Basil

The recipe calls for parsley and basil, but consider this dish a canvas for whatever tender herbs you have kicking around: cilantro, dill, tarragon, sage, chives, fennel fronds. Mix and match at will.

Long sweet peppers show up at farmers’ markets during the peak of the season and may be sold as long sweet yellow, sweet banana, Hungarian Sweet, or Cubanelle. You can substitute two medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (don’t use the green ones).

Grilling the chiles tames their heat a bit and adds a nice smoky flavor to this green sauce. You can fine-tune the heat by using fewer or more chiles, depending on the intensity of the ones you have and your personal taste. This sauce goes well 
with any grilled meat or fish.

Top-of-season cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella turn flatbread—either homemade or store-bought pizza dough—into a refreshing, delicious summer appetizer.

This tomato curry is enriched with coconut cream and brightened with fresh basil and lime juice.

When summer is at its height and the peaches are so ripe that you can smell their sweet aroma just by walking by, it's time for this bright salad.

We call for semi-pearled grains because they cook more quickly and have a roughened-up texture that helps them soak up the dressing. Browning them first deepens their flavor.

Sour cream and lemon zest combine for a sprightly sauce that complements smoked salmon in this 30-minute one-pot meal.

Cooked, puréed zucchini adds rich, creamy body to this easy, summery soup.

Philosophical question: Is it still a wedge if it isn't smothered in blue cheese and bacon? It's debatable, but we do know that this is a healthyish wedge salad we'd happily eat every day. It's got the rich part—a creamy tahini dressing that's so thick it anchors the greens. It's got the crunchy stuff—seeds and coarse salt. And it's got freshness—actual lettuce and herbs. Iceberg who?

You don't need a culinary school degree to cook fish with skin as crunchy as a potato chip. Grab your nonstick skillet, start the fish skin side down, and slowly raise the heat. The skin will lie flat, gradually rendering fat like a strip of bacon, while the flesh gently cooks through. You can do this. Anyone can do this.

This gorgeous tumble of carrot ribbons and mixed herbs provides a crunchy, fresh counterpoint to any rich meat main.

Make the dressing in a food processor if you like, but it won’t be as smooth or have that bright green hue you get when you do it in a blender.

Coconut cream is what gives this soup its velvety richness. Otherwise it’d just be green juice and noodles!

Jarred marinated artichoke hearts get super-crispy and delicious when roasted, making them the secret star of this simple sheet-pan dinner.

Looking for a special dinner for two? First, pan-sear one big steak to share. Then, while the steak rests, use the fat rendered behind in the skillet to sear smashed paprika-spiced potatoes to crispy, golden perfection.

Detroit-style pie is a thick, rectangular pizza with super-crispy edges, and the sauce is layered on top of the cheese. It is sometimes twice baked, and always delicious.