Going grill-less

Monday marks America’s 229th birthday and, for those of us who live in Logan Square, it will be a memorable weekend. Live 8, Sir Elton John, fireworks, parades, four million expected visitors – it will be gloriously noisy.

My husband Edward and I cannot barbecue on the fabulous Fourth. Last February, we moved out of our house because it is being totally gutted and renovated. We still live in Logan Square, but cannot barbecue on an apartment terrace. Due to the bustling weekend, we expect to keep cool inside. My sister Sandy and I decided to plan a detailed shopping list so we will have enough provisions to carry us through the Fourth of July holiday.

With July 4 sure to be hot, mealtime and snacking solutions are cold foods. I only turn the oven on early in the morning, usually to bake a tray of chicken. Shrimp can be used in quick and tasty treats. Asparagus will turn up in all sorts of appetizers. An assortment of salads and fresh fruit are also on the list.

California peaches and nectarines are on the market and have been extraordinarily good. (Simply allow them to ripen in a bowl on a kitchen counter.)

My shopping list also includes a few containers of fresh mozzarella, jars of roasted red peppers, fresh anchovies, which I buy from DiBruno’s or Claudio’s, Greek feta, goat cheese and ice cream.

Here are recipes to celebrate the Fourth of July. You can enjoy these dishes at home or tote them to a party.

Baked Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients:

4 large chicken breasts, on the bone, each cut in half
4 large chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Imported sweet Hungarian paprika
Fresh rosemary leaves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pat the chicken parts dry with paper towels. Place them on a cookie sheet or a jellyroll pan. Depending on the size of the chicken, you may need to use two cookie sheets.

Sprinkle each piece of chicken with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, paprika and top with a handful of fresh rosemary leaves.

Place the chicken in the oven and bake for one hour. Remove the chicken from the oven and drain on paper towels.

Serves 10-12.

Note from Phyllis: I always bake a lot of chicken, even if it is just for family, because I like leftovers. The leftovers turn up in chicken salad, chicken sandwiches and in a chef’s salad. You can also drizzle the juice of one or two lemons over the chicken before baking. On the Fourth of July, we enjoy the chicken at room temperature.

Shrimp in Lettuce Cups

Ingredients:

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fat cloves of garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 heads Boston lettuce

Directions:

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, lower the heat to medium and sauté until the garlic is light golden in color, about three to five minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the shrimp and sauté until they turn pink, about three to five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the shrimp in a medium-size bowl. Set aside. Wash the lettuce and carefully separate the heads into leaves. Pat them dry with paper towels.

Place the lettuce leaves in a bowl. Allow guests to fill each leaf with the sautéed shrimp.

Serves six to eight.

Note from Phyllis: You can also serve radicchio leaves for a colorful addition to your table. Although shrimp is delicious in this recipe, you also can use a sauté of mixed mushrooms, such as crimini, shiitake and white button. Actually, the lettuce or radicchio can be filled with anything from tuna salad to a mixture of tiny gulf shrimp and canned, drained Great Northern beans. Use your imagination and taste buds to create your own fillings.

Cool Asparagus

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh asparagus
2 pints fresh mozzarella balls
1 (15-ounce) jar roasted red peppers
1/2-cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut off the woody ends of each asparagus. If you wish, peel the lower third of each spear using a vegetable peeler. Place the asparagus in two large skillets. Cover the asparagus with cold water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for about five minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Do not overcook.

Drain the asparagus in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

Wrap the asparagus spears in two kitchen towels. Place them in the refrigerator until they are well chilled.

Place the asparagus on a large serving platter. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together and pour over the asparagus. Top the asparagus with the mozzarella balls. If you are using the large variety, slice the mozzarella. If you are using the smaller variety, cut them in half, if you wish.

Drain the peppers and slice into strips. Top the asparagus and mozzarella with the roasted peppers. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves eight.

Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Tabouli

Ingredients:

2 pints cherry tomatoes
2 boxes tabouli
1 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:

Wash the cherry tomatoes and pat dry. Using a small paring knife, gently remove the core of each tomato. Prepare the tabouli according to the package directions.

When the tabouli has cooled, stuff each tomato with about one-half to one teaspoon of tabouli.

Place the cherry tomatoes on a serving platter. Arrange the sliced cucumber around the tomatoes.

Serves eight.

Note from Phyllis: You can substitute couscous for the tabouli in this recipe. Once the couscous has cooled, simply dress it up with about one-fourth cup of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste.