
Great Summer salads for BBQ
At Mestizo (Leawood, Kan.), Aarón celebrates summer's bounty of fresh ingredients with these braised lamb enchiladas drizzled with chile colorado and tomatillo avocado sauce, which he calls "a great mix of light meat and fresh, flavorful sauces."
Marc Forgione's Heirloom Tomato Salad
To "up the ante" in his favorite Greek salad, this Iron Chef makes feta "burrata" and pairs it with local heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers and oregano vinaigrette for a summer salad that's "as good as it gets" at his restaurant, Marc Forgione (New York).
Anita Lo's Barbecue Squid
This dish embodies summer barbecue with its "charred, smoky and sweet" flavors. Anita pairs the squid with Asian and Southern staples, including edamame and boiled peanuts, at her restaurant, Annisa (New York).
Jeffrey Saad's Chinese Chicken Salad
This light but filling summer dish at The Grove (San Francisco) combines roasted chicken with spicy peanuts, red cabbage, orange-ponzu vinaigrette and cilantro for "the perfect balance of flavor and crunch."
Jose Garces' Boquerones
These marinated white anchovies are a classic Spanish tapa served at Amada (Philadelphia), flavored with Arbequina olive oil, green olives and pine nuts. To Iron Chef Garces, they are "summer personified" and ideal alongside a cold beer.
Eric Greenspan's Signature Ceviche
At The Roof on Wilshire (Los Angeles), top a fried gordita chip with this cool ceviche of sweet shrimp, hibiscus, lime, pink peppercorns and green chiles, and you're on your way to "balanced refreshment" by the pool.
Michael Chiarello's Burrata Caprese With Heirloom Tomatoes
In this Capri-inspired salad with heirloom tomatoes, basil oil and balsamic "caviar, " the "last thing you taste is the vinegar, not the first." Michael uses a modern technique to make vinegar spheres for a sophisticated take on summer fare at Bottega Ristorante (Yountville, Calif).
Chuck Hughes' Spicy Raw Salmon
At his restaurant Le Bremner (Montreal, Quebec), Chuck Hughes showcases the spicy side of salmon in this popular summertime dish. The fish is cold-cured in vodka with beet sugar and salt, then dressed in dill cream, fried capers, horseradish and Thai chiles for "a bit of a zing."