Lunch in Four Small Plates:

1. Salmon with a couscous salad and lemon mint vinaigrette
2. An early girl and orange cherry tomato salad with basil
3. Fresh peaches with a lemon pound cake
4. Figs and peaches with an aged goat cheese

I love making small plates so your palette isn’t tired but your stomach isn’t left empty. One of my favorite things to do is to challenge myself to use of EVERYTHING in my refrigerator. Couscous transforms into a salad with sautéed summer squash, pine nuts and fresh herbs. A quick vinaigrette of grated lemon zest, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced shallots, olive oil and lots of mint gets poured over the salmon and drizzles down onto the couscous. The key to a great tomato salad is to season appropriately. Many times we forget to add enough salt because they already taste acidic. But trust me, adding salt to tomatoes balances out the acidity and actually brings out the more sweet complex flavors. And use the best vinegar and olive oil you can get. Tomatoes only deserve the best. I find it better to toss them first with vinegar, salt and pepper. Then taste and adjust the seasoning. Then drizzle on some fruity olive oil. I like a lot of basil, almost to the point where it becomes an herb and tomato salad. And for dessert a cheese plate and my grandma’s lemon pound cake paired with fresh peaches.

If you want any particular recipe please let me know, I would be happy to post it.