In the summer, I crave salads. My dream scene is to have a variety of salads every day for lunch. Perhaps a light arugula salad and a couscous salad would be lovely with this bold tricolor salad that I found in Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food. 

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the following

2 Tablespoons Red-Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon Honey

Add

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1/2 English cucumber, sliced into 1/4 inch half-moons

1 small head Radicchio, cut into 1-inch pieces

Toss to combine and season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccoli rabe

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Polenta:

3 cups water

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds (I don’t care for fennel, so I didn’t add this)

1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut off and discard the tough bottoms of the broccoli rabe  stems.  Coarsely chop the broccoli rabe, stems and all, to make about 6 cups.  Rinse well and set aside in a colander to drain. 

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and slowly pour in the cornmeal while stirring briskly with a whisk or a wooden spoon.  Break up any lumps that form.  Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick and tastes done.  Stir in the salt, fennel, and the cheese, if using.  Add pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy pan.  Add the garlic  and salt and saute on medium heat just until the garlic is golden.  Add the broccoli rabe, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes or until tender.  Set aside until the polenta is done. 

Serve the polenta in a bowl with the broccoli rabe on top or stirred in. 

*This recipe is from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics*

This pasta salad is great for parties and buffets.  A favorite in my family, especially for great summer lunches and picnics.  This recipe serves 8, but I will usually double it for parties and family gatherings.

Ingredients for the Parmesan Dressing:

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions for the Parmesan Dressing:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the dressing is smooth.

Ingredients for the Salad:

1/2 pound penne pasta

2 cups packed baby spinach, washed and stemmed

2 small jarred roasted red peppers, diced

1/2 pound smoked mozzarella cheese, diced

Directions to prepare the salad:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until it is al dente.  Drain the pasta into a colander, run cold water over it or submerge it in ice water until chilled through, and drain well. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, spinach, roasted red peppers, and smoked mozzarella. 

Toss the salad with the dressing and serve immediately. 

*This recipe is from The Whole Foods Market cookbook.*