want a good summer meal.
The urge to boycott the kitchen entirely during the summer months is understandable, especially during heat waves. The irony is that high summer is when ingredients are at their best. If ever there was a moment to have a meal straight from the farm or garden, that time is now.
When I returned from the farmers market the other day, my bags were filled with glistening eggplants, truly ripe tomatoes, tender young green beans, justpicked okra and colorful summer squash.
I was determined to make them all into five simple salads and to serve them later in the day at room temperature. That’s my kind of cold supper.
Working somewhat in advance is the trick to hot-weather cooking. Grab an hour in the early morning or midafternoon to get a little vegetable prep done or make a vinaigrette. But be sure to leave herb-chopping for the last minute — your herbs will taste and look brighter.
Freshly picked green beans are a true summer treat. Whatever the color — green, purple or pale yellow — choose smaller beans, which are naturally more tender. (Midsize Blue Lake beans or tender Romano beans are other options.) I pair mine with a mustardy vinaigrette, toss them with green olives, then shower them with snipped dill and chives.
A great tomato salad starts with sweet, ripe tomatoes. Good news: They are here. I chose a mix of midsize heirlooms in assorted colors, from green to red to burgundy to golden. Dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar, with a touch of garlic, this salad is draped with anchovy fillets, the perfect counterpoint to the tomatoes’ sweetness. I toss the salad with large handful of fragrant basil leaves just before serving.
I’m an okra fan, whether it is fried, pickled or simmered in gumbo. Another way to love okra is barely cooked. For this salad, the okra boils for only two minutes in salted water, which gives it a texture reminiscent of asparagus. Seasoned with a warm and earthy Moroccan spice blend, it pleases even avowed okraphobes.
The happy mix of eggplant, peppers and onions is found throughout the Mediterranean. Ideally the vegetables are cooked over hot coals, which adds a welcome smokiness, but I charred mine on a stovetop grill for a similar effect. Then I chopped them together in roughs chunk and added olive oil, lemon, capers and oregano — simple but glorious when made with super-fresh ingredients.
A salad of julienned raw zucchini dressed in yogurt, with a generous amount of lemon juice and zest, is extremely refreshing. My favorite herb vendor at the market had chervil, mint and a type of sorrel with tiny leaves, all of which enhanced the lemony essence. Sometimes I add a pinch of powdered sumac, too.
Lined up on the table, these salads made an impressive buffet. But you can also use this little collection for five nights of summer dining, with a different salad each night. Since none of the vegetables were ever refrigerated, they had that straight-fromthe-garden sweetness. It made this city boy think about moving upstate.
Green beans with herbs and olives Yield: Time: Ingredients:
4 to 6 servings
20 minutes
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 to 2 pounds small green beans, or a mixture of different colors, topped and tailed
2 small garlic cloves, minced 1 small shallot, diced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup good-quality pitted green olives, halved
2 tablespoons chopped dill 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Add
Preparation: 1.
beans and cook for 2 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain and rinse beans with cool water, then blot with a kitchen towel. Set aside.
Make the vinaigrette: Put garlic, shallot and vinegar in a small bowl. Add a good pinch of salt and a smaller pinch of pepper; let macerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Add mustard and whisk to dissolve, then whisk in olive oil.
Assemble the salad: Put cooked beans in a serving bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add olives and half the vinaigrette. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle salad with dill and chives and serve.
2. 3. Tomatoes with basil and anchovies Yield: Time: Ingredients:
4 to 6 servings
20 minutes
2 small garlic cloves, minced 1 small shallot, diced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper
12 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup milk (optional)
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, any size, cut in wedges, slices or halves
1 1/2 cups basil leaves, not too big, washed and dried
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
Make the vinaigrette: Put garlic, shallot and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Put anchovies in a small bowl and cover with milk. Leave for 5 minutes, then carefully rinse with water and blot with paper towels. (Alternatively, skip the milk and simply rinse anchovies with water and blot.) Transfer to a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
About 5 or 10 minutes before serving, place tomatoes in a large, deep platter or low-sided serving bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add vinaigrette
Preparation: 1. 2. 3.
and toss gently to coat.
Just before serving, add the basil leaves and toss gently. Garnish with anchovy fillets and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper, if desired.
4. Okra salad with toasted cumin Yield: Time: Ingredients:
4 to 6 servings
20 minutes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 2 teaspoons paprika or pimentón Pinch of cayenne
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds okra, not too big, left whole
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, for garnish
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves, plus additional sprigs, for garnish
Make the dressing: Put cumin, coriander and caraway seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat. Shake pan and toast seeds until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Let seeds cool, then grind to a coarse powder in a mortar or electric spice mill. Transfer to a small bowl and add paprika and cayenne. Whisk in olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Add okra and cook for 2 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain and rinse with cool water, then blot with a kitchen towel. Set aside.
To serve, place okra in a serving bowl. Season lightly with salt and toss with dressing. (Leave to marinate for up to 1 hour if desired.) Garnish with olives, chopped cilantro and some cilantro sprigs.
Preparation: 1. 2. 3. Grilled eggplant, peppers and onions
4 to 6 servings
Time: Ingredients:
45 minutes
4 small eggplants (about 2 pounds), sliced into 3/4-inch rounds
2 medium onions, sliced into 3/4inch rounds
2 ripe bell peppers (or another type of large sweet pepper), halved and seeded
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Prepare a bed of hot coals in a charcoal grill, or heat a stovetop grill to medium-high. Arrange eggplants, onions and peppers on a baking sheet. Paint vegetables lightly on both sides with olive oil.
Working in batches, grill all vegetables on both sides until softened and lightly charred, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. When all vegetables are cooked, chop them into rough chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add capers and toss again.
Transfer mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with oregano and crushed red pepper. Serve at room temperature.
Preparation: 1. 2. 3. Lemony Zucchini Slaw Yield: Time: Ingredients:
4 to 6 servings
30 minutes
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini or summer squash, preferably a mix of colors
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives 2 tablespoons roughly chopped chervil
2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint
2 tablespoons roughly chopped sorrel
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, for garnish
3 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted, for garnish
Top and tail the zucchini. Julienne with a large knife, mandoline, food processor or spiralizer.
Transfer zucchini to a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest and juice and toss well. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Add yogurt and toss to coat well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add chopped herbs and mix gently. Garnish with feta and pine nuts to serve.
Preparation: 1. 2. 3.