By Karen Bloom
The sunshine and warm summer nights complement a backyard setting and provide you with the perfect atmosphere to entertain friends and build lasting memories with family
When it comes to entertaining outdoors, easy yet flavorful dishes that spotlight the season¹s bountiful harvest can keep prep time to a minimum. Plus, they¹re sure to please guests¹ palates.
³The arrival of summer means a sudden availability of all sorts of fresh vegetables from familiar zucchini and eggplant to more exotic mushrooms and chilies,² says Rick Bayless, award-winning chef, cookbook author and host of the PBS show ³Mexico: One Plate at a Time.² Entertaining a summer crowd can be easy, delicious and inexpensive if you let the season¹s produce do most of the work.²
Chef Bayless offers two simple recipes that highlight fresh summer fare. His grilled chicken skewers feature bite-size marinated chicken chunks paired with succulent pieces of mango and pineapple. Providing a unique summer spin on a popular pot luck dish, his shrimp and pasta salad showcases a medley of summer colors and flavors from corn, jÌcama, avocado, tomatoes and poblano chilies.
Try these tips for a successful summer spread:
Opt for Organic. Small local farms promote biodiversity by planting a wide range of produce, are more likely to operate using organic practices, and add to the fabric of their communities. With their homegrown approach to agriculture, these farmers ensure the highest quality of food. Other organic products besides fresh produce are popping up on grocery shelves.
Know Your Way Around the Grill. Whether using a charcoal or gas grill, heat the grill grate thoroughly before putting food on, and avoid moving the food until it is well-browned. This prevents food from sticking to the grill. Keep a spray bottle filled with water on hand to handle flare-ups that can arise from fat drippings.
When in Doubt, Just Chill. Simple marinades can take meat and seafood to a new flavor level. Save time by marinating the main dish for a few hours prior to your guests¹ arrival and keep it refrigerated. Then put it on the grill when it¹s time to eat. A little preparation can lead to big, bold taste.
Serve Sweet, not Rich. When the weather is warm, avoid buttery, creamy and rich desserts. Instead, serve up some of summer¹s freshest fruit. A bowl of ripe berries or melon kebabs are not only refreshing respites from a hot night, but they take no prep time. Add sweetness to sparkling water with watermelon ice cubes. Just puree seedless watermelon in a blender or food processor, pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Grilled Shrimp and Pasta Salad
Serves 6 to 8
1 16-ounce bottle Ranch dressing
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 bunch cilantro, tough stems removed, divided
1 medium poblano chile
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 ears corn, husked
1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
Oil for grilling (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup diced jicama (about 1/4-inch pieces)
1 pint small cherry or grape tomatoes, preferably a mix of red and yellow
1/2 pound corkscrew or penne pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In blender or food processor, combine dressing, avocado and 2 tablespoons cold water. Roughly chop cilantro, reserving 1/4 cup for garnish. Add remainder to blender or processor. Process until smooth. Refrigerate dressing, tightly covered, until ready to use.
2. Light charcoal and let burn until charcoal is covered with gray ash but still very hot. Or, if using gas grill or grill pan, set to medium-high heat. When grill is quite hot, brush corn, poblano pepper and onion slices with oil; sprinkle corn and onion with salt and pepper. Thread shrimp onto skewers, brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Grill vegetables and shrimp, turning regularly to ensure even cooking: 10 to 15 minutes for poblano (sear over hottest part of fire until evenly blackened and blistered all over), about 10 minutes for onions, about 5 minutes for corn and about 4 minutes for shrimp.
4. Cover poblano with towel to rest. When cool enough to handle, wipe off charred skin and remove seed pod and seeds. Rinse briefly, chop into small pieces and place in large bowl. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut kernels off cob and add to bowl with poblano.
5. Chop onion into small pieces and add to bowl, along with whole grilled shrimp, jÌcama, tomatoes, cooked pasta, 1 to 1 1/2 cups of prepared dressing and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Salad is best if covered and refrigerated for an hour or so.
6. Taste and add additional dressing and salt, if desired. Serve sprinkled with reserved 1/4 cup cilantro.
Grilled Chicken Skewers With Mango and Pineapple
Serves 4
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped*
2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from can above)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound chicken tenders, each cut into 3 equal pieces
1/2 pineapple, rind and core removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large mango, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small red onion, quartered and separated into layers
Oil for grilling (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 lime, quartered
1. In medium bowl, combine dressing, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, honey, lime juice and salt for marinade. Stir well.
2. Assemble 4 skewers from ingredients in following order: onion, chicken, mango, chicken, pineapple, chicken, onion. Repeat twice more to complete skewer.
3. Lay skewers in shallow pan. Pour 1/4 cup marinade into small dish; set aside. Brush remaining marinade over skewers, coating all sides evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour.
4. Light charcoal and let burn until charcoal is covered with gray ash but still very hot. Or, if using gas grill or grill pan, set to medium-high heat. When grill is quite hot, remove skewers from marinade (discard excess); brush lightly with oil. Lay oiled skewers on hot grates and grill until marked on all four sides and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes total.
5. Arrange skewers on serving platter, drizzle with reserved 1/4 cup marinade, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
*These ingredients are available in the Mexican food aisle, or the ethnic/gourmet aisle of your grocery store.
