Grab a spoon and join me at the refrigerator. I made a fresh batch of velvety lemon curd this morning and it’s well chilled and calling me wildly.

This hard-to-resist citrus custard is simple to make and amazingly versatile. I spoon it on toast and use it as a filling in white layer cakes. It also makes a wickedly good lemon tart and mixes beautifully with freshly whipped cream for an instant lemon mousse or creamy trifle filling.

On the practical side, curd is a great way to use up leftover egg yolks when making a recipe that calls exclusively for egg whites. In my case, it was an angle food cake. Tonight, I’ll top the cake with berries, but tomorrow each slice will get a large dollop of the smooth yellow curd. Between all these possibilities and my busy spoon it probably won’t matter that curd keeps well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

As you review the recipe, notice that freshly squeezed lemon juice is a key ingredient, but curd gets much of its intense flavor from the oil-rich outer skin or “zest” of the tangy fruit. I prefer using a microplane to remove the yellow zest quickly without picking up any of the bitter white pith below. You could also use a sharp knife, traditional zester or vegetable peeler.

The most important requirement for perfect curd is patience. Like all custards, this must be cooked slowly over a low heat and stirred constantly to prevent burning. Don’t cheat and up the temperature or you’ll get scrambled eggs. Always strain the custard to remove imperfections and any curdled lumps.

Now, pardon me while I dig in and make a pig of myself.

Lemon Curd
1 ½ cups  sugar
1   zested lemon
½ cup  butter, room temperature
6   egg yolks, room temperature*
½ cup  strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

*You may substitute 4 whole eggs for the six yolks.

 Instructions
Set a strainer over a bowl close at hand.

1. Place the sugar in your food processor.
2. Add the lemon zest and process until well combined.
3. Add the butter and process to blend.
4. With the processor running, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the lemon juice and the salt.
5. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook very slowly over low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened (about 10 minutes). Do not allow the custard to boil. To check the consistency, lift your stirring spoon from the mixture and swipe a finger across its back; if your finger leaves a clear path on the spoon, the curd is ready to come off the heat.
6. Immediately remove from the heat and pour the curd through a strainer into a medium bowl.
7. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
8. Refrigerate for 4–6 hours, until well chilled. Curd keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Get a printable Lemon Curd recipe and How To Zest Citrus.

If you don’t usually check out Beyond Wonderful every week, now you’ve got a reason to. I’m thrilled to announce the July 23rd launch of “Hungry for the Weekend”—our new weekly feature for busy home chefs. If you’re looking for inspiration and foolproof recipes that make weekend cooking a breeze, this is the place for you.

Every Wednesday, HFTW will present seasonal dishes with ingredients plentiful in the markets. Some weeks, we may prep for a party—other times, just for ourselves. The main point is to relax and recharge by turning off the cell phone, leaving the job behind and retreating to the simpler world of the kitchen.

First up: six sumptuous desserts that celebrate summer berries in all their plump and juicy splendor. You’ll find a show-stopping trifle, luscious shortcake, fresh fruit pie, French clafouti and two intensely flavored sorbets. Each one is a great excuse to visit your local famer’s market—or your local farm to do your own picking.

A new feature doesn’t launch itself, so it’s been a busy week for the team. Everything begins in the kitchen, where I test and retest to make each recipe sparkle. Next it’s off to the desk of our editor, Elizabeth Ellis. She makes sure the recipes are error-free and easy to use, then gives her stamp of approval. 

The real fun happens on photo day: photographer Windsor Andersen and I decided to set our berry bonanza in my flower-filled garden. After scouting the best locations outside, Windsor arrived in the kitchen armed with plates, bowls and accessories to style each dish. She looked around at what must have appeared as chaos; bowls of berries, trays of shortcake, pies and enough whipped cream to send someone happily into the next world.

Every successful shoot begins with a snack, so Windsor grabbed a spoon and sampled the Very Berry Topping. “Ummmm—that’s summer in a bowl. Let’s start with that.” Once she’d captured the perfect shot of sweet berry sorbet with vibrant purple topping, I popped the bowl back in the freezer for safe keeping while we tackled the rest of the dishes.

Later at twilight, the day’s work done, I returned to the garden with my secret stash of sorbet. The warm, jasmine-scented air was heaven and I savored every berry bite. Sure proof that great seasonal food is truly restorative—even after a 12-hour day!

Get a printable Very Berry Sorbet recipe.

When I say “garden salad,” what comes to mind?  Is it the familiar restaurant plate of colorless iceberg lettuce with pinky-red tomato bits that are covered with a mass-produced dressing? Maybe it’s their sometimes-greener version with a Romaine, a bit of shredded carrot and—if you’re lucky—some contrasting purple cabbage. Get ready for a true garden salad that is a veritable symphony of flavors, colors and texture.

I start with a variety of summer greens that also includes fresh herbs like basil, Italian parsley and mint—torn, not chopped. The larger pieces of herbs work as greens and add an intense flavor not possible with finely chopped leaves. While they are best picked fresh from the garden, you’ll find everything at your local farmers market or in the produce section of most supermarkets.

Summer brings a bounty of luscious tomatoes in all colors, sizes and varieties. I often mix the larger ones with a handful of sweet, multicolored cherry tomatoes for variety.

Grilled purple onions, orange and yellow peppers, and different squash add a smoky depth of flavor to the salad. This may seem like lots of extra work, but I always grill my veggies in big batches so I’ve got plenty on hand for lunches, weeknight meals, and salads.

