"This brilliant, no-brainer recipe has gotten me through many a last-minute summer lunch with friends," Heidi says. "It's a mouth-watering crowd-pleaser—not bad on the eyes either—and the perfect dish for a gardner swimming in squash and basil. The freshest and tastiest zucchinis work best, and I've found that small- to medium-size ones shave much easier than jumbos."

Summer Squash Salad with Parmesan and Pine Nuts

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/3 cup good olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried and crushed red pepper

2 pounds zucchini or yellow squash or a mix of both

Cherry tomatos, halved (optional)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Parmesan cheese shavings

Method:

1. To make the dressing, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black and red peppers together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, slice squash from top to bottom into ribbons (about 1/16-inch thick). Place ribbons in a bowl and add basil, pine nuts, and tomatoes (if using). Add dressing and toss.

3. Season with salt and pepper and top with parmesan cheese shavings.