Crab, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing

On hot, humid days like these we love to make delicious meals without firing up the stove. There are so many dishes that can be made without cooking. Here is one of our favourite no-cook recipes, that is perfect for a hot summer day. 

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed

8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices ripe beefsteak tomato

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. Combine rind, 3 tablespoons juice, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 1 ½ tablespoons juice mixture. Add remaining 2 tablespoons juice, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through crab) to remaining juice mixture; toss gently to coat.

2. Arrange 2 tomato slices and 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes on each of 4 plates. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon reserved juice mixture over each serving. Top each serving with 1 cup corn and crab mixture.

Red Pesto Ravioli Recipe

You can really appreciate the intense flavour of sun-dried tomatoes with this unique pasta dish. Your family will be in awe over this dish and it will leave them begging for more!

Ingredients

1 pound fresh cheese raviolis
12 plump, chewy sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 ounces)
2 medium cloves garlic
a couple big pinches of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts, lightly toasted

3 handfuls of baby spinach tossed with a splash of olive oil and a big pinch of salt.
2/3 cup oven-roasted cherry tomatoes (optional)*
a bit of crumbled goat cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and cook the raviolis per package instructions. Drain, but reserve about one cup of the hot pasta water (important!).

In the meantime, make the sun-dried tomato pesto by pulsing the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil, thyme, and salt in a food processor until it comes together into a textured crumble. Add the walnuts, and pulse a few more times - see photo. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water in a large mixing bowl along with two-thirds of the sun-dried tomato pesto. Add the cooked raviolis and gently toss. Add more of the hot pasta water if needed to thin the pesto out - it should make a nice chunky sauce. Taste and add more of the pesto if you like - it's really a matter of personal preference at this point.

Arrange the baby spinach on a large platter and top with everything from the ravioli mixing bowl. Top with the cherry tomatoes and a bit of crumbled goat cheese.

*To oven-roast cherry tomatoes: Heat oven to 350F degrees. Cut each tomato in half and arrange in a large oven-proof baking dish. Mix together a big splash of olive oil, a spoonful of brown sugar, and a few pinches of salt. Pour this over the tomatoes. Gently toss them a bit, making sure they all get coated. Arrange tomatoes cut-side up. Place in the oven and bake for 45 mintutes or so, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.

Asian Smoked Salmon and Potato Salad with Cucumber Fettuccine

Your taste buds will be in Heaven after tasting this unique and summery salad! This simple salmon and potato salad is no ordinary dish, with delectable Asian flavours on a bed of cucumber fettuccine. 

 

 Cucumber Fettuccine

2 English cucumbers
2 tbsp (25 mL) soy sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) rice wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar
1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) wasabi paste

Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb (500 g) small (1 inch/2.5 cm diameter) red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed, cut in half
8 oz (250 g) thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1⁄2 inch (1 cm) strips
3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped
fresh coriander
2 tbsp (25 mL) snipped chives
2 tbsp (25 mL) peanut or other mildly flavoured oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) soy sauce
1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) wasabi paste
1 tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. For cucumber fettuccine, trim ends from cucumbers and cut in half crosswise. With a vegetable peeler, peel skin from cucumbers and discard. Still using vegetable peeler, cut cucumbers lengthwise into very thin strips, discarding central core of seeds. Put cucumber in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and wasabi paste until sugar dissolves. Add to cucumber and toss well. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain cucumber well, discarding dressing.

3. For salad, steam potatoes in a large steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water for 15 to 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove steamer from saucepan; let potatoes cool to room temperature.

4. In a large bowl, toss together potatoes, smoked salmon, 2 tbsp (25 mL) coriander and the chives. In a small bowl, whisk together peanut and sesame oils, vinegar, soy sauce and wasabi paste until smooth. Add dressing to potato mixture; toss gently.

5. Divide cucumber among 4 dinner plates. Spoon potato salad over cucumber, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with remaining coriander and the sesame seeds. Serve at once.

Long weekend recipe: Sliders with Chipotle Mayo

Impress your guests with these mini burgers, perfect for a backyard BBQ this long weekend. Enjoy these sliders with a crisp cold beer or a nice full glass of wine. Long weekends are all about getting outside, relaxing with loved ones and basking in the sun. 

Chipotle Mayonnaise Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 lime, juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slider Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cheese slices, your choice
• Mini burger buns

Burger Garnish

• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Pickles
• Red onion slices

Chipotle Mayonnaise Directions

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Slider Directions

Preheat grill over medium-high heat.

Form the meat into 2 to 3-ounce portions, packed tightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the sliders on the grill. Wait until they are nice and crusty on the first side, about 4 to 5 minutes and then flip and cook another 4 minutes. When the sliders are about done, top with desired cheese and close the grill, allowing the cheese to melt.

Place the slider on mini burger buns and top with chipotle mayonnaise and any other desired toppings.