Think about ingredients that will energize your body and refresh you. Pile on the fresh veggies, use protein as an accent and raid your garden (or farmers' market or produce aisle) for fresh herbs and aromatics like garlic and onion that deliver bold flavor without adding a bit of fat.
If chef Edgar Alvarez didn't keep things light in the summer, his customers would definitely let him know. It's not that the clientele at Black Sheep Pub would mind all that much. But at his other job, as co-owner of the Delaware Market House in Gladwyne, he caters to a Main Line customer who is definitely watching her waistline.
"The ladies around there are very strict with their diets," said Gonzalez, a native of Guatemala who lives in Havertown with his wife/partner and their two children. Gonzalez opened Black Sheep for owner James Stephens and left in 2001 to buy the Market House. But he missed being behind the line.
"I like the action," said the chef. He has lightened up the pub's menu, offering dishes like pan-seared lump crab cakes with arugula salad and fresh veggies and a stuffed chicken breast with sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus.
As for summertime cooking, his mantra is keep it simple. "I think sometimes we make things too complicated for ourselves. Steam or grill some veggies, sear a piece of fish in a little olive oil, make a low-sodium vinaigrette, and you've got a delicious dinner," he said.
One of chef Jose Garces' favorite warm-weather dishes, featured on the menu at Amada, is a salad of mixed lettuces, fruit, avocado and Idiazabal cheese, which is a pressed sheep's cheese from the Basque region of Spain.
The variety of lettuces add texture, color and eye appeal, green beans provide add snap, and the sweetness of apple and pear offers a nice contrast with the sherry vinaigrette dressing. If you can't find the Idiazabal, not to worry. Manchego stands in as a perfect substitute.
