The Best Recipes Of August 2015: Ratatouille, Fried Clams & More
Make the most of late summer with August's best recipes
Today might be the last day of August, but that doesn't mean summer is over just yet. It seems like only yesterday when we were firing off sparklers and gleefully dusting off the grill. Now you can relive those delicious moments with our best recipes of the month.
① Ratatouille
The French know what's up with peak late-summer produce. Right about now, eggplants, tomatoes, summer squash and peppers are at their sweetest and juiciest, and in this classic Provençal side, they're slowly stewed with thyme and olive oil for the perfect one-pot dish.
② Walnut Torte with Roasted Peaches
Get a double dose of ethereal, crunchy meringue in this retro dessert from North End Grill pastry chef Tracy Obolsky. All she adds to her grandmother's recipe is a little bit of salt and some buttermilk for this satisfying two-tiered cake.
③ Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
You don't need to live on a dude ranch near Santa Barbara to enjoy the creamy wonder that is ranch dressing. Our Greek yogurt- and dill-spiked version is lighter and fresher tasting but not too good for pizza dunking.
④ Fried Clams
Batter up: We polled New England clam shack-loving chefs for their tips and techniques to making the ultimate fried clams at home. But don't worry, we didn't mess with the classic combo of tartar sauce and a lemon wedge.
⑤ Jim Meehan's Sangrias
Our Drinks Editor loves sangria so much, he shared not one but three fruit-soaked recipes. Red, white, sparkling—the world is your giant pitcher of sangria sans cheap brandy and triple sec.
⑥ Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette
Normally, a pint of Sun Golds doesn't make it past the walk home from the farmers' market, but we strongly suggest keeping enough for this lovely vinaigrette. Slather it on a bowl of slippery noodles or toss it in bitter green salad; it's your new summer sauce.
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⑦ Taco Salad
This isn't your mall's taco salad. Grilled skirt steak, spicy crema and speckles of salty Cotija give the classic salad a much-needed update. However, that fried taco shell stays put.
⑧ Sweet Corn and Corn Pops® Semifreddo
Everyone has an old, neglected box of Corn Pops®. Now is its time to shine in this cool, creamy dessert. The childhood treat is infused in the semifreddo and tossed in espresso powder for a crunchy finish.
⑨ The Ultimate Seafood Bloody Mary
We take a note from our neighbors up north for this cocktail that straddles meal and cocktail. But unlike Canada's Caesar, we add a grilled prawn in lieu of the celery stalk.
⑩ Beefsteak Tomato Sandwich
When José Andrés makes a sandwich, the patty is one hulking slice of tomato. And it's exactly what you want. The famed chef revamps the classic tomato-mayo just in time for the peak season.