Summer Shortcuts Are Hot News

Toward the end of summer, even the keenest cooks look for shortcuts. This is not the time of year to talk about cooking. Let’s just do it.

The following shortcuts preserve the freshness of the season with no compromise in flavor.

One way out is using ready-made preparations with fresh ingredients. These recipes use store-bought pastry dough for a rustic zucchini tart with leeks and feta cheese, rice wrappers for refreshing seared tuna rolls and cake mix for blueberry crisp.

RUSTIC ZUCCHINI TART WITH LEEKS AND FETA CHEESE

No need for a pie plate for this tart. The pastry is placed on a baking sheet and, once the edges are turned up, the center is filled. It’s a nice rustic look and can be served hot or at room temperature. Try to find small zucchini, because they are less watery than the large ones. The tart makes a great supper when served with a green salad with diced ripe tomatoes and slivers of Kalamata olives along with crusty bread.

4 small zucchini, about 1 pound total

2 small leeks

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 large egg

1 tablespoon dry white wine or dry vermouth

3 tablespoons minced parsley

3 tablespoons minced basil

3/4 cup diced feta cheese

Ready-made unbaked pastry for single-crust (9-inch) pie

1 tablespoon diced tomato

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Shred zucchini. You should have about 4 cups. Wrap zucchini in cloth towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Slice leeks thin.

Heat oil in 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add zucchini, leeks, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are heated through and bright green, about 4 minutes. Add flour. Stir until well mixed. Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk half-and-half, egg, wine, parsley and basil in small bowl until well mixed. Stir into zucchini mixture. Stir in feta cheese.

Place pastry on baking sheet. Gently fold up edges about 1 1/4-inch all around. Place zucchini mixture in center of pastry. Pinch border to bring pastry edge closer to filling. Garnish with pine nuts and diced tomato.

Bake at 350 degrees until well browned, about 40 minutes. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving. Can be served hot or at room temperature. (Tart can also be reheated in 300-degree oven until just warm, about 10 minutes.) Use a large metal spatula to transfer tart to serving platter.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about:

596 calories; 871 mg sodium; 83 mg cholesterol; 39 grams fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 1.68 grams fiber.

SEARED TUNA ROLLS WITH FRESH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger root

2 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1 teaspoon fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts

Combine hoisin, ginger root, vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar and peanuts in small jar. Can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated. Before using, stir well. Serve chilled.

TUNA ROLLS

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

4 large leaves leaf lettuce

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1/2 pound tuna steak (leftover grilled tuna may also be used)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground white pepper

8 (8-inch square) rice paper wrappers

3 tablespoons pickled ginger

2/3 cup thin-sliced green onion

24 fresh mint leaves

24 cilantro leaves

These tuna rolls are light and refreshing. Rice wrappers are available in Vietnamese, Thai and other Asian markets, as is pickled ginger. Using two rice wrappers for each roll prevents tears in the paper-thin layers, ensuring a neater package.

Wash bean sprouts and blot dry with paper towels. Remove hard stems from leaf lettuce with kitchen shears, if necessary.

Heat oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper to taste. When skillet is hot, sear tuna on both sides, leaving fish rare in middle, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to board. (If using leftover grilled tuna, skip previous step.) Cut crosswise into strips, about 1 1/2 inches wide, 1/4-inch thick. Set aside.

Pour 1/2-inch warm water in jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides). Cut 4 pieces of plastic wrap, slightly larger than rice wrappers, and place them in a single layer on counter. Dip rice wrappers in water just until soft, about 5 seconds, shake off water and transfer to plastic wrap. Lightly blot dry with paper towels. Repeat, placing second wrapper on top of first. Repeat, using remaining wrappers.

To assemble, place 1 lettuce leaf on diagonal from corner to opposite corner on each square. Lettuce should not go beyond edge of wrappers (trim as needed). Place tuna strips in single layer down center of lettuce, dividing evenly among 4 rolls.

Divide pickled ginger, bean sprouts, green onions, mint and cilantro into four parts and place on top of tuna.

Fold bottom wrapper flap over filling. Fold in 2 corners at end of roll. Using plastic wrap, roll up as tightly as possible, tucking in filling as needed. Rolls can be served immediately but are best refrigerated, in plastic wrap, for about 3 hours before serving.

To serve, carefully unwrap plastic. Serve rolls chilled and pass Ginger Dipping Sauce separately. To serve as hors d’oeuvre, use serrated knife to cut rolls into thirds and place filling-side-up on serving platter.

Makes 4 appetizer servings, 2 main course servings.

Each appetizer serving contains about:

174 calories; 1,772 mg sodium; 22 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.84 gram fiber.

BLUEBERRY SPICE CRISP

This dessert is best baked several hours ahead, completely cooled (or even made a day ahead and refrigerated), then reheated at serving time so the topping gets very crisp. If blueberries mixed with raspberries or diced fresh peaches sound more enticing to you, use a cup of your choice with about 4 1/4 cups blueberries.

2 1/2 pints blueberries (about 5 1/4 cups), sorted and washed

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 (18 1/4-ounce) package spice cake mix

1/3 cup oil

Vanilla, peach or strawberry ice cream or frozen yogurt, optional

Put blueberries in 8-inch square oven-proof glass baking dish. Add lemon juice and sugar. Toss until well mixed. Spread evenly.

Put cake mix in food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add oil and process until mixture begins to clump together, about 1 minute.

Spread topping mixture evenly over blueberries, leaving some small lumps for surface interest. Poke through topping in few places to pull some blueberries through topping. Place baking dish on baking sheet (to catch juices).

Bake at 350 degrees until very dark brown with blueberries bubbling, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let rest at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

486 calories; 249 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 80 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1.89 grams fiber.