Every berry lover should have a recipe for meringues up their sleeve. Snow white, light as air and egg-shell crisp, meringues will dress up your favorite berries in these easy do-ahead desserts.

Crumble and shower meringues as a sweet and dusty garnish, hollow their centers to fill as a sugary edible vessel, or simply fold them into dollops of billowy whipped cream.

Meringues can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks (or longer if store-bought) and are the perfect secret ingredient to pull out for fresh desserts and easy summer entertaining.

Strawberry Meringue Parfaits With Balsamic Syrup

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes, plus cooling time and standing time

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 pounds strawberries

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces mascarpone

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces crisp meringues, store-bought or homemade (recipe below), crumbled

Finely grated lemon zest for garnish

Combine the vinegar, sugar and lemon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half and syrupy in consistency, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small heat-proof bowl to cool to room temperature. (Syrup may be prepared up to two days in advance. Cover and refrigerate until use.)

Wash, dry and hull the strawberries. Slice 1/4-inch thick. Reserve 6 to 8 slices for garnish and place the remaining berries in a medium bowl. Pour the balsamic syrup over the berries and gently stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours).

Combine the cream, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form. (Cream may be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until use.)

To serve, divide half of the strawberries between serving glasses. Spoon the cream over strawberries to cover. Sprinkle with meringues. Repeat the layering process. Garnish with reserved sliced strawberries and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

Crisp Meringues

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours, plus cooking time

Yield: Makes about 40 (2-inch) meringues

4 large organic egg whites, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until foamy. With the mixer running, add the sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing about 5 seconds after each addition to fully incorporate the sugar. Mix in the vanilla.

Pipe the meringue through a pastry bag in decorative rounds or drop large spoonfuls on the parchment and flatten slightly.

Bake in the oven until the meringues are firm, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven. Do not remove the meringues or open the oven door. Let the meringues dry and cool completely in the oven.

Store in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between the layers for up to 2 weeks. Meringues can be re-crisped in a 200-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from the Incredible Egg)

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Summer’s sultry heat invites fresh, simple meals with garden vegetables that require limited effort to prepare. This tomato tart is a light and easy dinner for a warm night that takes advantage of the season’s kaleidoscope of cherry tomatoes falling in our gardens and showcased in our markets. Its presentation is as unpretentious as could be, giving the sweet and juicy tomatoes center stage, nestled on a bed of airy puff pastry dusted with nutty cheese and plucked garden herbs.

With so few ingredients, do not skimp on their quality. This is the moment to use the freshest tomatoes available. Sprinkle that fancy sea salt you have stashed in your cabinet for special occasions. Choose a nutty aged Gruyere and splurge on Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, if you can.

As for the pastry, it is here that I digress from homemade pastry and admit that I rely on a high-quality store-bought puff pastry, an otherwise time-consuming affair to make. After all, we’re talking minimal effort here on a steamy summer night. Fortunately, frozen pastry dough is available in most supermarkets. While the pastry is not cheap, I see it as a break-even when considering the cost of the ingredients and time to layer and roll my own. However, if you do have the time and inclination, I’ve provided my go-to recipe for quick puff pastry from Rose Levy Beranbaum, the diva of pastry, pies and cakes.

Cherry Tomato Tart

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes, plus draining time

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a light meal or 6 to 8 as a side dish

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, multicolored if possible, halved lengthwise

Sea salt

1 (9-by-13-inch) sheet frozen puff-pastry dough, thawed in the refrigerator

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

Place the tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow some of the juices to drain, stirring once or twice.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the pastry for one large tart (or unroll and cut the dough into smaller serving squares or circles for individual servings).

Score a 3/4-inch border around the edges of the dough without piercing the bottom. Prick the dough all over with a fork, leaving the border unmarked. Transfer to the oven and bake until the pastry begins to turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. If part of the dough has puffed up, gently deflate it.

Sprinkle the Parmesan, Gruyere, thyme and oregano evenly over the pastry, leaving the border clear. Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, over the pastry and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Return the tart to the oven and bake until the tomatoes begin to shrivel and the tart is golden brown and firm at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes more.

Remove and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. If desired, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with additional salt. Garnish with additional thyme leaves.

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Quick Puff Pastry

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Makes enough for 1 tart

1 1/2 cups (6.4 ounces) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (3 ounces) cake flour

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup ice water

1 tablespoon cold fresh lemon juice

Cover and freeze the all-purpose flour, cake flour and butter for 30 minutes.

Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse once or twice to combine.

Add half of the frozen butter pieces and pulse until the butter is pea-sized. Add the remaining butter and pulse until pea-sized. Slowly add the water and lemon juice and pulse until the dough begins to clump together (it will be shaggy).

Transfer the dough to a work surface dusted with all-purpose flour and roll into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in half from the short side (it will be very crumbly) and roll again to form an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Fold in half again, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the freezer and roll the dough again into a rectangle. Fold into thirds, like a letter for an envelope. Roll once more and fold again into thirds. Roll out again and fold one more time. Cover and chill until use for up to 2 days (or freeze for up to one year).

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It's not fair to say that this recipe is all about the chermoula sauce. After all, shrimp and kale are equal heavyweights in this dish. It's just that the chermoula sauce does something wicked to it.

Chermoula, as you may know, is a fragrant North African slurry of fresh herbs, citrus and spices. It’s typically used as a marinade for fish, but it’s also delicious with meat, chicken and roasted vegetables. In fact, it’s so good, you might be tempted to eat it with a spoon or swipe a hunk of bread through it and call it a snack.

Chermoula adds great flavor and zing to anything it graces, which is why you should include it in your sauce repertoire. And by “sauce,” I mean a whole lot of ingredients that get blitzed in a food processor to a salsa consistency, so there are no complicated or time-consuming techniques involved to achieve this delicious condiment.

This recipe involves a simple two-step process. The kale gets a head start in the oven to allow the hearty leaves to wilt slightly, then a pile of chermoula-glistening shrimp is spread over the kale and returned to the oven. This process ensures that the kale and shrimp finish cooking at the same time, and the chermoula and shrimp juices will have time to baste the kale as it continues to wilt. Serve it immediately with crusty bread or garlic bread for soaking up the pan juices and layering the roasted kale and shrimp on top, if you are so inclined.

Chermoula Shrimp and Kale Bake

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Chermoula:

1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, chopped

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed

1 to 1 1/2 pounds (15/18) jumbo shrimp, deveined, shells removed, tails optional

1 bunch lacinato or curly green kale, tough ribs removed

Extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 lemon, plus additional wedges for serving

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place all of the chermoula ingredients except the oil in a food processor and pulse to chop. Add the 1/4 cup oil and process to blend. The chermoula should have a loose salsa consistency. If needed, add more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve the desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and add a little more salt, if desired.

Place the shrimp in a large bowl. Add half of the chermoula sauce and stir to coat. The shrimp should be evenly coated but not doused. Add additional chermoula as needed to coat. Set aside any remaining chermoula for drizzling.

Tear the kale leaves into large, coarse pieces and place in a separate bowl. Lightly drizzle with oil, about 1 tablespoon. Squeeze a quarter lemon over the kale and sprinkle with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Using your fingers, mix the kale to coat, gently rubbing the oil into the leaves. Spread the kale in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or sheet pan. Bake in the oven until the leaves begin to wilt, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and spread the shrimp over the kale. Lightly brush a little more chermoula over the kale and shrimp. (Any remaining chermoula can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)

Return the baking dish to the oven and cook until the shrimp are bright in color and opaque through the centers, 11 to 14 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.

Serve warm with lemon wedges and crusty bread or garlic bread.

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