The Joy of (not) Cooking

When the mercury soars, slaving over a hot stove may be the last thing you want to do. With some culinary creativity you can turn out a stove-free menu that will keep you and your guests satisfied and cool.

Tools of the trade

The following tools make no-cook meals no-hassle.

• Professional knife: invest in a seriously sharp high-end knife, as no-cook cooking can entail much chopping, slicing, and mincing.
• Fine metal grater: add a wallop of flavour to no-cook meals with grated citrus, chocolate, ginger, or hard cheese. Look for a grater with two different sizes of holes.
• Blender: arm yourself with a blender that has serious horsepower to make quick work of raw soups, sauces, and puddings.
• Mandoline: make precise cuts in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, beets, potatoes, carrots, and apples. Choose a stainless steel design with several blade options.
• Mortar and pestle: release the flavour and disease-busting antioxidants of herbs and whole spices with the grinding, crushing, and mashing action of this Stone Age food processor.

Recipes

• Catfish Ceviche
• Spinach Salad with Prosciutto, Pecans, and Dried Cherries
• Three-Bean Salad
• Teriyaki Tofu Wraps
• Crab Stuffed Tomato with Curry Mayo
• No-Bake Mini Cheesecake