Seared Steak with Arugula and Spinach

Fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice liven up this simple summer supper

As summer approaches, we want easy, satisfying meals with bold flavor. Steak with salad is a classic favorite. So why not combine the two in one dish?

Add a tasty starter and a luscious dessert, and you have a terrific company meal. Oh, and don’t forget to add a nice bottle of red to your shopping list.

Your guests are worth it. 

Italian Sausage and Grapes with Pasta

Savory, sweet, and spicy – and quick enough for weeknight dinner

Sweet grapes paired with savory sausage? Yup, it’s a classic.

This Italian dish is most often served as a simple sauté flavored with balsamic vinegar and sometimes garlic. But we like to combine it with pasta for an easy main course.

With a glass of wine, of course. Because grapes.

Fennel and Pear Salad

Garnish with blue cheese or Parmesan for an early springtime starter

We could be fancy and call this insalata di finocchio e pere. But it tastes just as good in English.

The subtle anise flavor of fennel plays well with the crisp sweetness of pears. Add a garnish of blue cheese (we favor Gorgonzola) or maybe Parmigiano Reggiano, and you’ve got a springtime starter that will awaken your taste buds from their long winter’s nap.

So yeah, we love finocchio (no Pinocchios).

Fennel, Orange, and Arugula Salad

Colorful and tasty, this salad makes an excellent winter starter

It’s peak citrus time in our part of the world. Fortunately, oranges fit in everywhere, right?

Especially salads. In this one, orange slices cavort with the anise-like flavor of fennel and the peppery goodness of arugula.

The result? A winter wonderplate.

Roast Peach Salad

Ham, goat cheese, and balsamic kick up the flavor

Fresh peaches are one of the glories of summer. But sometimes the peaches we find at the market are less than fully ripe. What to do?

Roast them, we say (grilling works too). It brings out their sweetness and concentrates their flavor.

You don’t need to save them for dessert, either. Their sweet intensity plays well with savory ingredients (we like to use salty ham or prosciutto, plus goat cheese). Mix in some balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and you have a scrumptious salad.

A versatile one, too. This salad is fancy enough to start a summer dinner party. But it’s easy enough to serve as a quick weekday main.

Strawberry-Spinach Salad with Balsamic Poppy-Seed Dressing

This seasonal starter says spring!

Ah, spring. Warmer weather. Tender fresh baby spinach. And strawberries!

Those two ingredients frolic like bunnies in this tasty – and gorgeous – salad. Then we toss them in balsamic vinaigrette (with poppy seeds) for even more perk.

It’s the perfect start to Easter dinner. Peeps ahoy!

Chilled Beet and Cucumber Soup

Beet the heat with this refreshing starter

Some dishes are better than others. But this soup is one of the best things we’ve made in years.

Who knew that the humble beet could be so dramatic?

This chilled soup makes a perfect first course for a summer dinner party.  Its delicious color (and flavor!) will have your guests demanding seconds.

So make extra.

Strawberry-Chipotle Soup with Mint

Fresh OJ adds brightness to this chilled starter

Soup is cool. And in this case, chilled. Which is perfect for the warm weather we’re having in our part of the world.

We particularly like this dish because it allows us to use some of the fresh, ripe strawberries that are showing up in our market. Fruit is inherently sweet, of course. But add a bit of sourness (balsamic vinegar) and spicy heat (chipotle), and you have a savory starter.

Best of all, you can make this dish a day ahead. So any time you’re ready, soup is on.

Strawberry-Chipotle Salsa with Jalapeño

Terrific as a dip, even better as a sauce

Fresh, ripe strawberries? We can’t resist. But what to do with all those cartons of luscious berries?

Sweets and desserts are a natural, of course. But strawberries like to go savory once in a while. Especially when they can flaunt a bit of heat, as they do here.

Serve this salsa with tortilla chips as an appetizer. Better yet, pair it with roasted or grilled meat, fish, or fowl. We particularly like to serve it with pork or duck, but it also works well with chicken or salmon.

We always knew strawberries could be saucy. But now they’re really hot.

Roast Strawberry Salad

Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar Add Ping

Ever tried roasting strawberries?  Or serving them as a savory dish rather than a sweet?  Restaurants have been using strawberries this way for years.  Home cooks?  Not so much.

Roasting concentrates strawberries’ already intense flavor.  Toss them in olive oil and seasoning, and their sweetness turns deliciously savory.  Mate with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar, and you have the makings of a memorable salad.

We’re talking big flavor — with little effort!  Well worth it for the standing ovation your guests will give you.

Roast Belgian Endive

Roasting Is the Easiest Way to Cook this Versatile Vegetable 

Have you ever been in the supermarket and seen those cute little white, torpedo-shaped vegetables called Belgian endives — and wondered what to do with them?

Well, you can stop wondering. Earlier this week we discussed how to braise Belgian endive. And today we’re going to talk about roasting it, which is perhaps the easiest way to cook it.

And in my book, the tastiest.

Braised Belgian Endive

The Best Vegetable You Never Eat

When was the last time you ate Belgian endive?  That long ago?  Yeah, me too.

And when did you last cook it at home?  Probably never, if you’re like me.

What a shame.  Because Belgian endive has an appealing bitterness that mellows and sweetens when the vegetable is cooked.  It’s low in calories (each one has about 20), full of vitamins and minerals, and easy to prepare.  What’s not to like?