Kitchen Express - Airdate - 7/31 - 4 p.m. (ET)

Joe Hardtke - See exclusive recipes below...

Mark "The Minimalist" Bittman is on the show today. You may know him from his column, blog and videos with The New York Times. In his new book, Kitchen Express, Mark boasts about his "404 seasonal dishes you can make in 20 minutes or less!" This has me curious if any of you cooks out there can top Mr. Bittman! Do you know any wonderful seasonal recipes that are ultra-quick in the kitchen? Pass it on here and we might just include it on the air. Just try not to be like this guy...



Mark has kindly invited us to include a couple of his speedy recipes. Set your timer for 20 minutes and go!

Gazpacho

Core and seed ripe, juicy tomatoes and cut into chunks. Peel and seed a cucumber and roughly chop. Peel a clove or two of garlic. Cut the crusts from a couple of thick slices of good white bread and tear them up. Puree everything in a blender with salt, pepper, lots of olive oil, and a splash of sherry vinegar, adding just enough water (or ice) to thin the mixture. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped basil or mint leaves.

"Try peaches or melons instead of tomatoes, or add anchovies for more flavor," adds Mark.

Arugula with Balsamic Strawberries and Goat Cheese

A surprisingly wonderful salad! Hull and slice a pint of strawberries and put them in a large salad bowl. Toss with two tablespoons balsamic vinegar and several grinds of black pepper. Let sit for five minutes. Add a bunch of arugula, some crumbled goat cheese, and a sprinkle of salt; drizzle with olive oil, toss, and serve.

And don't forget to tell us how your dishes turned out! Leave your comments here or call the Here on Earth Hotline at 1-877-GLOBE-07.