Memorial Day 2015

Growing up in a Seaside resort, Memorial Day weekend had more significance than in inland towns. Together with Labor Day it bookended, the brief quarter year when the major portion of annual income was generated, but “The Season” actually started a few weeks later when school closed and people could stay through the week. The evening of the holiday itself was like the afternoon before opening night of a play. Everything is ready and there’s a chance to relax for a moment, enjoy a meal and socialize before the curtain goes up and attention centers on work.

 

Gardens were trimmed, lawn furniture placed, awnings unfurled and grills at the ready. With all thoughts on the summer ahead, entertaining indoors was out of the question, but whether a casual gathering for friends and family or a more elegant affair, choosing the foods to serve required thought.  The robust roasts, filling casseroles and sauced recipes of winter aren’t alluring now. People want lighter dishes and bright taste.

 

That is still a party menu planning problem at this time of year. Much of the spring produce is past its prime and the summer crops, corn, summer squash, tomatoes and heartier salad greens are just sprouting. The annually anticipated bounty from the sea isn’t in yet either. Most local boats are just getting into the water this weekend.

 

The trick is to present normally available foods in tempting seasonal ways. Of course, just the smell of a grill firing up goes a long way toward setting the right mood, but this is a special occasion and you might want something different than hamburgers or chicken, which you’ll have all summer. I’m offering four entre suggestions; two can be completely or partially cooked on the grill, or in the oven. The others are made indoors but served outside. One, served cold, makes a more formal presentation. Also I’ll offer some sides which can be spruced up to fit the first days of summer.

Skewered Tuscan Grilled Pork and Vegetables Serves 4

Several cuts of pork can be cubed for this recipe. Butt roast, arm steaks, loin or chops, so long as the meat has no fat. The directions below are for ¾ inch thick pieces. The vegetables are so intrinsic to the meal, I like to think of this as Stew on a Grill. Chicken thighs are good substitutes for the pork but more delicate so the cubes should be thicker.

Grill or Broiler:

2 lbs. of pork in cubes suitable for grilling or broiling at least ½ – ¾ inch thick

1 Tbs. oil
4 Tbs. fresh rosemary

2 cloves garlic minced

Salt and pepper

Lemon wedges to serve.
Mix the oil and seasonings and marinate the pork overnight. When ready to cook, skewer the meat and reserve the marinade for basting.

Vegetables

2 large all-purpose potatoes

2 large onions

2 medium zucchini

2 medium yellow squash

8 cherry tomatoes

1 large green bell pepper

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbs. oil

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. lemon pepper

(4)  6 inch Bamboo skewers – soaked

Cut the onions in half crosswise. Cut the potatoes in half. Skewer the onions parallel the cut, so they don’t separate into rings. Microwave the onions 2 min pausing between. Microwave the potato halves 3 min, pausing between. Cut the peppers in quarters, then divide the quarters in half. Cut the zucchini and squash in half lengthwise. Add 2 pepper quarters and 2 tomatoes to each of the skewers with the onions. Coat all the vegetables well with the oil, herbs and 1 tsp. lemon pepper. Allow to marinate for a few minutes and baste during cooking with the excess, turning once. Heat the broiler or grill. Place rack 4-5 inches from a hot fire. Cook vegetables on a grid for 5 min. before adding meat. Move to the side if charring occurs during cooking or to a lower oven shelf. Check for doneness visually.

Cook pork skewers 4-5 inches from heat source 4-5 min, for the first side, and 6-8 min for the second, basting with marinade. Check with a thermometer, or by making a small slit in the meat, to judge doneness. .Serve with lemon wedges.

These directions also work for oven broiling.

Shrimp Kabobs  Serves 4

Cubes of Monkfish, Salmon steak, Swordfish, even Tuna steaks will work in place of shrimp.

Skewers, Broiler or Grill:

2 lbs. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on – extra-large (26-30 count) recommended

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. Tabasco

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or equal amount dried

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. allspice powder

2 lemons – one juiced one in quarters

Kosher salt to taste

Barbeque Sauce

Skewers- soaked bamboo. (If using metal ones, double skewering makes turning easier.)

 

Mix all the ingredients but the salt and quartered lemon in a bowl large enough to hold the shrimp. Add the shrimp and marinate, covered at room temperature at least 1 hr. or several hours in the refrigerator. Thread shrimp head to tail on as many skewers as necessary – long metal ones require about 4. Preheat broiler or grill, and cook shrimp until pink and beginning to brown, basting frequently with the marinade. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon quarters.

The Barbeque Sauce is for optional dipping

Chip’s Chuck Roast Serves about 6 for a dinner

This is a recipe devised by an old friend of my Father’s years before grills became a backyard fixture. It was never written down, so you’re going to have to wing it a bit, but as recent guests assured me, it’s still a winner, especially for anyone who wants to give a meal a “cook out” feeling without cooking out.

(1) 3 to 3 ½ lbs. 7 bone Chuck Roast, as lean as possible – select a thicker piece

¾ cup flour

1/3 cup Spicy Brown mustard or more if needed

Water

Trim as much fat from the meat as possible. (I like to freeze the roast.) When ready to use, cover a cookie sheet with foil, and put the top oven rack as low as it will go, then preheat the broiler.  Put the roast on the foil.  Mix the flour in a small bowl with the mustard and just enough water to make a smooth, golden colored paste, the constancy tomato paste. It should taste like mustard,  if it seems too bland add more mustard. Cover the meat, first the bottom, then the top and sides with the paste, using it all. Broil the roast with the oven door ajar, for 20 min., until the coating cooks and browns. Turn the oven on to 400 degrees and roast the meat with the door closed another 20 min. Do not turn the roast over. This timing results in a perfect rare roast in my oven, but ovens differ, and I recently found that I had to cook it longer in a friend’s gas oven. So consult a thermometer for doneness after the first 20 min. Perhaps, if you like the recipe and want to repeat it, you will want to experiment with a higher temperature vrs. longer cooking time. It’s worth the effort!

