It’s a big week for summer. July 4th! I’ve got plenty to go on the grill here and I’ve included not one, but two dessert options. Both are fabulously delicious. For any summer cookouts or celebrations, consider one of these glorious salads.
Nicoise Salad to Share
This is, hands down, one of my favorite summer suppers. Consider it an elevated salad bar with a French twist. It features the classic Nicoise ingredients, all of which you can riff on by adding other vegetables or using fresh, grilled tuna or salmon in place of canned fish.
Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde
When I crave a steak, this is how I like to do it. The Italian-style salsa verde is magic. I like to par-boil little potatoes and then finish them on the grill, along with bell peppers and zucchini. You can also toss together a salad with this vinaigrette.
Grilled Chicken with Tomato, Olive, and Avocado Salad
Here’s another one for the grill. It’s light and easy enough for everyday cooking, but is also the sort of thing to serve guests. As for side dishes, a loaf of crusty bread and simple green salad would do if you want to keep things simple. This Watermelon Wedge Salad would also work on the side.
Crispy Avocado Tacos
This is an old standby that I make when I don’t feel like spending a lot of time at the stove. Give it a summery spin by adding fresh corn, cooked and then sheared off the cob. Speaking of corn, this Mexican Street Corn Salad would make a terrific side dish as would this Everyday Slaw.
Grilled Clams with Spicy Miso Butter
Enjoying fresh clams doesn’t get much easier than doing them on the grill with a flavorful butter to drizzle over the top. The combination of miso, lime juice, and a kick of sriracha plays deliciously off the clams. Enjoy as an appetizer or main dish and know that the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. Be sure to have a baguette nearby to sop up those briny buttery juices.
Easy Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust and Toffee Bits
This was the ice cream pie my mom would bring out during the summer months when company came. It was always a huge hit and is now something I make for summer parties when I’m in the mood for something decadent and crazy good. It’s just five ingredients, requires no baking, and can be assembled and stashed in the freezer under 20 minutes.
Brown Sugar Roasted Apricots with Crème Fraîche
This is a dessert that you can throw together in a snap. After your apricots bubble in the oven, just add a spoonful of honey-sweetened crème fraîche (or serve with Yogurt Whipped Cream). Expect to want seconds.
SHOPPING LIST
Nicoise Salad to Share
1 small clove garlic
2 anchovies
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 pound small, waxy potatoes, such as red-skinned or fingerlings
1/2 pound green beans
4 eggs
1 head butter lettuce or 2 heads Little Gem lettuce
2 medium tomatoes (or 1 basket halved cherry tomatoes)
2 five-ounce cans tuna, drained (look for tuna packed in olive oil)
1/4 cup Nicoise or other favorite olives
Crispy Avocado Tacos
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese (grated about 1 1/2 cups)
8 corn tortillas
Favorite salsa, taco sauce or sriracha
2 ripe avocados
8 crunchy, light-green leaves of Romaine
Lime wedges
Pounded Chicken with Tomato, Olive, and Avocado
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/3 heaping cups cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
1 cup castelvetrano olives (or other favorite meaty olives)
1 small ripe avocado
2 scallions
Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde
1 1/4 pounds skirt steak (or flank or hangar steak)
1 tablespoon shallot
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Grilled Clams with Spicy Miso Butter
1 1/2 pounds fresh clams in the shell
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon white or mellow miso paste
2 teaspoons sriracha
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
2 limes
Easy Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust and Toffee Bits
3 cups vanilla ice cream (1 1/2 pints) (use dairy free “ice cream” for a DF version))
20 chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Newman Os or Oreos (use gluten-free sandwich cookies for a GF version)
2 tablespoons melted butter (use melted coconut oil for a DF version)
3/4 heaping cup chocolate toffee, such as Tcho, Heath, or Skors bars
1/3 cup chocolate fudge sauce or syrup (homemade or store-bought)
Brown Sugar Roasted Apricots with Crème Fraîche
8 ripe apricots
1 packed tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons roughly chopped pistachios
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 generous teaspoon honey
Comments