By The market continues its steady climb. I had 4 showings this week and 1 offers. My reputation precedes me now — the Greek agent who tells the truth about roofs and brings food to open houses. Worse reputations exist.
I drove to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner. The drive takes forty minutes if the traffic behaves. It never behaves. But I make the drive because the table at Mama's house is non-negotiable, and Sunday dinner is the thread that holds this family together.
Mama is 80 and still at the bakery at 4 AM. I do not know how much longer she will do this. I do not ask. You do not ask Voula Papadopoulos about endings. You stand next to her and roll phyllo and trust that the beginning continues as long as the hands are moving.
I grilled halloumi tonight with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of honey. The cheese squeaked between my teeth the way good halloumi should. The kitchen smelled like honey and butter and I thought: this is what survives. Not the money or the stress or the arguments about phyllo. The food survives. The recipes survive. The love baked into every dish survives.
The house was quiet this evening. I sat at the kitchen table with a glass of wine and the remains of dinner and I thought about all the tables I have sat at — Mama's table in Tarpon Springs, the table in the South Tampa house I lost, the table in the apartment where I started over, this table where I have fed my children for years. Every table is a different chapter. The food connects them all.
The halloumi was already done—golden, squeaky, drizzled with honey—and I needed something bright beside it, something that matched the mood of the evening rather than complicated it. This Summer Squash Salad with Lemon Citronette was exactly that: clean and simple and honest, the way good food should be when you’re sitting alone at the kitchen table counting your blessings. Lemon has always felt like the taste of beginning again to me, and after a week of showings and drives to Tarpon Springs and phyllo memories, a little lemon on something tender felt exactly right.
Summer Squash Salad with Lemon Citronette
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced or shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced or shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1/3 cup good-quality olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds (optional)
- Shaved Parmesan or crumbled feta for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the squash. Using a mandoline, sharp knife, or vegetable peeler, slice or shave the yellow squash and zucchini into very thin ribbons or rounds. Place in a colander, toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Make the lemon citronette. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, and minced shallot. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until the dressing emulsifies. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Dress the salad. Transfer the dried squash ribbons to a large bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the citronette over the squash and toss gently to coat. Taste and add more dressing as desired. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes so the squash softens slightly and absorbs the lemon.
- Add the herbs. Scatter the torn mint and parsley leaves over the dressed squash and toss lightly once more to combine.
- Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds and shaved Parmesan or feta if using. Serve immediately alongside grilled halloumi or as a standalone summer side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 195 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 160mg