When we’re hit with a line of heat waves, many of us turn to takeout. But some of these heat waves are too hot for a pizza. I still crave pizza, but lately I’ve leaned into an alternative. Is it pizza or just a cool vegetable plate?
I skip the dough. I start with a base of ricotta cheese slathered onto a plate as thick or thin as I like. I build it up with fresh or grilled vegetables, depending on what’s on hand. I scatter greens — maybe torn basil or peppery arugula, or pea shoots arugula — over the top. (The Farmers Market is my treasure trove.) I scatter olives or capers over them, pumpkin seeds or slivered almonds for crunch. I season this with whatever seems right, like flaky sea salt, coarse ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, finely chopped fresh rosemary. A spritz of lemon juice. A drizzle of really good olive oil. And, dinner! No oven. No heat. No pots to wash.
Sometimes I change this up with guacamole instead of ricotta. I top it with differently accented veggies — halved cherry tomatoes, chopped red onion, corn kernels, bits of red bell pepper, etc. A mere dusting of cayenne and cumin powder over the top. Cilantro is the herb of choice, and lime juice the citrus.
Another variation is based on Greek yogurt or hummus. I top that with crunchy roasted chickpeas, olives, salted capers, chopped (seeded) cucumbers, black olives, quartered cherry tomatoes, lemon zest. I season it with fresh oregano leaves, chopped scallions and a drizzle of fruity green olive oil.
A totally refreshing meal on the porch at twilight with soft sea air gently breathing. Add icy lemonade or Arnold Palmers.
GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD
Makes eight servings.
When I grill burgers or hot dogs, I take advantage of the lingering heat in the coals and throw on a few veggies to pack away for another day. I don’t always stick to this list below. Again I turn to the Farmers’ Market. Whole scallions grill up in seconds. Grilled radishes and small potatoes (cut in halves) are surprisingly tasty. So are thickly sliced tomatoes.
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 bell peppers (yellow, orange or red), quartered, stemmed and seeded
1 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise
1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 slice red onion, 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons top quality olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Put all prepped veggies in a large bowl. Toss to coat with olive oil.
Light a medium-hot fire on the grill. Grill vegetables, covered, five to 10 minutes, then turn, until browned and tender. (Keep in mind that tender vegetables brown quicker than sturdy ones.)
Transfer cooked vegetables to a platter; let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut all the vegetables into 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary.
One more thought: I sometimes make dessert this way. Slather mascarpone cheese or cream cheese whipped with milk over a plate as a base. Scatter with sliced fresh peaches, pitted cherries and berries. I squeeze half a lemon or lime over the top and scatter with torn mint leaves, nuts and seeds. Drizzle very lightly with maple syrup or thinned Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread). Alternatively, I pile the soft cheese into a bowl or stemmed glass, then add the toppings.
Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-and-coming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
Linda Bassett
Marblehead resident Linda Bassett has worked as a cook, trained up-and-coming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
