NEW YORK, Aug 23 — You could call Katie Lee the younger version of Ina Garten, with her shingled, beach house in the Hamptons, love of all things French, and penchant for throwing easy, breezy summer soirees in her elegant garden. This summer Lee shares some of the recipes that make recurring appearances in her kitchen and backyard patio every year.

After hosting countless sunset dinner parties for friends and family, Lee, co-host of The Food Network's "The Kitchen," compiled some of her favorite summer recipes and entertaining tips into the "Endless Summer Cookbook" released earlier this year.

Salade niçoise

Serves 4

"I always say that food is like music; it’s nostalgic. Just like when you hear a song and it takes you back to a certain moment in your life, eating something can transport you as well. This salade niçoise takes me right to the South of France on a warm summer day. I always use canned tuna for salade niçoise, not seared tuna, which has become so common on menus here in the United States. If you prefer seared, though, by all means, go for it!" — Katie Lee

For the dressing: 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the salad: Salt 12 ounces (340 g) new potatoes or very small red potatoes 8 ounces (225 g) French green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 head green leaf lettuce, chopped (about 6 cups) 1 cup (150 g) grape tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup (90 g) pitted Kalamata olives, halved 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered 12 ounces (340 g) good-quality tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked into large chunks Oil-packed anchovies (optional)

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and vinegar together until combined. Add the oil and whisk until emulsified; season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk in the parsley.

Make the salad: Bring a saucepan filled with water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the potatoes and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl to cool briefly. Drop the green beans into the water and cook until tender, about 1 minute; drain. When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle but still warm, cut them into bite-size pieces and put them in a large bowl.

Add the green beans to the warm potatoes, drizzle a little dressing over them, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, and olives; pour the remaining dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.

Transfer the lettuce mixture to a serving platter and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the eggs and tuna evenly over the salad and garnish with anchovies, if using. Serve immediately. — AFP-Relaxnews