Summer

Six ingredients yield big dividends. Be sure to use a good-quality fruity olive oil.

The chutney is macerated in vinegar and sugar, creating a syrupy sauce that also softens the fruit.

When corn season is over, this soup is one of the dishes I miss most. I think you'll like cooking the kernel-less cobs with the milk—it's a great way to get every last bit of flavor from the corn.

Penne, a tubular, pointed pasta, looks great alongside the zucchini blossoms.

If you don't have a pastry bag, you can spoon the meringue mixture onto the traced circles. Smooth the top of each circle and, using the back of a spoon, make a depression in the center.

This recipe calls for a thin, freshly made tomato sauce. Using this sauce will produce the best flavor and texture, but in a pinch you could substitute any plain canned sauce.

Under the weight of a second skillet, the "pressed" chicken releases its fat and juices into the pan and ends up cooking in all that sumptuousness. The result is almost unbelievably moist meat. Adding the quick-cooked vegetables and the spicy perfume of marjoram completes what is sure to become a go-to recipe in your dinner arsenal.

The crunch of celery is a terrific counterpoint to the buttery quality of the Yukon Gold potatoes. Serving this salad alongside the <epi recipelink="" id="243164">salmon cakes</epi> or any grilled meat only adds to the celebration of textures.

A no-cook soup that's as effortless as it is elegant embodies everything we look for in a summer dish. The sweet honey and sharp vinegar are natural extensions of summertime tomatoes' flavor.

Peaches are already tender and ambrosial at this time of year, so imagine how deep their sweetness becomes after a trip to the oven concentrates their lusciousness even further. Streusel topping adds a delightful crispness.

You might run across purslane, with its glossy, plump leaves, at a farmers market—and you might even find it growing in the cracks of your sidewalk or in your yard. Luckily, this incredibly nutritious and juicy green is a weed, which means it pops up wild nearly everywhere. Lots of chopped parsley and a simple vinaigrette flatter its herbal, lemony crunch.

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes—with its corn, tomatoes, basil, and unexpected nectarine, it sings out "summer." The first time I made this warm salad, I served it to Michael Newburg and Amelia Hunt, the owners of Falls Brook Organic Farm. Everything was from the market, including the scallops, so Michael and Amelia knew the provenance of every ingredient (including their own basil and tomatoes), which made this delicious dish even better.

Here's a real showstopper, with an exotic touch of cardamom. To crush the cardamom, place the seeds in a resealable plastic bag and tap with a rolling pin.

If you like things spicy, you'll love this dish. The marinade for the steak gets its heat from sambal oelek, an Indonesian chili paste, and some grated ginger, while the peppers get their spark from sriracha, a Thai chili sauce. Fresh watermelon cubes cool it all down, but not so much that you won't welcome an icy beer. Keep the pepper recipe handy—it’s also good with chicken and white fish. Be sure to start marinating the steak at least two hours ahead.

The decadent chocolate-dipped ice cream cones are easy—and a lot offun—to make at home.

Hoisin adds a bit of rich, sweet flavor to this corn.

The rich and tender biscuits would also be great with plums or blackberries. Rinse and wipe off any fuzz from peaches before using.

These confections combine melted chocolate, berries, and bits of toffee. Serve them with your after-dinner coffee or give them as a gift. (Keep refrigerated; let stand 30 minutes before serving.)