Eye for a Recipe

This farro salad from Food52 feeds a crowd and brims with the late summer season’s tomatoes and herbs. Cook the farro in water with onion, garlic and parsley and let it cool. Meanwhile, make the dressing and assemble the other ingredients. Add the farro and toss with the dressing.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Tre Stelle bocconcini cheese is additive-free, as are Pilaros Kalamata olives. Spectrum Organic balsamic vinegar and Eden Organic red wine vinegar contain only naturally occurring sulfites.

Cook the farro in water with onion, garlic and parsley

Combine the other ingredients

Make the dressing

Summer farro salad

Ingredients:

2 cups (500 ml) uncooked farro (or substitute barley)

1 medium red onion, cut in half

1 clove garlic

1 handful fresh parsley plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) finely chopped

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt, plus more if needed

1 cup (250 ml) finely diced fresh mozzarella cheese (bocconcini)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) minced pitted Kalamata olives

2 cups (500 ml) grape tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 tablespoon (15 ml) finely chopped fresh basil

1 pinch freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons (10 ml) honey

Preparation:

Add the farro, one onion half, garlic, handful of parsley and salt along with 2 ¾  cups (690 ml) water to a 2 quart (2 L) pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit, covered, for 5 more minutes. Discard the onion, garlic and large pieces of parsley. Spread out on a rimmed sheet pan and let cool completely (do not skip this step or the mozzarella will melt into the finished dish).

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegars and honey to prepare the dressing. Chop the remaining onion half finely. Add onion, cooled farro, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, remaining tablespoon of parsley and basil to a deep bowl. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well to combine, using a long wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper. The salad is ready to serve, but can also be made and stored in the fridge, covered, one day ahead. Serves 8-12.

From Food52

This recipe from the New York Times combines tangy lime-soaked shrimp with the bounty of the season — fresh chiles, chives, tomatoes, shallots, cucumber and cilantro. Marinate the shrimp while you make the dressing and prep the veggies. Caramelize the cucumber and corn in a hot skillet, then combine with the tomatoes and shallots and half the dressing. Quickly cook the shrimp in the same pan then add to the vegetables and toss with more dressing.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for frozen shrimp with only salt added and use freshly squeezed lime juice. I used Cock brand fish sauce, which is additive-free.

Cook the cucumber and corn until soft and beginning to brown

Add the corn and cucumbers to the other vegetables

Spicy shrimp with blistered cucumber, corn and tomatoes

Ingredients:

Shrimp

½  cup (125 ml) fresh lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes)

3  tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

2  teaspoons (10 ml) grated ginger

1  large garlic clove, grated

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound (454 g) jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

Dressing

1  serrano or Fresno chile, thinly sliced, plus more to taste

2  tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped chives or scallions, plus more to taste

1  tablespoon (15 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste

1  teaspoon (5 ml) light brown sugar, plus more to taste

Salad

2  medium tomatoes, cored and cut into ½ -inch (1.25-cm) wedges

1  medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings

1 ½  cups (375 ml) roughly chopped seedless cucumber (such as English or Persian), cut into ½ -inch (1.25-cm) pieces

1 ½  cups (375 ml) raw corn kernels (from about 2 ears of corn)

¼  cup (60 ml) cilantro (optional), leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Flaky sea salt (optional), for serving

Preparation:

In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, plus the ginger and garlic; season well with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp, toss to coat and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice with the chile, chives, fish sauce and brown sugar until it dissolves. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

In a large bowl, gently combine the tomatoes and shallot and set aside.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil and when it shimmers, add the cucumbers and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the vegetables to cook, undisturbed, until they begin to brown and caramelize in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden all over, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then toss with the tomato-shallot mixture and half the dressing.

Wipe out the pan and heat over medium-high. Leaving the marinade behind and discarding it, add shrimp to the pan and sear until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes each side. Alternatively, grill over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Add the shrimp to the salad, gently toss to coat and serve on a large platter or in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining dressing and scatter with cilantro and flaky sea salt, if using. Serves 4.

From the New York Times

The tomatoes are ripe and the temperatures are hot so it’s a perfect time to make this no-cook pasta sauce from Bon Appetit. Blitz tomatoes, garlic, hot pepper flakes and salt in a food processor, then add cherry tomatoes, olives, capers and oil. When the pasta is ready, add it to the sauce, along with some parsley and butter.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used President’s Choice green olives stuffed with garlic and Unico capers; both are free of additives. Use butter that contains only cream, without colour added.

Spaghetti with no-cook puttanesca sauce

Ingredients:

2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 lb./454 g), halved crosswise, seeds removed

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tsp. (5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. (10 ml) kosher salt, plus more

1½ cups (375 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup (250 ml) Castelvetrano or other green olives, crushed, pits removed

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) drained capers

¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

12 oz. (340 g) spaghetti

¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped parsley

3 Tbsp. (45 ml) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preparation:

Pulse beefsteak tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 2 tsp. (10 ml) salt in a food processor until smooth; transfer sauce to a large bowl and mix in cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and ¼ cup (60 ml) oil.

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta, parsley, and butter to sauce. Toss vigorously with tongs, adding a splash of pasta cooking liquid or more as needed to create an emulsified sauce that coats pasta. Divide among bowls and drizzle with more oil. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

Whether it’s from the farmers’ market, the supermarket or your own back yard, there’s nothing like a big bunch of fragrant basil. While this wonderful herb is at its peak, whip up this luscious pesto from Bon Appetit to freeze or use right away as a pasta sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the pine nuts do not contain additives and the butter contains only cream, with no colour added. Genuine Parmesan is additive-free.

Adding butter makes the sauce even more luscious.

Pasta with pesto

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) pine nuts

3 oz. (85 g) Parmesan, grated (about ¾ cup/185 ml)

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

6 cups (4.5 L) basil leaves (about 3 bunches)

¾ cup (185 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. (5 ml) kosher salt

2 tbsp. (30 ml) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup (60 ml) pasta cooking liquid

12 oz. (340 g) dried spaghetti or other long pasta

Grated Parmesan for serving

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C). Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once halfway through, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and let cool. Add cheese and garlic and pulse until finely ground, about 1 minute. Add basil and place the top back on. With the motor running, add oil in a slow and steady stream until pesto is mostly smooth, with just a few flecks of green, about 1 minute. Season with salt.

Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Top with ½” oil to prevent browning. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface, and chill. You can also freeze it.

Cook 12 oz. dried pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup (125 ml) pasta cooking liquid.

Place pesto and 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, in a large bowl. Add pasta and ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta cooking liquid. Using tongs, toss vigorously, adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is glossy and well coated with sauce. Season with salt.

Divide pasta among bowls. Top with finely grated Parmesan. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit