An absolute classic dish! Every good Italian has her take on this recipe. Here I keep it traditional and classic, as it is hard to improve upon perfection. Garlic, shallots and butter coat the shrimp. The addition of Meyer lemon juice and white wine gives it that acidic punch. We finish it all by tossing it with beautiful fresh-made pasta. It is so decant; so quick and easy to make. To create your own take, feel free to substitute couscous, cauliflower rice, or quinoa, which can be made a little bit more ahead than the fresh pasta. I’d love to see your posts of your takes on this classic, (don’t forget to tag me on social media @cucinacasam).

I just got back from a visit to New York with my son and the first thing on our agenda was to get a proper New York bagel with a smear! His was with plain cream cheese mine was lox and cream cheese. This salmon pâté is inspired by that decadent combination of smoked salmon and cream cheese. A little bit more elegant version of that flavor profile. We just slightly puréed the smoked salmon with cream cheese so there are nice pieces though out the cheese. Then, we add the flavor goodies; shallots, dill, lemon juice, capers, everything you put on top a gorgeous bagel. But today we’re going to serve it with crostini, but you could certainly serve it with a bagel, chips, or crackers.

Move over hummus–there’s a new dip in town! Roasting the garlic really mellows out its sharp tones, and brings out the sweet and nutty flavors. Pureed with white beans and topped with a medley of nuts, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes, it’s the perfect dip served with crostini’s or basket of crudités.

This is one of my favorite salads to make. It makes an excellent starter dish, served along the main course or can be served as a light main dish. The crispy pancetta, sautéed onion, and wilted spinach are all tossed together with orzo pasta and a lemony basil vinaigrette. Crunchy toasted walnuts and creamy feta are tossed in and really complete this dish. One thing I love about this salad is that there are so many different kinds of feta to experiment with. I prefer the French feta because of the balance of creaminess and saltiness, but I am currently working my way through the feta counter at the Middle Eastern market near me. They are so superior in taste to the pre-crumbled packages at the market. I encourage you to try and find a market near you. It makes a great salad to enjoy under the setting sun in the summer air.

There’s nothing better than grilling in the summer. The smoky charred flavor that the grill imparted on food is just wonderful, and nothing says summer like grilling. You get to be outside, and your kitchen is free from the heat and the mess. This simple, tangy, and herby marinade adds a fantastic punch to the perfectly grilled chicken and is sure to be a hit at your summer dinner party. This recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs, which I think definitely have more flavor than the breast meat. They are also more forgiving when cooking since they have a little more fat than breast meat, but not so much that you don’t have to feel guilty. And of course, you’ll still have room for dessert!