Summer flavors shine in easy, seasonal recipes

Today’s recipes come about from years of cookery, either personal or enjoyed from the kitchen of friends or even restaurants. It’s hot! Make supper easy on yourself, and have it serve double-duty as hot or cold fare, or perhaps be eaten out of hand. Enjoy!

Our first recipe is a versatile treasure, served hot as a main dish or as a cooling salad with just a little juggling on the chef’s part.

Lemon-Tossed Linguine with Scallops

(Serves 6)

1 pint (2 cups) small bay scallops (or large scallops, cut in half)

8 ounces uncooked linguine

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 tablespoon each minced fresh parsley and lemon thyme leaves (stripped from stems)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in boiling water with no salt until easily cut against the side of the saucepan with the side of a fork. Drain and place in a medium bowl. Drizzle lemon juice over the noodles and toss. Set aside, covered to keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, chives and herbs and cook, stirring until soft. Raise heat to medium-high and toss in scallops; add olive oil and sauté, stirring until opaque and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in lemon peel and white pepper. Pour scallop mixture over pasta, tossing well. Sprinkle with cheese, tossing once more to coat evenly. Garnish with lemon slices and rosemary or dill sprigs as desired. Serve immediately with extra cheese available.

Note: You can easily change this recipe into a refreshing salad by draining and immediately cooling the pasta in cold water, draining well when cold, then tossing with the lemon juice. Omit the butter and use olive oil only when sautéing scallops, and allow the scallops to cool before tossing with the pasta. Instead of adding grated cheese, use minced green herbs of your choice, salt and pepper to taste, and another drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Serve with a bowlful of Kalamata or other olives of your choice.

Bonus tip: Instead of pasta, serve the scallop/lemon peel mixture over chopped romaine or other salad greens and add a little Caesar dressing for a great green salad!

Legendary Pea Salad

Dressing:

1/3 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

3/4 tablespoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic, finely minced or grated

3/4 teaspoon cane sugar

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Combine all dressing ingredients and set aside.

Assemble salad:

1 10-ounce package frozen petite peas (or fresh, cooked and chilled) *

1 cup celery, sliced and finely chopped

1/4 cup green onions with tops, chopped

1 cup finely chopped cashews

1/4 cup crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled (soy bacon or bacon bits OK), optional

1 cup sour cream

Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Prepare and toss salad ingredients through bacon (if used) into a salad bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup of mixed dressing and combine with the sour cream and salt. Toss lightly into the pea salad until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. At serving time, place in lettuce leaf cups. Save the remaining dressing in a tightly covered jar for future salads.

Note: If serving this with the scallop/linguine dish, forego the bacon if you wish.

Tip: It isn’t necessary to thaw frozen peas before use. They will thaw nicely during preparation, addition of the dressing and a “rest” in the fridge. Do not use canned peas.

To cook fresh shucked peas, drop them in boiling water for 3-4 minutes only, drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again.

Our final recipe is a refreshing and satisfying cold summer soup.

Chilled Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber Soup

(Serves 4)

8 ounces unpeeled (“wild caught”) shrimp

1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted

1 small cucumber

1 small bunch dill or fennel fronds*

Juice of half a lemon

1¼ cups vegetable stock or water (do NOT use chicken broth)

2½ cups plain yogurt

Salt, pepper to taste

Place shrimp in a saucepan with cold water to cover; bring to a boil, remove pan from heat, cover and set aside for 3-5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and peel.

Cut the peeled avocado into pieces. Cut 8 thin slices from the cucumber, peel the rest, seed if necessary and cut into chunks. Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, then strain into the stock/water. 

Reserve a sprig of dill/fennel for garnish and snip the rest into the mixture. Return mixture to the processor and blend; add about 2 cups of yogurt and blend until smooth. 

Pour into a serving bowl, add salt and pepper to taste and stir in chilled, peeled shrimp, reserving a few for garnish. Chill soup well and serve in individual chilled bowls garnished (if you wish) with a dollop of yogurt topped with a shrimp, a snip of dill or fennel and thinly sliced cucumber.

Your choice of dill or fennel provides two completely different taste sensations; use your favorite accordingly.

After the initial blending of ingredients, it’s not necessary to use the next two blendings unless you prefer a puree. As for me, I like some recognizable items in my soup, so I don’t even strain the first blending. It’s your choice.

Note: Designed as a summer soup to be served cold, this dish proves its versatility by delighting diners as a hot or warm soup for occasions that call for it. Simply serve immediately after preparation, perhaps in cups as an aperitif with cocktails prior to dinner.

    Cool, crisp and packed with flavor, this long-time favorite combines sweet peas, crunchy cashews and a creamy dressing that's sure to disappear quickly.
  

    Smooth avocado, garden-fresh cucumber and tender shrimp create a satisfying summer soup that's as welcome at a casual lunch as a special dinner gathering.
  

    Valle Novak
  

Editor’s note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. Weekend Gardener and Country Chef became renowned for their humor, information and common-sense advice on everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns — such as this one — to delight her many fans.