Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

1 pound fusilli or gemelli pasta


½ cup fresh basil

For chicken:

1. In a resealable bag, combine chicken and all marinade ingredients. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

For pasta salad:

1. In a large serving bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper. Fold in tomatoes and mozzarella cubes; let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to 45 minutes.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water.

3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade. (Discard marinade.) Grill chicken until cooked through. (Alternatively, chicken could be cooked on the stovetop for about 6 minutes per side.) Transfer to a cutting board. Let stand 10 minutes; thinly slice.

4. Add pasta, chicken and basil to tomato mixture; toss gently to combine.

TIP: Remember that tomatoes taste best if stored at room temperature—only refrigerate them if they’ve been cut.

SUMMER

Green Pasta Pesto with Zucchini Carpaccio

Spinach adds bright green color and a blast of vitamins to this pasta sauce. Serve pasta warm, cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4–6

2 cups basil leaves, packed

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

⅓–½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons pine nuts

Salt

1 pound penne or fusilli pasta

1 large zucchini, very thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1. In a food processor, combine basil, spinach, ⅓ cup oil, cheese, pine nuts and 1 teaspoon salt. Process until puréed. Add additional oil, if needed.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, toss zucchini slices with ½ teaspoon salt in a colander set in the sink. Let drain 15 minutes, shaking colander occasionally.

3. In a serving bowl, toss warm pasta with pesto sauce. Let pasta cool. Before serving, add zucchini slices and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt.

TIP: Pesto can be made 2 days in advance. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

SUMMER

Buttery Tilapia with Dijon Dill Green Beans

You don’t need to worry about the timing for this meal. The beans can be served warm or at room temperature. And the tilapia is a flash in the pan—it cooks in the time it takes to set the table!

Serves 4

Beans

1 pound green beans, trimmed

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Tilapia

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Four 6-ounce tilapia fillets, halved lengthwise to fit in pan

Salt and black pepper

For beans:

1. Using a steamer, steam beans until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, whisk mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until blended. Add beans and dill to bowl; toss until coated.

For tilapia:

1. Warm butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season tilapia with salt and pepper; add to hot pan and cook 3 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Serve with green beans.

TIP: Use only fresh dill in this recipe. Dried dill doesn’t impart the same flavor.

SUMMER

SUMMER

Grilled Loin Lamb Chops with Cool Cucumber Sauce

Loin lamb chops are quite small. Some diners are satisfied with one—heartier appetites may need two.

Serves 4

Cool cucumber sauce

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 small cucumber, seeded and finely diced

⅓ cup fresh mint or parsley, chopped

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Salt

Lamb chops

½ cup fresh mint leaves

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

6 loin lamb chops

1. Preheat grill to high heat. In a small bowl, mix all sauce ingredients until combined. Refrigerate until serving.

2. In a blender, purée mint, garlic, oil and vinegar until a sauce forms. Brush mixture on both sides of chops. Grill chops about 4 minutes per side. Serve topped with cool cucumber sauce.

TIP: Save time by using an English cucumber, which is a seedless variety. Whichever type you use, you don’t need to peel it. The green skin adds a burst of color to the sauce.

SUMMER

Garlicky Grilled Steaks

Hanger steak is a flavorful cut that’s great for grilling. Before marinating, remember to remove and discard the gristle that runs down the center of the steak.

Serves 6

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced, or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds hanger steak

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Olive oil, for drizzling

Salt and black pepper