In summertime, the living is easy—and the cooking should be, too. With market-fresh ingredients peaking left and right, there’s no better time than now (and next month, and the month after that) to blow minds with dishes so simple, you barely even need a recipe
THE CAPRESE
Done right, the caprese’s timeless combination of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil is more than the sum of its parts. That’s why every component counts: You must seek out the best ingredients, use your fanciest olive oil, and sprinkle on the Maldon and coarsely ground pepper. Master these essentials and the caprese formula can be endlessly (and brilliantly) adapted, as seen here.
1 BARLEY, FENNEL, AND BEET SALAD Toss 2 cups cooked barley (from about 1/3 cup dried), 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb,…