Celebrating Summer

Summer is now in full swing. The tomatoes are bursting with flavor, the corn is sweet, and the skins on the new cucumbers are squeaky clean.

For this fast, fresh menu, I’ve incorporated some of these pleasures of the season, while keeping preparation to a minimum. Fresh spinach is tossed with sweet uncooked corn kernels, thin slivers of cucumber and torn basil leaves.

The White Bean Salad, a simple mixture of beans, red onion, green pepper, parsley, vinegar and oil, can be made ahead and spooned into hollowed-out tomatoes just before serving. The fish steaks--of your choice--are marinated in olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic and lemon zest while the salads are being prepared. The plum sauce can be made up to one day ahead.

Then I set the table under the stars on our little back porch, and we celebrate the taste of summer.

GRILLED MARINATED FISH STEAKS

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

4 fish steaks (salmon, shark or swordfish)

Combine olive oil, thyme, garlic and lemon zest in deep platter. Add fish steaks and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.

Grill fish steaks on oiled rack over hot coals until done (cooking time varies according to thickness of fish). Makes 4 servings.

SPINACH, CORN AND CUCUMBER SALAD

4 cups washed, trimmed and torn spinach leaves

1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

2 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut from cobs (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

2 green onions, cut into thin diagonal slices

Dressing

Combine spinach, cucumber, uncooked corn, basil and green onions in large salad bowl. Add Dressing and toss to coat. Makes 4 servings.

Dressing

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 clove garlic, crushed

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Whisk together oil, lime juice, garlic and salt and pepper to taste until blended in small bowl.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH WHITE BEAN SALAD

1 (19-ounce) can white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

4 ripe medium tomatoes

Salt

Combine beans, red onion, green pepper, parsley, vinegar, olive oil and pepper to taste in bowl. Stir gently to blend. Set aside until ready to serve. If making ahead, refrigerate, but warm to room temperature before serving.

Just before serving, cut top off each tomato. Using teaspoon, scoop out pulp and reserve for another use. Sprinkle inside of each tomato with dash of salt. Arrange on platter. Carefully spoon bean salad into tomatoes, dividing evenly. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

This sauce is also good over sliced peaches, shortcake or sorbet.

VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH FRESH PLUM SAUCE AND CINNAMON

1 1/2 pounds red or purple plums, pitted and cut into chunks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

Vanilla ice cream

Ground cinnamon

Stir together plums and sugar in saucepan. Add little water, 1 teaspoon at time, if plums do not release their juices. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until plums are softened, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

Transfer mixture to food processor or blender and puree. Transfer puree to bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, then stir in lime juice. Spoon plum sauce into 4 ice cream bowls. Add scoop of vanilla ice cream to each and sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Makes 4 servings.