Panzanella with Cheese

No-Cook Cooking

For August 18, 2011

When it’s too hot to cook, don’t. What you need on a sweltering summer day is cookless cooking. Real dinner fare, made from scratch, but without heat or stress.

Like Ceviche, which is based on raw fish. Thanks to the enormously popular sushi, sashimi and fish tartare we’ve grown to appreciate raw fish in this country. But Ceviche is more complex than these austere dishes. The preparation always includes a marinade of acidic juices and seasonings, which change the appearance and texture of the raw flesh. After 3 hours or so the fish becomes tender, but firm, and looks cooked, but still tastes like seafood straight from the water.

It isn’t cooked, of course, which makes it critical that you use the best quality and freshest fish possible, and be aware of all the usual precautions about handling and eating raw food. If you have any doubts though, you might have to think ahead. Either buy fish that has been commercially frozen or freeze the fish solid for a week (then let it thaw in the refrigerator before you use it).

Ceviche is a Central and South American specialty. It’s typically eaten as a lunch dish or first course, but, with potato salad or a whole grain salad accompaniment and hunk of bread, there’s no reason why it can’t be dinner. Almost any kind of fish will do. Flounder, bass and shrimp are classics but you can make Ceviche with mackerel, tuna, clams, mahi-mahi and so on. Most recipes call for lime or lemon juice, although orange or grapefruit juices might heighten the flavor and provide a sweeter note. The chili pepper you choose depends on how hot and spicy you like your food. Habaneros and serranos can be scorching, jalapenos have less heat, and you can make an even milder version by substituting bell pepper.

Other Ceviche ingredients are optional, so feel free to innovate with onions or scallions, tomatoes, avocados, celery, cooked beans and any other raw or cooked vegetable. Some people even include cut up mango, peaches or fresh apricots.

Raw fish not for you? Opt for a salad, combining bulky, filling and refreshing ingredients such as canned beans (rinse and drain them first), with all sorts of odds and ends: previously cooked or thawed frozen vegetables, cut up firm tofu, cheeses (fresh mozzarella, blue cheese, feta and chevre, for example), deli items such as marinated artichoke hearts, olives, salami, ham and so on, plus fresh summer produce including tomatoes, cucumbers or kohlrabi. Like Ceviche, you can prepare the salad ingredients ahead, but don’t dress them with vinaigrette until about 10 minutes before serving time.

Panzanella is another good choice. This Italian dish makes clever, delicious use of leftovers. There are only two main ingredients, stale bread and tomatoes, but it’s a truly happy marriage that brings out the best in both. Use day or two old bread, leave it as is or toast or grill it. Break the bread into pieces and toss them with cut up summer tomatoes, which are in abundance now. Add a decent extra-virgin olive oil and good wine vinegar and there you have it.

Fresh basil helps, of course, although you could substitute fresh oregano, thyme or dill. And the salad is fine as is, but you can get creative here too. Use a variety of tomatoes to add color and texture: heirlooms, cherry or grape tomatoes, yellow or purple varieties and so on. Or include non-traditional ingredients such as gorgonzola or mozzarella cheese, olives, capers, arugula leaves, leftover chicken, canned tuna, chunks of ham or raw vegetables such as cucumber and celery.

You won’t go hungry with any of these main courses, but if you think Ceviche or salad won’t be filling enough, start the meal with a no-cook soup. Gazpacho comes to mind, but yogurt based “blender soups,” which are more like savory smoothies, are quick and easy to prepare so you can be free to enjoy the rest of your day.

If you need a quick, refreshing no-cook dessert to go with this kind of dinner, look no further than cut up fruit dressed up a bit with fruit juice – orange, apple, grape, pomegranate -- and a bit of sweetener (anything from granulated white sugar to honey to agave). Use a colorful mix of fruit to give it eye appeal and top it off with ice cream or sorbet if you wish.