Linguine with Green Olives and Breadcrumbs

This recipe is from Chris Morocco printed in Bon Appetit. It's a nice Sicilian-style pasta dish. It has a good mix of textures - from the crispy breadcrumbs to the smooth garlic and anchovy to the chunky capers and meaty olives.

SERVINGS: 4
ACTIVE: 30 MIN TOTAL: 30 MIN

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus ½ cup olive oil
¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
12 ounces linguine or other long pasta
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 small garlic clove
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup green olives, pitted, halved
3 tablespoons drained capers
½ ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium and cook panko, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to paper towels to drain and toss with dill and lemon zest.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, mash anchovies and garlic to a paste on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife. Combine with parsley, basil, and half of olives and capers in a large bowl. Chop remaining olives and capers and add to bowl, along with remaining ½ cup oil. Mix well; season sauce with salt and pepper.

Add pasta and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Toss, adding Parmesan a bit at a time, along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

Serve pasta topped with panko and more Parmesan.

Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against surface, and chill.

Whole Roasted Radishes

This recipe comes from PureWow. I have always thought radishes were ok. They were the backup to eat from raw vegetable plates when nothing else was available. But lately I have enjoyed them in a variety of ways. Roasting has become my favorite.

Ingredients
2 bunches radishes, ends and tops trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the radishes with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
3. Roast until the radishes are tender and browning at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Gently Smashed Cucumber Salad

This recipe comes by way of Bon Appetite. You can use a knife too if you want, although hitting the cucumbers is kind of fun. :)

If you don't have or want to use chili oil, sprinkle some shichimi on the salad.

Ingredients
1 pound Persian or English hothouse cucumbers
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
3 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Chili oil (for serving)

Preparation
ACTIVE: 10 MIN TOTAL: 20 MIN

Gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander; toss with 1 tsp. salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Transfer cucumbers to a medium bowl and toss with scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Drizzle with chili oil.