Cucumber

In Italy, whenever you walk into a store that sells salumi or prepared foods, you will inevitably see some kind of rice salad. It's as ubiquitous as coleslaw is in delis here, and these rice salads can be just as unimpressive—often a half-hearted mix of canned corn, sliced olives, lackluster ham, vegetables, and rice. Still, we've always liked the idea of a rice salad and so decided to come up with a fresher, livelier version, using summer vegetables at their peak—sweet corn, ripe cherry tomatoes, spice radishes, cucumbers, and scallions, with herbs and caciocavallo cheese for complexity. But the biggest departure from the Italian standard is that instead of using the traditional white rice, we toss the vegetables with red rice from the Piedmont region. Red has a much deeper, earthier flavor than white rice and a firmer texture. If you can't find it, try using faro rather than substitution white or brown rice.

This is the real thing, straight from Spain and translated for us by the ever-diligent David Rosengarten . For the best results, puree the vegetables in a Vita-Mix and strain through an Anolon cone strainer. If a Vita-Mix and Anolon strainer are not in your cupboard, it is delicious simply whirred in a food processor or blender.

Ingredients
 

This water, lightly scented with fresh mint and cucumber, is sneakily refreshing. For the full treatment, serve it in a glass icy cold from the freezer. The salt brings the flavors of the cucumber up, and the longer the water steeps, the more intense the flavors become.

This dish tastes like health and summer. 

You won't need sterilized jars or much time for these pickles.

Raitas are fresh relishes that side many Indian dishes, though we use it on bagels, sandwiches, over vegetables and cold poultry, and to dress salads.

Ingredients