Poached Salmon Chaud-Froid Serves 6-8

This was a favorite recipe of my Mother’s. I always thought it would be intimidating and pricey
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1 Whole boneless salmon fillet – about 2lb.

1 Tbs. unflavored gelatin

½ cup sherry

2 cups milk

4 Tbs. butter

4 Tbs. Flour

½ tsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. each onion powder & garlic powder

½ cup whipping cream

Fresh parsley

Cheese cloth

Place the salmon in a cheese cloth “sling” It’s best if you skin it first, but O.K. if you don’t.

Put it skin side up, in a roasting pan with the ends of the cloth overhanging the sides.. Cover with

very warm water and place in a preheated 350 deg. oven. Cook for 12 min. per pound once the

water is hot Alternately, place the pan across 2 heated  burners on the stove top and poach the

fish for 8 min. per pound.  When done, lift it gently by the cloth so it doesn’t break, and place it

on a cookie sheet or platter to carefully lift off the skin if needed. Center the serving platter over

the fish and invert so the top side is up. Chill until firm covered with plastic wrap. . This can be

done a day ahead.

When fish is cold and firm, make the Chaud  Froid. Place the gelatin in the sherry  to soften.

Melt the butter in a saucepan until it foams, then off heat stir in the flour and sugar to make a

smooth roux. Stirring constantly add the milk, cream and seasonings, return to the stove and heat

to a simmer, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin until dissolved.

While sauce is still flowing, using a soft paintbrush, “paint” the salmon, covering it completely.

If necessary, give it a second coating after the first sets. The point is to keep the coating as

smooth as possible. Chill well, garnish with parsley. For the artistic other decorations can be

pressed into the coating—sliced cucumber, strips of roasted pepper etc.  To serve, make a small

vertical cut halfway across the fish, then slice in two pieces. This helps prevent flaking and keep

the slices intact..(If coating gels between coats, gently reheat to desired consistency.)

VEGETABLES

Asparagus

Break off the woody part of the stems and put the spears in a microwave proof dish in one layer,

if possible, no more than two, or cook in batches. Microwave on high 3 to 9 min. depending on

the thickness of the stems. If marinating, put drained spears on a serving plate, pour marinade

over and allow to infuse as the asparagus cools, then refrigerate or serve. If saucing, shock spears

with cold water, chill them and sauce before serving or sauce and serve hot.

For Marinating: A vinaigrette of choice is best

Garnishes: Asparagus loves to be decorated and will accept many things: sliced or chopped roasted or fresh peppers, chopped eggs, toasted chopped nuts and seeds, anchovies, capers, herbs crumbled bacon, even breadcrumbs.

Green Beans

String beans are more of a summer yield, but they are available fresh or frozen all year and are a wonderful green when simply cooked, as well as a good mix with other vegetables. Whole green beans, sometimes labeled “Blue Lake” can be treated the same as asparagus.

Green Beans roast well as do onions. Tossed with a bit of oil, balsamic vinegar and rosemary, or herb of choice, on a sheet with quartered onions, cooked at 375 deg. for 20 min. they are wonderful cold or hot.

2) A simpler way to make this combination vegetable is to boil the beans to crisp-tender and microwave the cut onion in 1tsp. oil until soft, about 2 min. then toss with the drained beans and a bit of lemon pepper or rosemary.
3) They also go well with mushrooms in place of onions, dill or mint as the seasoning and garnished with toasted chopped almonds.
4) They can be tossed with halved cherry tomatoes, with a bit of oil, garlic powder and

Basil to taste, rather a lot, and chilled for at least an hour to marinate.

Summer Sweet Potato Salad with Lime: 4 servings

2 lbs. sweet  potatoes
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno minced
2Tbs. brown sugar
¼ cup oil
Salt to taste
1/3 cup toasted cashew  pieces—OR wasabi coated peanuts roughly chopped
1 Tbs. lime zest
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
Cut the potatoes in half if necessary to fit in a single layer in a deep skillet with a lid. Add water to depth of ½ inch. Cover and simmer about 15 min. or until crisp tender—not mushy.—check by pricking them. Peel skins off while warm. Bend the next 4 ingredients adding oil in a stream to make a vinaigrette. Season with salt to taste. Pour 1/3 of the vinaigrette in a shallow bowl. Diagonally slice potatoes in ½ inch rounds. Put into the serving bowl and drizzle with the rest of the vinaigrette. Toss gently with a spatula. Mix the last 3 ingredients to pass as a garnish. Will keep for 3 days covered and chilled.  Toss gently again and bring to room temperature before serving. Do not make garnish ahead.

SALADS

Baby Spinach is wonderful garnished with sliced strawberries and toasted walnuts; diced tomato, spring onion and watermelon or diced cantaloupe, diced bell pepper, and spring onion with a touch of lime in that dressing. Sweet Vidalia Onion Dressing also compliments spinach
.
Bibb Lettuce and French Blue Dressing: Serves 4- This is a different, lighter take on Blue Cheese dressing.
I head Bibb – or Boston – Lettuce
1Tbs. blue cheese – packed
3Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice – or more to taste
Separate the lettuce leaves and tear, not cut, into bite sized pieces. Dissolve the cheese in the oil and the lemon juice to taste. Pour over the lettuce pieces and toss well.

 

Happy Holiday All!!