New York Time Recipes

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2015 8 Recipes to Say So Long, It's Sure Been Fun! MELISSA CLARK Well, folks, Sam Sifton is returning from vacation, so I am signing off for now. It's been fun sharing my cooking musings with you. I'd like to leave you all with one last thought: burrata, that milky, soft ball of cream-filled mozzarella. I'm obsessed with the stuff, and have been craving it lately, eating it by the spoonful drizzled with good olive oil and flecked with flaky salt. It's all my friend Elizabeth Minchilli's fault. Her Instagram account is full of gorgeous burrata and mozzarella photos, among other tasty things (negronis!). Luckily burrata is getting easier to find in my neighborhood, and I hope in yours, too. Because a girl can't live by cheese alone, to make burrata (or a nice fresh mozzarella) into dinner, I've been pairing it with all kinds of summery side dishes. (Note for people who don't do cheese: These same strategies work with all manner of cured meats and fish as well.) Cool, marinated meats and vegetables, like this make-aheadescabeche salad from Mark Bittman, add a contrasting bite to the rich, malleable cheese. Simple grilled vegetables with a lemon-caper dressing accomplish the same goal. Another idea is to serve burrata on a platter with Martha Rose Shulman's Balkan eggplant chile spread, some grilled flatbread and maybe Tara Parker-Pope's pan-roasted green beans with almonds. A cold bottle of rosé wouldn't hurt, either. Or make the cheese the centerpiece of a light meal with Julia Moskin'sburrata with snap peas and shiitakes. Do you really need dessert after eating burrata for dinner? Oh, good - me, too! If you have fresh fruit on hand, try my buckle recipe (above). It's fast and fruity and tastes just like a summer dessert should. Which is, yummy. If you need help or have a question with a recipe or with our site or apps, or if you just want to say hi, send us a note. You can find us atcookingcare@nytimes.com. We're also on Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest and Instagram. #NYTCooking is our hashtag. So long for now!

Melina Hammer for The New York Times Burrata With Snap Peas and Shiitakes JULIA MOSKIN 20 minutes, plus time to infuse the oil, 2 servings as an appetizer

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times Escabeche Salad MARK BITTMAN From 30 minutes to 1 day, largely unattended, 4 servings

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times Balkan Eggplant and Chile Purée MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN 1 hour 30 minutes, Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Pan-Roasted Green Beans With Golden Almonds TARA PARKER-POPE About 30 minutes, 4 servings

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times Grilled Lebanese Flatbread MARK BITTMAN 1 1/2 hours, 8 breads

Summer Berry Buckle MELISSA CLARK 1 hour, 8 servings