Every summer I seize on one ingredient early on, my culinary song of the summer. As of now, watermelon is it, and there are no other challengers. Cut it up for salads with feta, tomatoes or pineapple! Blend it into frozen daiquiris! Use it to make chaat! Or just eat it by the slice, juicy and cold.
Incidentally, my co-workers from the Well desk here at The Times have answered a question I’ve always had: Is watermelon actually good for you? Spoiler: It is!
Along with the reddest watermelon, I’m eating the greenest pasta salad, which you’ll find below, along with four other high-summer dinners for this holiday week. (Speaking of, we have dozens of Fourth of July recipes picked out for you.) Any suggestions for me? Feedback? Write to me anytime at dearemily@nytimes.com. I love to hear from you.
1. Extra-Green Pasta Salad
You could chill or pack up this chicly green dish from Andy Baraghani to eat later at a picnic or cookout, or you could just eat it right away for supper. Its hypnotic color comes from spinach and basil; its salty depth, from miso. Sugar snap peas give the whole thing crunch.
