Why rush home from the swim club when you can dine poolside? These delicious summer dishes brought to you by The Classic Catering People will make your picnic lunch or dinner a meal to remember.
Pink Lemonade Thumbprint Cookies
Chef Callie Tarts
1.5 sticks unsalted butter (12 tbsp), at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 oz all purpose flour (2 cups)
1/4 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup crystal sugar
For the Filling:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
10 raspberries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until they are blended and creamed together. Add the flour, salt, and lemon zest. Mix on low speed for a minute or two until the ingredients look crumbly but distributed. Add the lemon juice and keep mixing until the dough starts to clump together. It may look a little crumbly, but you should be able to grab a clump, and squish it together in one cohesive piece.
Place spoonfuls of cookie dough in your hand and roll the dough into 1-inch balls and stamp one side in the crystal sugar.
Place the cookie balls on your baking sheet, then use your thumb to push an indentation into each cookie.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cookies are slightly golden, then cool completely.
To make the glaze, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and raspberries, making sure to mash the raspberries. Fill the indentations of the cookies with the glaze, then serve.
Watermelon & Feta Salad
The Classic Catering People
Chef Therese Harding
Ingredients:
Serves 6-8
2 pounds of watermelon, cut into ½ inch by ½ inch cubes6 ounces of arugula
2 tablespoons of mint leaves, separated
5 medium red radishes cut into matchsticks
3 tablespoons of sunflower or pumpkin seeds
4 ounces of feta, diced into ¼ inch pieces
Directions:
To assemble: Begin to layer the salad ingredients, starting with arugula. Once the arugula has been arranged on desired platter, layer the watermelon cubes on top, followed by feta, sunflower (or pumpkin) seeds, mint leaves and finally the radish matchsticks.
For Dressing
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of honey
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinaigrette
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
¼ teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of lime juice
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Add desired amount of dressing to salad.
Southwest Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa cooked according to package directions (you can cook quinoa in either water or chicken stock to add a little more flavor)
14 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
14 ounce can corn, drained
1/2 of a large red bell pepper
4 green onions, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice from 2 limes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Cook 1 cup quinoa according to package directions. I like to cook my quinoa in either vegetable stock or chicken stock to add a little flavor. I also like to rinse it before I cook it. To do this, just place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under water for a few minutes.
When the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork, transfer it to a large bowl, and allow it to cool completely (about 15 minutes).
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, black pepper and salt.
When the quinoa has cooled, add in black beans, corn, red bell pepper, chopped green onions, and cilantro.
Stir in dressing and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Margarita Rice Paper Roll
By Chef Bryan Davis
For rolls:
1 pound chicken, boneless breast
4 sheets rice paper
1 English cucumber, cut into strips
1 Daikon radish, cut into strips
1 pepper, julienned
1/2 mango, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, diced
For margarita marinade:
1 cup organic margarita mix (liquid)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 scallions, diced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/4 cup grape seed oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Mix all marinade ingredients together and marinate chicken (cut into 4 pieces) for up to one hour before cooking. When ready to grill, pat dry to reduce flame or splatter.
Grill chicken on both sides, 4 minutes each side. Grill temperature should be at 375-400 degrees F. This chicken cooks quickly so keep an eye on it. Internal temperature of the chicken should be 160 degrees F. Close lid to grill if not done to ensure temperatures. Let sit and cool when cooked. Cut into strips for the final step.
Lime Cilantro Yogurt Salsa
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup salsa (not thick)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix all ingredients together in medium mixing bowl.
Making the rolls:
Take one rice paper and soak for 30 seconds, when silky lay down and layer the chicken, vegetables, mango & cilantro with a shot of the lime cilantro yogurt salsa and fold like an envelope. Close sides and roll. Repeat three times for four rolls.
Recipes and photos courtesy the Classic Catering People
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