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To serve, put a scoop of couscous on a plate, followed by the tomatoes, then the mussels. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of olive oil. Garnish with the parsley.

Tofu Banh Mi Sandwiches

Tofu Banh Mi Sandwiches

Banh mi sandwiches are a Vietnamese street food. Instead of the typical pork and mayonnaise, this version features baked tofu, an anchovy-miso dressing, and cucumber pickles. A key element of banh mi sandwiches is fresh bread—day-old bread is too dry. The best bread to use is a thin-crust white flour baguette that won’t overwhelm the sandwich fillings. Try making these sandwiches for a July picnic.

Serves 4

Olive oil for greasing

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

MARINADE

3 anchovy fillets

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons sweet white miso

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salt

¼ cup olive oil

PICKLES

2 kirby cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch half moons

½ cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 star anise

1 teaspoon salt

1 fresh baguette

Leaves from 1 small handful fresh cilantro

Leaves from 1 small handful fresh mint

1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil.

Arrange the tofu slices on the baking sheet and season with salt.

To make the marinade, in a blender combine the anchovies, garlic, honey, mirin, miso, and mustard. Add a dash of salt and blend for 30 seconds. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil and blend until smooth.

Rub ½ teaspoon of the marinade into the top of each tofu slice and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the slices, rub the second side with marinade, and bake for 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To make the pickles, put the cucumber slices in a small bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, honey, star anise, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. Let cool.

To assemble the sandwiches, cut the baguette into 4 pieces. Slice open each piece and generously spread both sides with the marinade. Put 2 to 3 slices of tofu in each sandwich and add a few pinches of cilantro and mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Tuck in a few pickles and jalapeño slices and serve.

Apricot Shortcake with Lavender Whipped Cream

Apricot Shortcake with Lavender Whipped Cream

Start this recipe the night before serving it so that the lavender can soak in the cream and impart a strong flavor. Use fresh or dried lavender, but stay away from ornamental lavender, which is usually treated with pesticides. If you prefer, substitute peaches or nectarines for the apricots.

Serves 8

WHIPPED CREAM

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender buds

2 tablespoons honey

BISCUITS

½ cup honey

2 eggs

½ cup whole raw almonds

1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender buds

2 cups flour, plus more for shaping biscuits

1 tablespoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

APRICOT FILLING

10 ripe apricots, pitted and cut into 1-inch slices

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons honey

To make the whipped cream, pour the cream into a bowl and stir in the lavender. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Oil a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.

To make the biscuits, whisk together the honey and eggs in a small bowl and set aside. Place the almonds, lavender, flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and grind to a coarse powder. Add the cold butter and pulse for 15 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and pour the egg mixture over the top. Mix just until the dough comes together, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Pack the dough to just below the top of a ⅓-cup measuring cup, then invert and tap out onto the baking sheet. Repeat to make 8 biscuits total. Brush the discs with the melted butter and bake for