Summer

Sweet, sour, and meaty, this is summer food to eat with your hands.

If you prep all the ingredients ahead of time, this dish takes only minutes to cook.

Serve this with a basket of crusty bread.

In addition to assorted mustards, offer the pickled onions, tomato salsa, and pineapple relish. Hot dog buns can stand in for the pita, and bagged lettuce is an easy option. What to drink: Beer and lemonade will quench everyone's thirst.

A popular salad on the island of Pantelleria.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 hr

When using an outdoor grill, add a handful of fresh charcoal to the embers after serving the main course; when it's time to cook the nectarines, the fire should be at the right temperature. Remember to brush the grill clean before adding the fruit. Sour cream is a good substitute for the crème fraîche.

Zucchini gives a summery twist to the classic leek-and-potato soup; this new take on an old favorite is served at Quisiana.

Jamaican jerk seasoning — a blend of chiles, thyme, garlic, onion, and spices — gives the grilled fish a reddish-brown finish. It's a supermarket staple now; look for it in the spice aisle. Serve with: Rice salad and grilled squash.

This light, spicy soup is delicious hot or chilled. The sautéed aromatics turn the broth a rich red-orange, more reminiscent of tomato than watermelon. See if your guests can guess the main ingredient. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr (3 hr if serving chilled)

(OMELETTE AUX ASPERGES)

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.