For these simple yet stunning crostini, roasted cherry tomatoes are paired with fresh, creamy ricotta, which also acts as an anchor for the tomatoes, keeping them from falling off the toast as you eat. Pile the tomatoes as high as you can for a truly spectacular summer snack. Make these crostini in August and September, when the tomatoes are really in season; in other months, tomatoes will not be exceptional.
Ingredients
During the summer when the local farmers' markets are in full swing, our chefs reach out to area farmers to take advantage of the natural bounty of the season. We have a brief but amazing growing season here in the Northeast, with irresistible produce making an appearance for just a few short months. Chef Corey created this delightfully fresh and simple salad from a mismatched box of produce that arrived with our regular vegetable order one day. He wanted to highlight the crispy, crunchy vegetables with a light, tangy classic dressing. This makes a terrific salad for a light lunch or brunch; it is beautiful and simple to put together. Feel free to vary the vegetables to suit what is in season near you and what appeals to your taste. To turn this salad into a heartier meal, crumble some blue cheese and/or some crispy bacon slices over the top and serve with crusty bread.
Star chef Mario Batali's outstanding vegetable pasta boasts juicy roasted tomatoes with asparagus, Broccolini and shavings of ricotta salata cheese.
I'm a big fan of cherry tomatoes because you can find reliably flavorful ones even in wintertime. I think the best selection for this sauce is a mix of fruity and sweet orange Sun Golds (my favorite tomato; I plant about a dozen bushes every year) and a basic red cherry. You could make this sauce with chunks of larger tomatoes, too, but only if they're brightly acidic, the way even ho-hum cherry tomatoes tend to be. This sauce is a pleasure simply tossed with penne and a handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. But it's also delicious on grilled polenta or grilled fish. My favorite destination for this sauce is this angel hair dish.
Crisp potatoes and rings of red onions are tossed hot off the grill with tender kernels of corn, cherry tomatoes, and spicy Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette. We use Rosefirs and Russian Bananas here—fingerling potatoes grown for us at Green Gulch Farm—but any variety of potato will do. For added smoky flavor, we throw the jalapenos for the vinaigrette right on the grill. If you don't have time to light up an outdoor grill, just roast the potatoes and grill the onions and jalapeños on a stovetop grill instead.
Sugar snap peas are one of nature's finest treasures. As the name implies, they are naturally sweet, and their texture is crunchy. Because of that combination, they meld effortlessly with the other ingredients in this dish. The "snap" counters the creamy goat cheese, and the earthy tarragon contrasts perfectly with the vegetable's natural sugars.
Country women in Romagna used to bake these potatoes each week along with their homemade bread. Cloaked in olive oil and flavored with bits of cured pork, rosemary, garlic and tomatoes, the potatoes roasted near the opening of the big bread ovens, where the women could easily turn and baste them with the pan juices. The feast of the day was the crusty potatoes, fresh-baked bread, and homemade wine. Not a bad idea today, but these roasted potatoes are good with nearly everything from a green salad to chicken to seafood.
A special greeting for friends with the purity of a white dipping sauce and the vibrant colors of seasonal vegetables. Gather up the freshest, prettiest vegetables you can find. Arrange them on a shallow basket, a tray lined with fresh greens, or other flat object. Spoon the dip into a pretty bowl and set in the center of the tray. Instead of a bowl, you could hollow out a cabbage and arrange the vegetables around it. Improvise, play, create. Some suggestions for vegetables: