Summer Succotash with Bacon

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Yield: 4 servings

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3 slices bacon, halved lengthwise and then cut into ¼-inch slices, crosswise

1 large shallot, peeled and diced small (1/2 cup)

5 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Kernels cut from 2 ears of fresh corn (approximately 2 cups) or 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 cups (frozen) lima beans, thawed

2 medium zucchini or summer squash (3/4 pound), diced small (3 cups)

15 (3-inch) sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

¾ cup white wine (preferably chardonnay)

¼ cup water

¾ pound grape tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon sized pieces

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 1 large lemon)

20 medium fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh chives, for serving

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Add the bacon to a large sauté pan. Place the sauté pan over medium-low heat. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until much of the fat has rendered off, and the bacon is just beginning to get nice and crispy.

Add the shallot and garlic. Stir and cook until the shallot is soft and translucent, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the corn, lima beans, squash, thyme, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just beginning to caramelize, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the white wine, water, tomatoes and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until much of the liquid has evaporated and thickened and the tomatoes are starting to break down, approximately 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, remove the thyme sprigs and stir in the lemon juice and basil.

To serve, divide succotash among shallow bowls. Sprinkle over chives.

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Note: to make vegetarian, simply omit bacon and begin with the (shallot and garlic) second step.

Shrimp Ceviche with Tortilla Chips

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Shrimp Ceviche with Tortilla Chips

Yields: 2 to 4 servings

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1 pound shrimp, (16-20 count), preferably thawed from frozen, shelled and deveined – choose sustainable seafood from grocery stores like Whole Foods

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 serrano pepper, halved and seeded to taste

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 1 quartered lime, divided

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium tomato, cored and diced small

½ cup small diced red onion (1/2 of a small onion)

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1 avocado, pitted and diced medium

Tortilla chips

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Add 4 cups of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, turn off the heat. Add the shrimp and poach, stirring occasionally, keeping the shrimp submerged, for 90 seconds.

Strain shrimp and transfer to an ice bath. Let shrimp cool completely, approximately 5 minutes.

Remove 3 shrimp and transfer the 3 shrimp to a blender. Add the serrano pepper, garlic, 1/3 cup lime juice, lemon juice and remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Blend on high until smooth.

Add the olive oil and blend on low for 5 to 10 seconds until emulsified in the liquid.

Set aside.

Strain shrimp from the ice bath and transfer to a cutting board. Chop until you have a small uniform texture of shrimp pieces. You are looking for pieces the size of a corn kernel but not chopping into a shrimp paste. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add the contents of the blender to the medium bowl with the shrimp. Add the tomato and onion. Stir to combine thoroughly. Transfer to the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes (no more!) remove from the refrigerator, add the cilantro and stir to combine once more. Season to taste with salt.

Divide among shallow bowls, top with avocado and serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips.

Pineapple Fried Cauliflower Rice with Chili Crisp

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Pineapple Fried Cauliflower Rice with Chili Crisp

Yields: 4 servings

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided

4 whole large eggs, whisked in a small bowl

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

10 large garlic cloves, minced (3 tablespoons)

3-inch piece fresh ginger, grated on a Microplane (1½ tablespoons)

1 (12-ounce) bag frozen cauliflower rice

2 cups (8-ounces) frozen peas

1 bunch of scallions, sliced thinly (1½ cups)

3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on a bias (1¼ cups)

1 large red bell pepper, diced small (1½ cups)

2 cups small diced pineapple

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup chili crisp condiment

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (juice of 1 large lime)

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

1 cup roasted and salted cashews, for serving

Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil and heat until oil begins to shimmer, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add the whisked eggs and let cook, undisturbed, until they just begin to set, about 20 to 30 seconds. Stir with a spatula to break up the eggs into small pieces until they are cooked through/scrambled, approximately 1 minute. Transfer eggs to a plate and set aside.

Return the sauté pan to the heat and add the remaining (2 tablespoons) grapeseed oil, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the frozen cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is thawed, 3 to 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to high. Add the peas, scallions, carrots, red bell pepper, pineapple, sugar and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are cooked through but not soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the soy sauce, chili crisp, lime juice and scrambled eggs. Stir to combine and season to taste with additional salt.

Divide amongst bowls and top each serving with cilantro and cashews.

Gluten Free Crepe with Fresh Thyme and Lemon Zest

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Yield: 10 7-inch crepes

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup water

1 cup garbanzo bean flour

¼ white rice flour

1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the eggs and olive oil in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Add the water and whisk until well combined. Add the flours, thyme, zest, salt and a few grinds of pepper and whisk thoroughly until well combined.

Allow the batter to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Place a crêpe pan or small nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, measure approximately ¼ cup batter (you can use a 2-ounce ladle for this), and pour into the center of the pan.

Quickly rotate and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, then flip the crêpe over with a plastic spatula. The crêpe should be cooked, maybe even very lightly golden brown in colored, but not dry or crispy.

Cook the second side for approximately 30 seconds, then transfer to a plate.

Perfect Salmon Method

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Yield: 4 servings

4 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 pound salmon fillet, 1½ inches thick, center cut, skin on, cut into 4 equal pieces

1 tablespoon lemon zest (zest of 1 large lemon), grated on a Microplane

2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Mix the salt and sugar together in a small bowl.

Season the flesh side of the salmon with the salt/sugar mixture and let salmon sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and no longer than 15 minutes. This step ensures the salmon is properly seasoned as well as firms up the flesh.

While the salmon is resting prepare your lemon zest and thyme. Chop them together a few times in order to evenly mix them. Set aside.

After 15 minutes, rinse the salmon under very cold water and pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.

Pat the flesh side (only) with the lemon zest and chopped thyme. (You do not need to cover the sides of the salmon with the mixture.)

