Nectarine

Requiring no cooking and no blending, this soup takes full advantage of the lush fruits of midsummer.

Enjoy the convergence of strawberries and midsummer berries in a sweetly spiced broth.

Anything with a crisp topping makes me a happy, happy girl. Crisps are homey and rustic and they make the most of whatever fruit is in season. When nectarines and blueberries are at the farmers’ market at the same time, this combo is totally amazing. Crisps also work beautifully as individual portions or as one nice big one. I like to serve mine with lots of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream . . . mmmmm.

Place the fruit on skewers and let your kids sprinkle on the sugar. When you grill the skewers the sugar caramelizes, giving them a nice crunch; but you’ll know it’s still a very healthy dessert that is mostly fruit. You may use apricots and peaches in place of any of the suggested fruits if you like.

Phyllo dough makes a feathery crust for this vibrantly colored pie.

Serve this succulent slaw as a side or condiment for grilled chicken or pork. Use slightly underripe fruits, which julienne better than soft, juicy ones.

This is terrific on grilled baguette slices, sprinkled with feta or fresh goat cheese. Or try it as a topping for grilled fish or chicken.

These nifty combinations of finely diced fruit and all-fruit preserves create nearly instant sauces. Each combination makes enough for four to six 1/3- to 1/2-cup servings as a topping.

Although the recipe calls for boneless skinless breasts, you can use chicken tenders or a cut-up chicken with skin, but the cooking time will vary (see Cook's Note). If you want to use fresh or frozen sliced peaches instead of canned, add 2 tablespoons honey to the marinade. Grilled pitted fresh peach or nectarine halves are great alongside. Serve with potatoes and a crisp green salad. Any leftover sliced chicken is great on a sandwich with a little lettuce, honey mustard, and peach jam.

Salumi refers to all dry-cured Italian-style meats and sausages. Great chefs such as Tom Colicchio, Lidia Bastianich, Mario Batali, and Paul Bertolli are introducing them to a new generation of Americans, who may not realize what an incredible variety is available. Thanks to these chefs for bringing this artisan tradition back to the culinary fore. What an inspiration! One summer when I traveled in Italy, I was served salumi with peaches just about everywhere I went and although it was a combination I had never before tried, it made perfect and delicious sense and stayed with me after I returned to Chicago.

Brush against a lemon verbena plant and its long, narrow leaves will release a transcendently clean, lemony scent. A little of the herb goes a long way, and it plays well with both ripe summer fruit and the light dryness of rosé. All the elements come together here in a suave gelée.

The nectarine, a subspecies of peach, generally has a sharper, more intense taste. The homey yellow cake here is studded with wedges of them, their summery, sunshiny essence set off by a trace of nutmeg. It's buttery and flavorful yet not too rich; a sprinkle of sugar on top gives it just enough crustiness to hold up a dollop of softly whipped cream, but it's delicious stark naked as well.

A simple, delicious summer dessert with nectarines.

Make the fruit salad, throw the fish on the grill, and you've got dinner.

This is a very simple dessert that anyone can muster. Bananas, pineapples, and stone fruit that is firm and not too ripe are best in this recipe. Grilled fruit also make a great salad (toss in some beautiful cherries or grapes). It's also wonderful at breakfast served with yogurt and granola. And it makes a fabulous chutney when combined with raisins, juice, and Indian spices. So, when you grill fruit, grill some extra to make these other dishes.

A crème fraîche custard is folded into the mixed-fruit filling of this elegant nectarine-blackberry crisp.

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes—with its corn, tomatoes, basil, and unexpected nectarine, it sings out "summer." The first time I made this warm salad, I served it to Michael Newburg and Amelia Hunt, the owners of Falls Brook Organic Farm. Everything was from the market, including the scallops, so Michael and Amelia knew the provenance of every ingredient (including their own basil and tomatoes), which made this delicious dish even better.

This vibrantly colored crisp is the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and spicy flavors.