Basil/2 recipes

Sauteed cherry tomatoes with fresh basil and olive oil, blistered in a hot skillet in just one minute. A 3-ingredient side dish ready in 5 minutes.

Zucchini and tomatoes simmered with garlic, basil and a savory onion soup mix into a quick stovetop side. A vegan way to use up summer squash, ready in about 30 minutes and microwaveable too.

Green bean bundles tied with blanched leek ribbons and steamed until bright, served over two silky sweet pepper sauces (one red, one yellow) perfumed with white wine and basil. A dinner party side that looks painterly on the plate.

Mussel and bacon soup with fresh mussels steamed open in a smoky bacon, tomato, and basil fish broth. A rustic, one-pot seafood soup ready in 40 minutes.

Italian vegetable stew with eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper, and briny black olives. Rustic Southern Italian peasant dish that tastes even better the next day, served hot or at room temperature.

Linguine primavera with zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper in a chunky tomato-wine sauce topped with fresh basil and sliced olives.

Salmon and tomato pasta: flaked canned salmon and fresh basil-tomato baked over pasta with a cheesy top. A pantry-friendly weeknight bake that comes together in about 30 minutes.

Shiitake mushroom and potato galette layers russet slices around earthy shiitakes and parmesan, pressed under a brick and baked into crisp wedges. Broiled to golden brown on both sides.

English muffin with ham, tomato, and basil pesto baked under a garlic cream cheese topping. An open-face brunch bite with crisped edges and a fresh homemade pesto drizzle.

Fresh tomato, bacon, and onion fettuccine tossed with crumbled bacon cooked in its own drippings, chopped tomato, and basil. Five ingredients, dinner for two.

Garlic butter shrimp scampi with lemon, herbs, and orange liqueur reduced into a concentrated sauce. Served over pasta or rice for a quick, elegant seafood dinner.

Chilled summer squash soup with fresh herbs: a silky cold soup of zucchini, crookneck, and pattypan squash pureed with basil, parsley, and buttermilk. A summer lunch or starter for six.

Sliced SPAM simmered with zucchini, potatoes, carrots, and canned tomatoes seasoned with basil, oregano, and garlic in one skillet. A budget-friendly 40-minute dinner that feeds eight.

Homemade pesto pasta made fresh in a pasta extruder, with basil pesto kneaded into the dough and topped with a feta-walnut pesto sauce. A green-on-green dish with double-dose basil flavor.

Butterflied leg of lamb marinated overnight in pomegranate juice, red wine, garlic, and basil, then grilled or roasted. A show-stopping Persian-inspired main course.

Roasted red snapper topped with tapenade-mustard crust and a fresh tomato-basil relish. High-heat roasting at 500F cooks the fillets fast and keeps them moist.