Lunch Table - Lunch Menu, too

Angel hair pasta with shrimp and basil

Ingredients

 1/4 cup olive oil, divided

 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta

 1 teaspoon chopped garlic

 1 pound large shrimp - peeled and deveined

 2 (28 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained

 1/2 cup dry white wine

 1/4 cup chopped parsley

 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Place pasta in a colander, and give it a quick rinse with cold water. 

2. Heat remaining olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until the garlic is tender, about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn. Add shrimp, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from the skillet, and set aside. 

3. Stir tomatoes, wine, parsley, and basil into the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, 8 to 12 minutes. Add shrimp, and continue cooking until the shrimp are heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the shrimp mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Tomato, mozzarella and basil salad

 

On the vine, heirloom, grape – green, yellow, orange or red – there are so many wonderful ways to use one of summer’s finest fruits. I love tomatoes done this way not just because they are pretty, juicy and succulent but because they are healthy too. I always feel good about feeding my family and friends a source of lycopene out of something other than the ketchup squeeze bottle.

 

Here are 2 ideas for tomatoes, now perfect and in season.

  

Fresh Sliced: Mozzarella and Tomato Stacks 

Beat the heat with fresh sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. There are just a few ingredients so let’s get them right. In season perfectly ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and good quality, mozzarella, olive oil and balsamic vinegar are key. 

 

In a Salad: Italian Tomato Salad

 

This super simple Italian tomato salad is great for entertaining indoors or out. I serve it as part of the fish course on Shabbos or as a side for a BBQ. It is done in a snap looks beautiful and tastes even better.

Ingredients

 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread

 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

 2 tomatoes, sliced

 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

 Directions

1. Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Layer the basil, tomato slices, and mozzarella cheese between the two halves of bread. Cut into four sandwiches. 

2. In a small dish, stir together the balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes. Use as a dipping sauce. 

NOTE: If you do not want to use the loaf of bread at all, omit it. Just slice it up and have it as shown in the photograph, instead. You could also cube the bread, tomatoes, mozzarella in your salad.

Milky