Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus

My sincere apologies to friends and family who often swing by for dinner: I simply cannot stop making this side dish. It's just the perfect side dish. Here's why I love prosciutto-wrapped asparagus:

- They look gorgeous, lined up one after another, ready for each guest to grab a bundle.

- You can make them in advance and simply reheat before serving

- This Italian combo of flavors is a great way to jazz up a veg that gets a bad rap

- You can follow the same recipe with haricots verts, or green beans, if those are looking better in the market

Serves 8

- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

- Wash and dry 2 bunches of asparagus. Cut off fibrous bottom half (this is about 1 inch in from the bottom of the spear). Dump onto a cookie sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place into oven to roast for 8 minutes.

- Once cooled, assemble your bundles: Grab 3 asparugus spears. Roll a slice of prosciutto around the spears and lay out, seam side down, on the cookie sheet. Mound some grated parmesan on top and crack a bit more pepper. Drizzle with more olive oil, and place into oven for about 12 minutes, or until the tops are browned and the asparugus spears are tender.

Salmon en papillote

I may not be the camping type of gal, but I do love the feeling of a good campfire dinner. That said, it's not always on the agenda in my Park Slope studio kitchen, terrace not included. And that's why summer's greatest entertaining secret, cooking en papillote, saves the day. French for "in parchment," this technique only sounds complicated, but is actually super simple. And as you can see above, I've already cheated - I often use aluminum foil rather than parchment paper. Let's home that whichever monsieur who invented papillote isn't rolling in his grave...

It was another anything-but-crisp August evening, and a light dinner was the only solution. Cooking papillote style is really healthy for you too, as the whole idea is to create do-it-ahead packets of either thin filets of fish or chicken with whatever other seasonings or quick-cooking veggies you'd like to throw in the packet, so that everything steams together in a short amount of time. You simply place all the fillers within a rectanglular sheet of either parchment or foil (trust me, the foil is more campy), create a folding seal along the top to lock in all the flavors, and place the papillotes, lined up, on a sheet pan in the oven. And the best part is that your packets can be sealed in advance and stowed away in the fridge before baking off once your guests have had their first glass of vino (in our case, Reserva Torrontes Sauvignon Blanc).

Serves 4
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, dijon mustard, chopped fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spread a thin coating onto each washed/dried filet.
- On a rectangular sheet of foil/parchment large enough to seal in one filet, place the salmon on top. Place quick-cooking veggies (ex: cherry tomatoes, thinly-sliced shallot, thin zucchini slices) on top or around the filets. Line up the foil above filet, on either side, and fold over once or twice, so that there are no air openings.
- Place packets on top of a cookie sheet and into the oven for 18-20 minutes, depending on the size of your filets.
- Serve in the packets for an added campy feel. Your guests can each enjoy a dinner party-friendly steam bath, upon opening!

Side dish options are endless. I served these papillotes alongside a frisee and spinach salad, with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.