Papaya and Cantaloupe with Lime Vinaigrette

Papaya and Cantaloupe with Lime Vinaigrette

Summertime is a season during which even the most ardent fruit lovers may feel overwhelmed. Peaches, plums, berries, melons... Everything is so delicious but it can be difficult to keep up, and at the end of the day, standard fruit salads may start to lose their luster.
This one pairs two underutilized melons with a zippy lime vinaigrette and fresh mint. It's healthy, beautiful and full of flavor!

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Chicken Burgers with Preserved Lemon, Aleppo and Yogurt

Chicken Burgers with Preserved Lemon, Aleppo and Yogurt

Though not a beef burger fan, I do love the idea of burgers, especially during summertime when you can sit outside, crack open a watermelon, pour some sweet tea and enjoy the sunshine. As such, I need non-beef burgers in my repetoire, and I prefer that they not look like pancakes or pucks, sad seconds to the juicy beef patties sharing grill space. I love real veggie burgers but chicken and/or turkey make the best substitutes for the "real" deal. This recipe is inspired by a southwestern turkey burger recipe I once had (white meat and chili) and by a delicious Aleppo-yogurt chicken kebab recipe I found on epicurious (chicken, Aleppo, yogurt). It's lighter than air, super moist and completely satisfying. 

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Eggplant Involtini (+ Basic Tomato Sauce)

Eggplant Involtini (+ Basic Tomato Sauce)

This is Mario Batali's recipe. He says, "it would be better to overcook them by 5 minutes than to undercook them by one." In addition to my two small augmentations -adding lemon and mint- I think toasted pine-nuts would be a great touch. Simple, delicious!

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Fish Taco Salad

Fish Taco Salad

Fish tacos, well crafted, have got to be one of the best dishes ever. And late spring through summer is the perfect time to enjoy them. There are times however, when tortillas and all the fixings sound a bit heavy and require more energy and input than I'm willing to expend. Solution: Salad! 

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Fava Bean Crostini

Fava Bean Crostini

A local restaurant makes the most unreal appetizer when fava beans are in season: a fava bean puree atop grilled bread, topped with a shave of Parmesan and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Each bite is out of this world. Obviously, I had to figure out how to make this. Here you go. You'll eat more than you think you can!

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