complete in every detail; perfect

That's how Merriam-Webster Online defines the adjective form of the word consummate, and that's how I would describe the dinner I had on Sunday. (And no, I could not have written about it sooner than Thursday morning. I am a busy lady, and a terrible blogger, and this should come as no surprise to you.) Sunday was roastingly hot, and the temperature took such a toll on me that by about 5 pm I was already shaky and needing food and so, so ready to start cooking. That I was extra-hungry by the time dinner was ready no doubt made it that much more enjoyable.

Which isn't to say it wasn't still an incredible meal. Because it was. As is often the case with me, simple meals can be outrageously, unexpectedly good--perhaps because the straightforward ingredients and preparation don't seem like anything extraordinary, but then something happens when they're combined, and I am blown away by the result. This is how I felt about the grilled tuna with mustard sauce we made on Sunday. The recipe was a variation of the same one I used to make swordfish last month, but I have to say this was far more interesting and delicious than the original. It was the first meal of the year that we cooked on the outdoor grill, an annual event that always excites me because it means summer (my favorite season!) is coming.

Grilled tuna with mustard sauce
Adapted from How to Cook Everything (Wiley, 1998) by Mark Bittman
Makes 4 servings
Time: 45 minutes, plus time to preheat the grill

2 (1-inch thick) tuna steaks totaling 1 1/2 to 2 lbs.
1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. minced shallots
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat your grill or broiler.

2. Brush fish with the tablespoon olive oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Grill fish 3-4 minutes on each side, then check for doneness. Check sooner if you like your tuna still red in the middle (as I do); cook longer if desired.

4. While fish cooks, combine remaining 1/4 c. oil, mustard, shallots, parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle fish with a bit of the sauce, then pass the rest at the table.

While I worked, I sipped a homemade shandy--half lemonade, half beer--which I had been craving since the temperatures had begun to rise. The beer I used was Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, which is great on its own but also mixes well with lemonade. (It may sound weird, but just try it once and you'll understand why I love this combo.)

We also had simply blanched snow peas and emergency boxed tabbouleh (emergency, because I wanted to make brown rice but didn't have enough in the house; also, because I was tomato-less and therefore so was my tabbouleh) with lots of cucumber and lemon juice. For my perfect dessert, I scooped myself some of this awesome cinnamon ice cream I recently spotted at Wegmans and sprinkled some chocolate chips and a little maple pecan granola on top.