SUMMERTIME AND THE COOKIN' IS EASY

With the hot, sticky summer weather is coming upon us, what could be better than a light and cool pasta salad to tempt the taste buds of your family and friends? Whether it's for an outdoor barbecue or a potluck party, this delicious and colorful side dish will have everyone asking you for the recipe. What's even better is that it's easy to make, too.

MARINATED PASTA SALAD

Dressing

120 ml olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp thyme

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

Dash of salt and pepper

Combine ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Salad

250 g fusilli (I like to use the tricolors version for added color)

1 head broccoli, cut into flowerets and steamed tender, but still a little crunchy

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 medium red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 medium green pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

100 g button mushrooms, sliced

200 g marinated artichokes, sliced

Cook the fusilli in boiling salted water until just al dente. (You definitely don't want limp pasta here!) Drain the water and cool down in the refrigerator until you're ready to add it to the rest of the salad.

Prepare the other salad ingredients and put in a large bowl. Combine with the fusilli and toss with the dressing. Then, refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

ZESTY FRUIT SALAD

Call me crazy, but I love being in Hong Kong during the summer. Sure, the temperature often climbs into the 30s and stays there well into the night, and the humidity can be oppressive at times - but the taxi queues are shorter, the traffic is lighter and it's easier to get a table at a decent hour at your favorite restaurant. Summer is also a great time for getting together with friends and family, whether it be for a rooftop barbecue or a potluck outing in one of the country parks.

If you're looking to up your dessert offering from the standard sliced watermelon (not that watermelon is bad, but it's not exactly very fancy) and you don't want to spend all day in the kitchen getting something ready, look no further than this deliciously zesty fruit salad, made with poppyseeds.

Everyone will love the hit the ginger adds to the citrus and honey flavors. Bon appetit!

Dressing

1 medium lemon

1 lime

1 navel orange

60 ml honey

½ tsp fresh ginger, grated

½ tsp poppyseeds

Wash and dry the lemon, lime and orange. Zest the fruit with a zester or fine grater. Cut each fruit in half and squeeze the juice into a cup. Add the zest, honey, ginger and poppyseeds, and whisk together until combined. Refrigerate.

Fruit

3 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 pineapple

5 kiwis

3 mangoes

250 g strawberries

125 g blueberries

Cut the fruit into bite-size chunks and place in a large bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours (because no one likes to eat warm fruit salad). About 30 minutes before serving, pour the dressing over the fruit and gently toss to coat.

CDLP