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat until hot; add the olive oil and butter to the sauté pan. The butter will bubble up, turn brown and perhaps even smoke. Swirl the sauté pan to distribute the butter once it has browned, then add the salmon, flesh side down (skin side up).

Cook for 1 minute undisturbed and then flip to skin side down and continue cooking undisturbed for 30 seconds.

Cover the sauté pan and immediately push the sauté pan off the heat. Turn off the heat and allow the salmon to rest undisturbed for 15 minutes. Note: For salmon that is ¾-inch to 1-inch thick, let the salmon rest for only 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove salmon from the pan and serve. For a delicious pairing, serve salmon atop my Sauteed Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad.

Summer Barbecue Tray Bake

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Yield: 4 servings

1¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/3 + ¼ cup barbecue sauce

2 & 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

3 large ears of corn, kernels removed (cobs discarded), approximately 3½ to 4 cups

2 medium zucchini (3/4 pound), diced medium, approximately 2½ to 3 cups

1 pint (3/4 pound) grape tomatoes

20 (3-inch sprigs) fresh thyme

10 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4-ounces Feta cheese, crumbled, approximately 1 cup

4 tablespoons butter, diced into 16 cubes

1 lemon, very thinly sliced, seeds removed

Set an oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and then line the sheet tray with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add the chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix to combine. Add 1/3 cup barbecue sauce and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the corn kernels, zucchini, tomatoes, thyme, garlic, 1&1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and olive oil. Stir to combine.

Spread vegetables out evenly on the parchment/aluminum lined sheet tray.

Sprinkle feta over the vegetables. Evenly disperse the butter atop the vegetables followed by the lemon slices.

Place the chicken thighs in the four corners of the sheet tray, with the thickest part of the thighs closest to the edge/corner of the sheet tray. If you have more than 4 thighs, place the thickest portion of any additional thighs closest to the edge of the sheet tray.

Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the chicken thighs after 15 minutes. Remove sheet tray from the oven and spoon or brush on the remaining ¼ cup barbecue sauce on the chicken thighs (side up only). Transfer back to the oven, set oven to broil and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, until tomatoes and lemons blister and the chicken starts to char.

Remove the sheet tray from the oven and serve a spoonful of the lemony feta vegetables into shallow bowls. Top each with a chicken thigh. Serve some extra barbecue sauce on the side to dollop on the chicken.

Note: to make vegetarian, simply sub chicken thighs for extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slices and follow the recipe as is

Rosemary Lima Bean Puree

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1 (16-ounce) bag frozen lima beans

4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1 large clove garlic, peeled and smashed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt, to taste

In a medium saucepan, add the lima beans and stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook according to package instructions, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Reserve ¾ cup of stock. Strain remaining liquid from lima beans and transfer beans to a blender. Add a ½ cup of the reserved stock, garlic, butter and rosemary. Blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and blend again. Thin puree as needed with additional reserved stock. You are looking for a consistency a bit thinner than a Greek yogurt. Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice. Serve with crudite, roasted vegetables or alongside the protein of your choice.

Cabbage Salad with a Citrus Ginger Vinaigrette

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Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (peeled and grated on a Microplane)

¾ teaspoon minced garlic (peeled and grated on a Microplane) (2 medium cloves)

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

4 teaspoons soy sauce

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

½ small head of purple cabbage (3/4 lb), cored and thinly sliced (3 cups)

½ bunch curly kale, de-stemmed, leaves rolled up and sliced into thin strips (2 cups)

½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped roughly

¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds

2 medium Persian cucumbers, halved and thinly sliced on a bias

3 medium stalks celery, halved and thinly sliced (3/4 cup)

5 small carrots, peeled and chopped roughly (1¼ cups)

½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1 large avocado, pitted and diced medium

3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

In a large mixing bowl, add all vinaigrette ingredients and whisk to combine.

Add the salad ingredients to the large bowl. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Blackberry Lemon Cardamom Cake

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Blackberry Lemon Cardamom Cake

Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake

Nonstick spray

¼ cup / 55 grams granulated sugar

¾ cup /182 grams dark brown sugar

1/3 cup / 51 grams whole roasted and salted almonds

1 cup / 140 grams all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon lemon zest (zested on a Microplane), zest from 1 large lemon

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter / 99 grams, cut into 1-inch pieces, straight from the refrigerator

2 whole large eggs (130 grams)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 (6-ounce) container, blackberries

Set an oven rack to the middle-upper position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Cover bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment with nonstick spray.

Place the sugars and almond in a food processor with the blade attachment. Run for 1 minute until it begins to clump. Add the flour, zest, baking powder, spices and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter. Pulse 5 to 7 times, until it starts to resemble wet sand. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Pulse until the texture turns into a uniform, thick batter.

Fill the springform pan with the batter, making sure to get every last bit from the food processor. Level out the batter in the pan with an offset spatula. Gently press the blackberries into the batter, evenly spacing them throughout.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Test readiness by poking a toothpick or knife in the middle of a cake; if it comes out clean, it’s ready.

Remove from oven. Place pan on a cookie rack and immediately remove the springform sides. Let rest on pan (on a cookie rack) for 20 minutes before serving.

THE Cookie

Get the recipe and watch me make this cookie!

It took me three years to develop and perfect this cookie and I’ve waited to pair up with my favorite chocolate company, TCHO Chocolate, to release this recipe out into the wild!

I highly recommend you make this magical cookie which has everything I love in a cookie in one bite: oats, toasted pecans, a hint of orange zest and gooey chunks of dark chocolate. (The link to the recipe can be found in the video description.)

Let me know if you make this delicious treat and tag me (@chefnathanlyon) and @TCHOchocolate and use #thecookie when posting on social media.

Hot tip: this cookie pairs well with a delicious espresso beverage (ya, you know me…)