Good Morning.
Half of the following meal is done inside and can be made well ahead of time. The other half is done on the grill while you sit on the patio or deck with a beverage. I recommend a Berry Rose Sangria.
1 750 ml. bottle of rose
1/4 cup brandy
2 tbsp. sugar
2 cups berries, your choice
Club soda
In a pitcher, mix up the rose, brandy, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and add the berries. Chill in the fridge. To serve, pour about three-quarters full in big stemmed glasses and top with club soda. Serve with a straw if you like but not one made of plastic. We need to get over that habit. Plastic straws are making a mess.
Serve the sangria with this very easy cheese thing.
2 8 ounce containers of cheddar cheese in port wine
1 8 ounce container of cream cheese with chives
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Currant jelly
Toast the almonds in a skillet for a couple of minutes and remove. On a plate spread one port wine cheese mixture, top with the cream cheese with chives, and top that with the other port wine mixture. Smooth the sides with a dinner knife so it looks nice. Top with the toasted almonds and dot with currant jelly. Serve with crackers.
More make ahead stuff:
3 big carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
4 or 5 radishes, washed and sliced
A cucumber, unpeeled and sliced
Salad greens, your choice
Place these items in a salad bowl and chill in the fridge. When ready to serve, toss with the following Yogurt Dressing:
1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Whisk the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, and mustard in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste
and chill in the fridge.
Make the Lemon Cake dessert ahead too.
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. butter
3 large eggs
2 packages lady fingers
Whipped cream
Line a loaf pan with wax paper with some up the sides so you can grab it. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks thoroughly. Mix the lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in the top of a double boiler and cook over simmering water until the sugar is dissolved. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Add the beaten yolks and cook two minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the lemon mixture carefully. Place a layer of lady fingers on the bottom of the loaf pan, then spoon some of the lemon mixture on top. Add another layer of lady finger halves, then more lemon mixture. Repeat until you get to the top. You may have some lady fingers left over. Have them with afternoon tea. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. A couple of hours before serving, unmold onto a platter by lifting the wax paper and cover the top and sides with whipped cream, preferably the real stuff. To serve, cut with a sharp knife into slices.
Lady fingers come in a couple of forms. Some are kind of toasty and hard while others are plump, softer, and found in the dairy section of your supermarket. Those are the ones you want for this dessert.
Moving outside, we have Chicken With Peach Barbecue Sauce.
8 fat chicken thighs
Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups Coke or Pepsi
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 cups canned peaches, drained and chopped
1/4 cup peach brandy
Put everything except the brandy in a large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for twenty minutes, adding the brandy for the last five minutes. Transfer to a blender and process, in batches, until smooth. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Grill the thighs over medium heat until brown on both sides and done. Baste with the sauce for the last ten minutes. Use chicken quarters or breasts if preferred. The sauce is the deal.
We also have Smashed Potatoes with Mint, done partly inside and finished on the grill.
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
16 small baby red potatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Place the olive oil, vinegar, and a good shake of salt and pepper in a bowl. Combine well and set aside on your counter. Put the baby reds in a pot filled with water and bit of salt, bring to a boil and cook until pretty much done, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Smash the potatoes roughly and put them in a grill basket. Put the basket on your grill until the potatoes are brown and crisp. This may take anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl and toss the hot potatoes with the vinaigrette and chopped mint. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
I have grown tired of paying an arm and a leg for olive oil, something I love more than life itself and use daily, so I've recently begun purchasing a combination of olive oil and canola oil that is half the price. It's not bad and it works in recipes like these potatoes.
Invite your favorite friends for dinner. Or your not so favorite friends for dinner if you're feeling especially kind and lovely.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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