Easy

Leafy greens include chard, kale, broccoli rabe, collards, spinach, as well as the tops of beets and turnips. There are many varieties of each of these, rainbow chard, Swiss chard, red Russian kale, laciniato kale, and Bloomsdale spinach just to name a few. Select greens that are vibrant, perky, and fresh looking. Avoid buying them in bags already washed and prepared. Whatever time is saved with these convenience items is completely off set by the greater flavor and freshness of locally harvested greens. Except for chard, the stems of leafy greens should be stripped off and discarded. To do this, hold on to the stem and then grasp the bottom of the leaf and pull it towards the leaf tip while pulling away on the stem with the other hand. The leaves may also be cut from the stem with a small sharp paring knife. The wide ribs of chard leaves can be saved and cooked; they do have a longer cooking time than the leaves, and they need to be separated and cooked apart or ahead. Wash all greens well in abundant water and drain. Chicories are the family that includes radicchio, escarole, Belgian endive, and frisée. These greens are pleasantly bitter—and not always green: radicchio is usually red, and Belgian endive is a pale, pale yellow green. The hearts of leafy varieties such as escarole and curly endive are almost white. All chicories make delightful salads, and some are sturdy enough to braise and grill. They all should have brightly colored, fresh outer leaves. The headed varieties such as Belgian endive and some varieties of radicchio should be firm and tightly closed. To prepare chicories for salads, tear off and discard the outer dark leaves, which can be tough and bitter. Separate the leaves and wash and dry them well. Belgian endive will brown very quickly and should be trimmed and cut just before being used. To prepare chicories for braising and grilling, the tightly headed varieties can be cut in half or in wedges.

This corn hash has an exciting and lively combination of flavors: sweet corn, tart lime, and spicy peppers. It goes with all kinds of summertime dishes.

The traditional combination for succotash is lima beans and corn, but any other kind of shell bean will be delicious, too.

Celery and celery root were developed from the same plant but now they are two distinct varieties. Celery is one of the staples of the kitchen, used to flavor soups, broths, and braises. It is also quite tasty as a vegetable dish and offers lots of crunch in salads. Celery has a powerful flavor, especially the leaves. Use it judiciously when cooking; too much celery flavor can be unpleasant in a broth, for example. Look for fresh, bright stalks when selecting celery. The outer stalks are best used for flavoring and the inner lighter ones for eating. Celery root, also called celeriac, has only a few short stalks and leaves; it is the large round knobby root that is eaten both cooked and raw. Its flavor is mild and sweet. Select smaller, firm, heavy roots that have fresh vibrant leaves. Avoid roots that have brownish, rusty stains or blemishes; these tend to be bitter. Trim the top and bottom of the roots and cut away the tough brown skin. If you are not using it right away, wrap it in a damp cloth to keep it from turning brown.

Algerian in origin, this recipe makes a colorful, tasty hors d’oeuvre. Serve it at room temperature with toasted croutons or pita bread and marinated olives. Warm, it makes a great side dish with baked fish and Chermoula (page 233).

If you’ve never had homemade sauerkraut before, it will be a revelation. And it is easy to make at home: the longer it ferments, the softer the texture and the more intense the flavor. The rule-of-thumb ratio is 1 1/2 teaspoons salt per pound of cabbage.

Long-cooked broccoli is cooked until it resembles a coarse purée. It’s delicious on croutons, tossed with pasta, or as a side dish.

Homemade hummus is very easy to make. If you don’t have any tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds), a chickpea purée without it is still quite delicious. Just add more olive oil.

Freshly rendered lard is the traditional fat for refried beans. Look for it at Latin American markets.

Green beans are beans harvested while the pods are still tender and edible and the seeds within are immature. There are many, many delicious varieties: Blue Lake and Kentucky Wonder beans, wide romano beans (both yellow and green), yellow wax beans, purple and cream-colored Dragon’s Tongue beans, and the tender little French beans called haricots verts, to name only a few. Choose fresh, bright, crisp beans. They should snap quickly when bent and should have only the tiniest of seeds inside. Use the beans quickly to enjoy their best flavor. To prepare them, give them a rinse, and then snap or cut off Large flat romano beans are one of the summer vegetables I most look forward to for their irresistible beany flavor. Don’t hold back on the marjoram; the fresh pungent flavor of the herb is a wonderful complement to the beans.

Quesadillas, cheese-filled tortillas cooked until crisp and melted, are a simple quick pick-me-up. They are a standby for hungry kids after school. Served with rice, beans, and salsa, they make a complete lunch or dinner.

I love a dinner of make-it-yourself sushi. I put a large bowl of sushi rice on the table with squares of toasted nori, thinly sliced fish and vegetables, and some pickled ginger and wasabi. Everyone rolls his own and eats them out of hand.

Farro is a delicious, nutty-tasting whole grain with a flavor like a cross between wheat berries and barley. It cooks quickly (almost as fast as rice) and can be served boiled, plain, or marinated in a salad; or it can be prepared in the same way as a risotto. I usually cook 1 1/2 cups of farro at a time. I serve half of it warm as a side dish and the other half the next day as a salad.

Soda bread is the national bread of Ireland and is made with baking soda for leavening instead of yeast. It is traditionally baked on a hearthstone or in a Dutch oven in the embers of a fire. From beginning to end, this recipe takes no more than an hour.

This gratin (macaroni and cheese by another name) is good to make when you find yourself with the ends of several types of cheeses. Almost any cheese works, except mozzarella, which gets a little stringy, and blue cheeses, which can take over the dish. I love Gruyère for macaroni and cheese, and cheddar, Jack, and Cantal are all good, too.

This pasta works well with little clams in their shells or with large clams steamed open, removed from their shells, and chopped.

The trick to saucing pasta with pesto is to loosen the noodles with hot pasta water. It makes all the difference.