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We are in the first week of the barbecue season. Memorial Day is the official kickoff and summer is just three weeks away. As the season progresses, we can’t think about preheating the oven or even cooking on top of the stove. The outdoor grill is heaven-sent.
Each year, my husband’s family has a barbecue, and some of his cousins always request I bring asparagus vinaigrette. Salads and side dishes are among my favorite foods to prepare because I like to be creative and the possibilities are endless. Bless those wonderful farmers in California for sending us prewashed, packaged baby spinach leaves and baby arugula. Along with crisp romaine hearts, radicchio and whatnot, I form a base and add whatever is in the fridge or in my warm-weather pantry and simply toss it into the mix.
My summer pantry is filled with jars of red and yellow roasted peppers, artichoke hearts packed in water, a variety of black and green olives, cous cous, orzo, tabbouleh and canned beans. One day I wanted to make hummus, but didn’t have garbanzo peas. I used canned white Northern beans as a substitute. The dip was delicious.
I also like to make potato salad without mayonnaise. Yukon golds and red bliss potatoes are perfect for salads. Olive oil, fresh lemon juice and truffle oil essence make a delicious dressing. When making potato salad, I count one large potato and three small ones per person.
Here are recipes for side dishes to tote to a barbecue or picnic.
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White Bean Hummus
Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place the beans and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth.
Place the bean hummus in a bowl. Drizzle on the olive oil and lemon juice. Blend well and taste to see if the hummus needs more olive oil or lemon juice. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Chill before serving. You can prepare the dip the day before a party.
Serve with crackers, pita, crudit�s or bagel chips.
Serves eight to 10.
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Potato Salad
Ingredients:
8 Yukon gold or large red bliss potatoes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon truffle oil essence
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cut the potatoes into 1-1/2-inch cubes. Place in a pot large enough to hold the potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. They should still be a bit firm. Drain in a colander and run cold water over them. Drain well and set aside to cool.
Place the potatoes in a pretty serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients and blend well, taking care to keep the potatoes intact. If the potato salad seems a little dry, add a little more olive oil. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
Serves eight.
Note from Phyllis: This is a good example of a freeform recipe. You can add some sliced, pitted black and green olives, roasted red pepper strips, some chopped celery or sliced artichoke hearts. A few tablespoons of tiny capers would also do nicely here, but be careful with the salt as capers can be salty. You can also add 1 teaspoon imported Dijon mustard for a French flavor.
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Shredded Salad
Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
1 (8-ounce) bag baby arugula
1 small head radicchio, shredded
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 heads Belgian endive, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons baby capers
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place the spinach and arugula leaves on a large platter. Spread them out evenly, making a "bed" for the remaining ingredients. Place the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss well, then mound them in the center of the platter.
Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice on top of the shredded vegetables. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Chill before serving.
Serves six to eight.
Note from Phyllis: Recipe can be easily doubled. If you make a double recipe, prepare two platters rather than mounding the vegetables on one large one. This will make for easy serving, especially from a buffet.
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Orzo Salad
Ingredients:
1 box orzo
1 (8-ounce) bag baby arugula leaves
Handful of pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain well and cool. When the orzo is cool, place it in a pretty serving bowl.
Place the arugula in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over it to wilt it slightly. Place arugula in a colander and run cold water over it. Drain well and squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Place the arugula into the bowl with the orzo and toss well. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill before serving, but don’t serve ice-cold.
Serves eight.
Note from Phyllis: This recipe has been floating about for more than a year. I don’t know whether a chef prepared it on a TV cooking show or caterers prepare it, but a number of people I know have made it for picnics and parties. You can serve the arugula raw if you like. You can even substitute shredded escarole, wilted first, or steamed broccoli rabe for the arugula. If you like pine nuts with more crunch, spread them on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 250-degree oven for a few minutes.
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New Wave Green Beans Amandine
Ingredients:
1 pound haricots verts, trimmed
Handful slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the green beans and blanch for about two minutes. Drain them in a colander and run cold water over them. Drain well and set aside. When cool, place them in a pretty serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss well.
Serves six to eight.
Note from Phyllis: Recipe can be easily doubled. I prefer toasted slivered almonds in this recipe. Toast them in the same way you toasted the pine nuts.
