Refresh your summer repertoire

As summer winds down, and mornings become darker and cooler, we may be lulled into thinking our string of 80-degree days are over. But just around the corner there's sure to be at least one more spin through the heat cycle.

Your survival strategy may be to hang out at the deli counter in the closest air-conditioned store, tasting pasta salads and dining off the tempting handouts. My own recent strategy for beating the heat meant standing over the sink with a pint of mango sorbet.

But this isn't a plan that any nutritionist would recommend. So as summer weather stretches out over a few more weeks, it may be a good idea to gather up a few new strategies.

One would be to take advantage of the vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes now at their peak in gardens, groceries and farmers markets.

Those tomatoes are at the center of a chilled gazpacho-style soup from "Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe" (Clarkson Potter) by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. The soup is a spirited bowl of tomatoes and cucumbers with just enough hot red chilies to add some heat without turning up our internal temperature. It's thickened with ciabatta bread crumbs that have been seasoned with red wine vinegar, and finished with a polish of olive oil.

Gray and Rogers also offer a contemporary rendition on the summer classic of diced, ripe tomatoes tossed with warm spaghetti. Arugula replaces the dish's traditional basil, and hearty doses of capers and black olives add pungency to the mix. The harmonious pairing of flavors is an antidote to parched palates.

Grilling is another strategy that beats the kitchen heat. Try an Asian-inspired marinade for flank steak, then finish the meat on the grill, slice and toss with greens, slivers of red bell pepper and a peanut dressing.

Sandwiches are the go-to grub during the remaining days of summer. And when dressed with vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise, they are lighter.

One favorite layers tuna with tomatoes, paper-thin slices of radish and fresh basil leaves. If possible use a good quality of canned tuna from packers such as St. Jude's or Tuna Guys. There's very little waste, and the meaty tuna holds up well when dressed with vinaigrettes.

CeCe Sullivan:

csullivan@seattletimes.com