When spring and summer bring warm days, I keep our meals light and garden-fresh with a minimum of cooking. Cold soups, abundant salads, tapas and antipasti are elevated to dinner course level, providing simple and refreshing nourishment, while greedily taking advantage of the farmers market bounty.

The trick to eating this fresh is to provide enough substance to call these dishes a main course -- and for this, I often turn to shrimp. Shrimp are versatile and packed with protein, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, adding the necessary nutritional oomph to top off a light meal. They require mere minutes to cook in a pan or on the grill, which is ideal for busy schedules and keeping the heat out of the kitchen. They can also be poached ahead of time and served chilled, such as in this gazpacho soup.

Gazpacho is a cold tomato soup of Spanish origin that is traditionally blended with an arm’s-length list of vegetables. Despite the abundance of produce, gazpacho is unfailingly filling and satisfying -- even for meat eaters -- and a perfect antidote to a warm day. This version takes inspiration from a shrimp cocktail, with the tomato juice base infused with cocktail sauce ingredients, such as horseradish, lemon and Worcestershire sauce. Freshly poached and chilled shrimp are draped over the rim of the glass to top this soup off and provide protein. You can serve this as a main course or divvy it up between small glasses for a light appetizer. I can’t think of a better way to slurp my vegetables, can you?

Shrimp Cocktail Gazpacho

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Soup:

4 cups tomato juice

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, chopped

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 English cucumber with skin, seeded, diced

1 large celery stalk, diced

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced

1 small jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded, minced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons drained prepared horseradish, or to taste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup Italian parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped

Shrimp:

1 pound jumbo (16/20) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact

1 lemon, quartered

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt

Combine all of the soup ingredients except the parsley in a large bowl. Mix to blend and then taste for seasoning. Cover the soup and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours to chill and allow the flavors to develop.

While the soup is chilling, poach the shrimp. Fill a large saucepan with water. Add the lemon, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the shrimp. Cover the pot and let stand until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque through the center, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the shrimp and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Refrigerate until use.

Remove the gazpacho from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Stir in the parsley and taste again for seasoning. Ladle the soup into glasses or small bowls, and drape the shrimp over the edges. Garnish with a celery stalk if desired.

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I am a little late to the ricotta party. For a long while, this Italian whey cheese has been relegated solely to lasagnas and other filled pasta dishes. Aside from that, ricotta has not played a role in much of my cooking. This is likely due to unfortunate first impressions, the ho-hum results of part-skim varieties that tend to be watery, grainy and lacking in character.

More recently, however, I began dabbling in using fresh ricotta, and it’s been revelatory. The difference between a skimmed and watered-down version versus a high-quality whole-milk ricotta or a hand-dipped artisan ricotta (besides a few extra dollars) is a worlds-apart creamy, sweet and milky cheese, urging consumption. To which I obliged, and started experimenting with different recipes. And then I whipped it.

Apparently, whipped ricotta has been a thing, but, as I mentioned, I am late to the party. Thank goodness I arrived. Whipping ricotta transforms this creamy, slightly grainy cheese into an ethereal spreadable cheese, which is sweet and mild and very receptive to additional ingredients, such as olive oil, honey, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. It’s a protein-rich alternative to whipped cream, creme fraiche, yogurt, sour cream, and even a dollop of ice cream on top of dessert.

To whip ricotta, use a dense, creamy whole-milk ricotta that smells dairy-fresh and tastes milky and mildly sweet. Avoid watery, grainy, part-skim ricotta and any that has a funky aroma.

Sweet Whipped Ricotta

Yield: Makes 1 cup

Combine 1 cup whole-milk ricotta, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and an optional pinch of lemon zest in a food processor and process until light and smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more honey if desired. Serve as a substitute for whipped cream, creme fraiche or ice cream with fresh fruit and baked desserts.

