Herbs & Spices

Only in summer, when baby vegetables are so wonderful and elegant looking, could a one-skillet side dish seem so fancy. A gentle simmer and just a little olive oil and butter enhance the vegetables' natural sweetness — no more effort is necessary.

There's not much cheese in this gratin — the better to let the perfectly ripe summer peppers and tomatoes, cooked just enough to intensify their flavors, sing.

Corn grilled in its husk isn't just easy, it's also more delicious than grilled shucked corn. The silk adds sweetness and also provides an extra layer of moisture that protects the kernels from the heat so they stay tender.

Chicken fatigue? Turkey cutlets require little cooking time and provide a tender platform for a deliciously garlicky sauce with toasted almonds.

Sweet peppers and a pleasingly salty vinaigrette enhance the meaty fish.

We started out with half the amount of corn chips but increased the quantity because we love their addictive crunch in this Southwest-influenced salad.

Delicate crabmeat gives sweetness to a light citrus sauce served on top of pasta.

Traditional Scandinavian fare, this rich stew is comfort food at its best — think chicken potpie without the crust. Boiled potatoes are the perfect starch to balance the sweet carrots and parsnips.

Goat cheese makes a lovely base for fresh herbs, carrying their flavor and punctuating their brightness with its gentle tang; in this spread, it tastes particularly mild because of the little bit of whipped cream folded in. Take the cheese out to soften before heading for the farmers market, and by the time you get back, it will be ready to mix with whatever herbs you've found there.

Fruit tart desserts often steal the spotlight in summer, but this easy savory treat showcases plum tomatoes in their prime with such simple grace that you'll forget about sweets for the moment.

This dish focuses on the goodness of ripe tomatoes, letting them be just what they're meant to be — wonderful.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Ethical Gourmet. To read more about the book, click here. Roaming the range foraging for grasses makes pasture-raised beef leaner and more intense in flavor. Grass-fed beef, with its lower fat content, cooks differently from conventional beef, so cook it slower, at lower temperatures. Its concentrated flavors make it an exceptional meat to serve in small, sliced portions as a spicy accompaniment to a grain and vegetable main course such as Pumpkin Basmati Rice Pilaf, Toasted Hard Red Wheat Pilaf with Caramelized Shallots, Figs, and Brazil Nuts, or Spice Whole Oats.

Brandi Neuwirth of Cary, North Carolina, writes: "My family and I moved here from Los Angeles last year, and my new surroundings have really influenced my cooking. There's a great farmers' market nearby where I get lots of local ingredients. The produce there inspired me to create this dish, which is a real taste of the South." These pretty ice cubes are great in lemonade and summer cocktails.

Fleur de sel and edible gold dust are sophisticated touches.

For a berry swirl, add some sweetened crushed raspberries during the last minute of churning. The swirl may become icy after the ice cream is frozen, so soften slightly before serving.

Cinnamon and a dash of cayenne give the sauce a south-of-the-border vibe.

If you like, drizzle amaretto or balsamic vinegar over the grilled peaches just before serving.