It arrived just in time for a major heatwave: a big project devoted to simple salads, with 20 recipes that capture all that is fresh and fragrant and vibrant in summer. Get the full package here. These are what you make fordinner when you can’t fathom turning on the oven, and you pair it with an icy cold drink.

You’ll see a few of the salad recipes below are from Genevieve Ko, who led this salad extravaganza along with Cathy Lo. Genevieve has such a keen sense of how to combine flavors and textures – elements that are essential to all good cooking but are particularly integral to good salads.

Sweetcorn salad with tomatoes, basil and coriander

High summer produce comes together in this simple mix, tangy with lime juice and full of fresh herbs. Even in the height of the season, sweetcorn gets a touch sweeter when heated, and the easiest way to do it is in the microwave. It takes just a few minutes to zap the corn cobs, which makes them easy to shuck. The silks will slip right off the sweeter and still-crisp corn. Picking basil and coriander leaves by hand then tearing them right over the salad keeps their delicate fragrance intact. Serve this with anything off the grill or alongside tacos or sandwiches.

By: Genevieve Ko

Serves: 4 to 6

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

5 corncobs

300g cherry or plum tomatoes, halved

1 lime

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

¼ tsp minced seeded fresh habanero or other very hot chilli (optional)

10g fresh basil leaves

5g fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Microwave the corn on high for 3 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs, transfer them to a large bowl and add the tomatoes.

2. Finely grate the zest of the lime directly over the corn mixture, then squeeze the juice from the lime all over. Add the oil, a generous pinch of salt and the chilli, if using. Mix well, then tear the herbs over the salad and gently fold them in. Season to taste with salt and serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Tuna salad with hot and sweet peppers

Inspired by the oil-and-vinegar tuna salads of the Mediterranean, this version includes new-world peppers. Letting thin slices of hot and sweet peppers sit with vinegar and salt for a few minutes gives them a pickled taste without taking away their crispness. It also makes for a sharp dressing when mixed with the olive oil from oil-packed tuna. Celery and parsley bring freshness to this blend, which is wonderful on its own and versatile enough to be spooned over toast or tossed with lettuce or pasta.