Savory Whipped Ricotta

Yield: Makes 1 cup

Combine 1 cup whole-milk ricotta, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a grind or two of black pepper in a food processor. Process until light and smooth and taste for seasoning. If you like, add a generous pinch of finely grated fresh lemon zest. Spread the ricotta in a bowl and use as a dip for crudites and bread. Stir it into cooked pasta dishes as a creamy sauce. Smear it on bruschetta or garlic toasts and top with sliced figs or stone fruit, a drizzle of honey and lemon zest, or your other favorite toppings. Spoon a dollop on cooked pizzas, roasted vegetables and salads, such as the following beet salad.

Roasted Beet and Spring Green Salad With Whipped Ricotta

The beets will release their juices while roasting, which will mix with the olive oil that creates the base for vinaigrette.

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, plus cooling time

Yield: Serves 4

3 bunches small or baby beets, 10 to 12, ends and stems trimmed, scrubbed clean

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 ounces mixed spring greens, such as arugula, mache, baby spinach, miners lettuce, frisee

1 cup Savory Whipped Ricotta

Lemon zest, for garnish

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the beets in a large Dutch oven. Pour in the oil, stir to coat, and lightly season with salt. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and roast the beets until tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove and cool, uncovered, in the pot.

When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into large bite-size chunks. Do not discard the oil from the pot. Place the beets in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate until chilled (the beets may be prepared up to one day in advance).

Pour the remaining cooking oil into a bowl (through a strainer if desired). Whisk in the vinegar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to taste.

To assemble the salad, arrange a layer of mixed spring greens on serving plates. Lightly drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Mound the beets on the greens and top with a dollop of the whipped ricotta. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve with the remaining vinaigrette for drizzling.

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There is more to tuna than the mayo-based sandwich filler. In fact, if there is one fish that can handle a robust marinade and the fire of the grill, it would be tuna. Tuna is thick and dense, and it holds its shape while you take the time to sear it golden brown. The key is choosing which kind of tuna is best to use.

There are a number of types of tuna available, from albacore and skipjack (which are popular candidates for canning) to meatier bluefin tuna and ahi (also known as yellowfin), which are excellent fish choices for grilling. Bluefin, with its dark, meaty color and flavor, is the king of tuna -- and the priciest. Ahi is the next best option and my favorite. It’s slightly less expensive, milder in flavor and paler in color than bluefin, with a deep rose hue that browns with cooking. This is the tuna you will find served raw and cut into small cubes in the Hawaiian poke bowls. Ahi is also delicious when seared and grilled.

Now, when talking about big fish, it’s important to talk about health. With many big fish at the top of the food chain, such as tuna and swordfish, there will be increased amounts of mercury in the flesh. Ahi has a lower amount of mercury than bluefin. It’s labeled a “good choice” to eat one serving a week by the FDA, and a “good alternative” by The Monterey Seafood Watch. (See links for further information below.)

This is my go-to recipe for searing and grilling ahi tuna. It’s inspired by an Epicurious recipe I found years ago, and since then I’ve modified it slightly to my taste. I like to use a flat, not ridged, griddle when grilling the skewers, which provides more surface area to sear the fish. Alternatively, you can sear the skewers in a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat on the stove.

Grilled Ahi Tuna Skewers

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Marinade:

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons light brown sugar or honey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons Sriracha

2 pounds ahi tuna, cut into 1- to 1 1/4-inch chunks

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

Vegetable oil

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl to blend and to dissolve the sugar. Set aside 1/4 cup for brushing.

Place the tuna chunks in a large bowl. Pour in the marinade and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Thread the tuna on pre-soaked bamboo skewers, alternating with pepper and onion pieces. Lightly brush the vegetables with some of the reserved marinade. Let the skewers stand at room temperature while you prepare the grill.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat and preheat a griddle for 10 minutes. Lightly oil the griddle. Arrange the skewers on the griddle, in batches as necessary, and cook to your desired doneness, turning to evenly color, 5 to 6 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and brush with some of the reserved sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the remaining sauce for drizzling.

For more information about fish nutrition and safety:

www.fda.gov/media/102331/download

seafoodwatch.org

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