After months of over- complicated cooking, produce has begun to peak in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley where I live and the weather finally allows ingredients to speak for themselves. My favorite meals are ones I don’t have to think too much about, ones that, after a long afternoon splashing about creekside, lakeside or both, I can simply come home and assemble. On hot and sticky days (of which there are plenty in this corner of the planet), I crave bright salads and sophisticated snacks for dinner. Sliced tomatoes with good olive oil and flaky salt. A wedge of something creamy and cold. A cocktail, too (lots of ice, please) and, of course, rosé. Always rosé.
The following recipes from my latest cookbook, Better At Home, are easy to assemble and get dinner on the table quickly—but feel incredibly elegant. Summer nights are meant to be spent lingering outside around a table with friends until the wee hours—what the Spanish call sobremesa—not in front of a hot stove. That kind of evening is a luxury in itself. Each of these dishes requires very little to appear as if you’ve been fussing all day. Some might even say effortless.
Fizzy Negroni Pompelmo
Makes 1 cocktail
Time 5 minutes
I love Negronis—who doesn’t? Personally, when I start making this classic Italian cocktail, it signals that the weather has turned brisk and we’re now relegated to drinking indoors for the next few months. They are a perfect way to start off the night. In this version I’ve added some grapefruit juice for a bit of punch and some bubbles for festivity.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ounces (60 ml) gin
- 2 ounces (60 ml) sweet vermouth
- 2 ounces (60 ml) Campari
- 1 ounce (30 ml) grapefruit juice
- Splash of prosecco or other sparkling white wine
- Grapefruit twist, for garnish
METHOD
- In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine the gin, vermouth, Campari, and grapefruit juice and stir together briskly until very cold. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with the prosecco and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Spicy Shrimp Butter
Serves 6 to 8
Time 20 minutes
This retro-inspired snacking butter will be a hit at any cocktail party. It’s best served right away but can be made a day in advance; just be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving to maximize its spreadability. I love serving this dip with Triscuits, but any cracker will suit. Leftovers can be stirred into pasta.
INGREDIENTS
- Kosher salt
- ½ pound (225 g) wild-caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- ¼ cup (8 g) loosely packed fresh Italian parsley, both leaves and tender stems
- 8 tablespoons (115 g/1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon or regular lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon or regular lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste
- Triscuits and crudités, for serving.
METHOD
- Set up a large bowl of ice and water and have near the stove. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are completely pink and firm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath and let sit until cool enough to handle and then pat them dry.
- Transfer the shrimp to a food processor along with the shallot, anchovies, and parsley and pulse together until they form a paste.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth. Transfer the shrimp paste to the bowl of butter, along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, Calabrian chili paste, and a good pinch of salt. Stir together until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice and salt if needed.
- Transfer to a shallow bowl and serve immediately with crackers and crudité
Shaved Asparagus Salad With Comté, Toasted Almonds, And Fried Prosciutto
Serves 4
Time 25 minutes
The idea for this recipe came to me in a dream—it happens sometimes! I’m glad it did, and you will be, too. Asparagus is shaved and tossed with cheese, toasted almonds, and fried prosciutto and then tossed with bright lemon juice and olive oil—it hits all the notes you want it to.
I’ve called for Comté cheese, which has been increasingly available in grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, feel free to substitute Gruyère; they both offer great nuttiness. If you’d like to make this vegetarian, simply leave out the prosciutto, it’s still delicious. This salad is best served in spring when asparagus spears begin popping up at the market.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bunch asparagus (about 12 ounces/340 g), woody ends snapped off
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2½ ounces total)
- ½ cup (70 g) roasted Marcona almonds or regular almonds
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup (80 g) shaved cheese, such as Comté, Gruyère, or Parmesan
- ½ cup (25 g) roughly chopped soft fresh herbs, such as mint, tarragon, or parsley, or a combination
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Flaky salt, for serving
METHOD
- Using a Y-peeler or vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into long, thin strips (I like to leave most of the tips whole) and transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Line a plate with paper towels and have near the stove. In a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the prosciutto and cook until it is golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place on the paper towels to drain.
- Add the almonds to the pan, toss to coat in the prosciutto oil, and cook,stirring frequently, until toasty and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and when cool enough to touch, roughly chopped the nuts. With your hands, tear the prosciutto into bite-size pieces.
- Season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Add half the cheese, half the nuts, half the prosciutto, half the herbs, and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. Top with the remaining cheese, nuts, herbs, and prosciutto.
All recipes taken from Better At Home
by Colu Henry. Published by Abrams 2026