With this medley of strong flavors, the dressing should be simple but have a sweet bite to set everything off. Good quality balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is perfection.

Summer Garden Salad

4 cups  mixed greens
2 cups  grilled mixed vegetables
1 cup  red, yellow or orange tomatoes, cut in eights
½ cup  basil leaves, roughly torn
¼ cup  Italian parsley, leaves only
¼ cup  mint leaves, roughly torn
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup  extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the mixed greens in a salad bowl.

2. Cut the grilled vegetables into bite-sized pieces and add to the salad.

4. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley and mint leaves.

5. Combe the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a spacious bowl and slowly whisk in the olive oil, forming an emulsion. For detailed instructions read, “How to Make an Emulsion“.

6. Dress the salad with the oil and vinegar and toss gently to coat.

6. Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 5 minutes with pre-grilled vegetables and prepared salad dressing.
Serves 6–8

Get a printable Garden Salad with Tomatoes and Grilled Vegetables and illustrated step-by-step instructions on How To Wash Greens and How To Make an Emulsion.

Trips to the farmers market always yield a treasure or two that aren’t on my shopping list. So when a vendor approached with a large sample platter of sliced, golden peaches I couldn’t resist. They were perfectly ripe, packed with flavor and dripping juice. Pie! I immediately started creating a recipe in my head.

This pie would be stacked high with glazed, sliced peaches in a basic pre-baked crust. The glaze would be simple—peaches, sugar, water and cornstarch for thickener. There would be no spices in this creation, just pure peach flavor. The topping would be whipped clouds of sweet cream—the perfect ending to a summer meal.

I headed to the peach stand and noticed that not all of the fruit was as ripe as the samples. It was a good reminder that even at the best farmers market, you need to select produce with care. The salesperson was happy to help me find the best of the bunch, explaining that they’d sold a lot that day and had brought out a new batch, slightly less ripe than the day’s first picks. Within a few minutes I was well stocked with about a dozen beauties.

Back in the kitchen, the peaches needed skinning—easy work with this blanching method, which loosens the skins:

1. Remove the peach stem with your fingers.

2. Cut an “X” into the bottom of the fruit.

3. Drop the peaches into a pan of boiling water for 10 to 30 seconds. They are ready when the skin around the “X” begins to curl. A ripe fruit peels more quickly than an underripe one.

4. Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and further loosen the skin.

5. Slip the skin off with your fingers or a paring knife.

Fresh Peach Pie

 Ingredients
1 recipe  basic pie crust, pre-baked
7–8 medium ripe peaches,* peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 recipe  peach glaze
~   whipped cream for topping (optional)

*Buy peaches at your local farmers market for best flavor. Supermarket peaches are often hard and tasteless.
  
Instructions
1. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the peaches and give a good toss.

2. Arrange one-third of the sliced peaches in the pre-baked pie crust. Spread one-third of the glaze evenly over the fruit. Cover with the next layer of peaches and glaze. Top with the final layer and cover with the remaining glaze.

3. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. Chill for at least six, but not more than 12 hours before serving.

4. Top with whipped cream just before serving. 
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
Preparation time: Approximately 25–30 minutes plus several hours downtime
Get a printable Peach Pie recipe and illustrated step-by-step instructions on How To Peel Peaches.
 

It’s been a rough couple of months for tomato lovers as hundreds of people across the nation became infected with Salmonella serotype Saintpaul. Investigators suspected raw tomatoes from select areas in Florida and Mexico. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers against eating raw red plum, red Roma, and round red tomatoes, as well as their freshly packaged products like salsa and pico de gallo.

I closely followed media reports and kept current with updates on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA websites. Local markets did a stellar job removing suspected produce and posting signs that informed customers of safe choices.

Once I’d done my homework, I felt confident heading to the market in search of the scrumptious local tomatoes I adore. After all, it’s just not summer without them! I headed to the San Francisco ferry plaza farmers market for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions and fresh basil leaves—the main ingredients in panzanella bread salad. This rustic Tuscan dish requires perfectly ripe produce and best-quality bread such as French sourdough or an Italian country loaf. Don’t even consider supermarket sandwich bread because it will disintegrate and make your salad gushy.

I had a little trouble finding tomatoes, but finally located two vendors that proudly displayed several varieties  including my favorite heirlooms in a riotous palette of colors and sizes. Their lumpy-bumpy shapes always make me smile and their flavor never disappoints. And with such a rainbow of hues, I knew my salad would sparkle like jewels in the summer sun.

At home I added some capers and dressed the salad simply with salt, pepper, olive oil and wine vinegar. Delicious! The only way this could be better would be with just-picked vegetables from a home garden.

Panzanella
     
~6 slices  country style bread, torn in 1/2-inch chunks (makes about 4
cups) 
2 large  ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut in chunks
1/2 cup  extra virgin olive oil
10–12     fresh basil leaves
½ small  red onion, thinly sliced
1 small  cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small  orange pepper, sliced
1/2 small  yellow pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the bread, tomatoes, and ¼ cup of the olive oil in a spacious bowl, mix. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Tear the basil leaves and add them to the bread mixture.

3. Add the onion, cucumber, peppers, and capers; mix well.

4. Drizzle the remaining olive oil and the red wine vinegar over the salad. Season with the salt and pepper and mix to distribute.

5. Adjust the seasonings, oil, and vinegar to your taste.

6. Serve immediately.
 
Serves 4–6

Get a printable Panzanella salad recipe.