Summer is wonderfully hectic – and wonderfully hot – so I like to keep things simple but full of flavor. My secret? Creating a menu where other people in the household take charge of a dish or two.
My husband is a whiz at making the crispiest hasselback potatoes, and my daughter practically begs to make the plum pie… So of course, I let them. (I’m just hoping they haven’t figured out that I’m taking full advantage of their enthusiasm –… wink, wink.)
Here are some fresh, flavorful recipes perfect for a laid-back Wednesday night dinner or a relaxed summer get-together
Peach Plum Cobbler
My almost 11-year-old loves making this dessert almost as much as she loves eating it! It’s so simple, comes together quickly, and is delicious served slightly warmed or cold straight from the fridge. Sweet peaches and tart plums are layered between tender cake-like batter, with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top.
Yields a 9-inch (23 cm.) round pan.
6 ripe plums, washed and cut into small cubes
1 cup peach slices (fresh or frozen)
¾ cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
½ cup oil
Sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, vanilla, baking powder, eggs, and oil until smooth. Spread half the batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Evenly scatter the plums and peach slices over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 45 minutes until golden and set. Serve warm or chilled.
Mango Slaw
This slaw is summer in a bowl – bright, juicy mango, crunchy cabbage, fresh herbs, and a zesty citrus dressing. I discovered it years ago when I was collecting recipes for a cookbook in honor of my mother’s 70th birthday, and my cousin Shulamis submitted this recipe. I love the colorful crunch and fun tropical twist.
Light and colorful, it’s just as happy piled onto BBQ chicken as it is served for Shabbat lunch, pairing effortlessly with almost anything and bursting with fresh, tangy flavor.
Yields 6 servings.
800 gr. purple cabbage, shredded
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 chilled mango, peeled and sliced
½ cup roasted slivered almonds
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup orange juice
1 or 2 Tbsp. honey (to taste)
½ tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Peel the chilled mango with a vegetable peeler, then shred, grate, or slice it into thin strips and place in a large bowl. Add the shredded cabbage, scallions, and lemon zest.
For the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Taste the dressing and adjust the honey or orange juice to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add the roasted slivered almonds to the salad, pour on the dressing, and toss well.
Pineapple Chicken Skewers
I feel so blessed that our Shabbat table is often shared with family and friends. Between words of Torah from my husband, talk about the Land of Israel, and plenty of laughter, another favorite topic that comes up is which recipes will make it into my next Jerusalem Post article. Sometimes my guests get to taste them before you do!
This past Shabbat, I was stuck on what to feature as a main dish. I already knew the salad, side, and dessert, but I kept going back and forth on the centerpiece dish. Since I was using summer fruit in both the salad and the dessert, my guests suggested I keep the theme going in the main dish. There were lots of fun ideas, but the one that made my mouth water was grilled pineapple chicken skewers. I could practically taste them as we were discussing it.
So with thanks to our wonderful guests – shout out to Sara Bracha and Stephanie – I’m excited to share this recipe with you. I think you’ll love it as much as we do.
Yields 10-12 skewers.
1 kg. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 4-cm. (1½-inch) cubes
3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 or 3 bell peppers, cut into chunks (mix colors)
1 large red onion, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper
Marinade & Glaze:
1/3 cup soy sauce (or tamari)
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup honey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. ground ginger
Salt & pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients and pour half of the marinade over the chicken in a zip-top bag or bowl, setting the rest aside for later. Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 1 to 3 hours or overnight. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes before threading on the chicken and vegetables.
Toss pineapple, peppers, and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thread the chicken, pineapple, and veggies onto skewers. Discard any used chicken marinade.
For grilling: Grill skewers over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes per side, brushing with glaze as they cook, until chicken is fully cooked (165°F / 74°C).
For broiling: Place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet, brush with reserved marinade, and broil about 15 cm. (6 inches) from the heat for 12 minutes. Brush again, then broil another 8 to 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Garlic-Herb Hasselback Potatoes
My husband has the patience of a saint when it comes to slicing and dicing, which is why he’s the undisputed Hasselback king in our home. Seriously, I would just dice up potatoes and toss them in the oven. But he takes pride in slicing each potato perfectly – almost all the way through but still connected at the bottom – and then slowly pouring the marinade so it seeps between every slice. The results create crispy edges, tender centers, and flavor all the way through.
Best of all, you can bake them ahead of time and simply wrap them in foil to reheat on the grill – perfect for a no-fuss summer meal.
Tip: To make slicing easier (and avoid cutting all the way through), place a dull wooden skewer or chopstick alongside the potato as you cut. Your knife will stop at the right point every time.
Yields 8 servings.
6 large potatoes
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. parsley flakes
½ tsp. coarse salt (or to taste)
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Wash the potatoes well and slice them thinly, almost all the way through but not cutting to the bottom, so the slices stay connected. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper. Place the potatoes in a baking dish and spoon or brush the mixture generously over and between the slices.
Bake for about 45 minutes until the potatoes are tender inside and crisp on the edges. Serve hot, or wrap in foil to reheat on the grill just before serving.
Whether make this full menu or just choose one or two dishes, these recipes are all about enjoying summer flavors without spending hours in the kitchen. I love that each one has its own little story, from my husband’s perfectly sliced Hasselbacks to my daughter’s much-loved plum pie, the chicken skewers inspired by our Shabbat guests, and the mango slaw I discovered years ago while collecting recipes for a cookbook for my mother’s 70th birthday.
So gather your family, fire up the grill (or oven), and let everyone pitch in. You might just find that the best part of summer cooking is sharing the work – and, of course, the delicious results. Here’s to good food, good company, and a safe and healthy rest of the summer!
The writer is a kitchen coach who teaches women how to meal plan and cook so they get dinner on the table and prepare for Shabbat and chag on time. To join her free WhatsApp group:
henny@inthekitchenwithhenny.com