Summer Flavor: Recipes for Eating Al Fresco

What better way to celebrate summer than with an outdoor garden party? And because so many super-delish fruits and vegetables are now in season, you don’t have to work too hard in the kitchen.

“Just keep it simple,” encourages Anthony Stewart, the award-winning chef of the renowned Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami. “Salads are sublime this time of year. So is fish, simply grilled. Whatever you’re preparing, let the clean, spectacular flavors and aromas of the season’s finest be the stars of your alfresco table.”

Here are two super-simple stars of summer from the Pritikin Longevity Center, where deliciously healthy cooking has been celebrated and taught since 1975.

Tomato and Peach Salad
Serves 4

A recipe in a 19th century cookbook from Tuscany was the inspiration of this exquisite Pritikin salad. If you can’t get good peaches, nectarines work well.

What you’ll need:

2 peaches, sliced
2 tomatoes, ripe but firm, sliced
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons walnut oil
1 handful walnuts, chopped
Lemon juice, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

What you’ll do:

1. Combine peaches and tomatoes in a bowl and lightly drizzle with the vinegar, oil, and lemon juice.
2. Add pepper and walnuts.
3. Gently but thoroughly toss.

Note: If you’re trying to lose weight, reduce or leave out the walnuts and oil because they’re very dense with calories. Your salad will still taste fantastic.

Seared Salmon with Blueberry Balsamic Bliss
Serves 4

Here’s a perfect-for-summer recipe that’s always a favorite in the dining room and cooking classes at the Pritikin health resort. Serve it with summer-fresh corn on the cob and a salad full of seasonal veggie delights like zucchini and tomatoes.

What you need:

½ cup balsamic vinegar
2½ cups fresh blueberries, split use
4 four-ounce salmon fillets

What you’ll do:

1. Pre-heat outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
2. To prepare Blueberry Balsamic Bliss: Pour balsamic vinegar and 2 cups of the blueberries into a small saucepan. Bring to boil on the stove. Reduce heat and stir regularly until mixture is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Keep warm.
3. To grill salmon, place your fillets on a grill rack lighted misted with oil spray, and directly over coals. Grill, uncovered, for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness, or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork. Turn the fish once halfway through grilling. If your fillets still have skin, remove the skin after grilling.
4. Ladle your Blueberry Balsamic Bliss sauce over your salmon fillets. Top each fillet with a few fresh blueberries from your remaining half cup.

Do you have favorite recipes to share with friends and family during outdoor summer parties? Share them with us!