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The Memorial Day weekend unofficially kicks off today for those of you who like to get an early start. Many head for the Shore while others stay home and pray the temperature don’t climb to 90 degrees.
I assume your grill is ready for hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, chicken, pork, vegetables and whole heads of romaine lettuce, which are great on the grill. The smokiness imparts a marvelous heady taste and aroma.
I like to nosh on holiday weekends. My cookbooks are my guide for cool foods, unusual side dishes and fresh fruit desserts. Edward makes the best fruit salad this side of a fruit salad truck.
My Sub-Zero is filled to capacity with cheeses, charcuterie, jars of roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts and anything in the market and in season that catches my eye.
I plant my summer flowers and herb garden after Memorial Day and rely on store-bought fresh herbs to add flavor to my recipes. I grow Italian parsley, basil, Thai basil, chives, lavender, rosemary and chervil. If I am lucky, my rosemary and lavender from the fall will return just as it did last year.
One of the best things about holiday cookouts is the kids eat the same foods as the adults. I never say no to a good, all-beef hot dog with spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut or burger topped with melted cheese and bacon.
Here are recipes for cool dishes to enjoy all weekend long. All recipes can be easily doubled or tripled.
Shrimp Salad with Capers and Dill
Ingredients:
2 pounds of large cooked shrimp, diced
1 heaping tablespoon of capers, rinsed and dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh dill, snipped
Directions:
Place the shrimp and capers in a serving bowl. Season with the salt and pepper.
Whisk the oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the shrimp. Using scissors, snip the dill onto the shrimp. Toss well.
Cover and chill for at least four hours.
Serves six to eight at a buffet.
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Feta and Basil
Ingredients:
3 12-ounce packages of mixed heirloom tomatoes, larger ones cut in half
8 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Sprinkling of dry oregano
Fresh basil leaves, snipped
Directions:
Place the tomatoes in a serving bowl and toss well. Add the feta, salt and pepper.
Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad. Add all of the remaining ingredients and toss well.
Cover and chill for a few hours. Remove the salad from the refrigerator one hour before serving.
Serves six to eight.
Broiled Salmon with Spice Rub
Ingredients:
1 side of fresh wild caught salmon, about 3 pounds
Olive oil, for brushing the fish
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
Fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Directions:
Bring the salmon to room temperature. Search for any bits of bone and pluck them out with a pair of tweezers.
Line a baking sheet with parchment or non-stick aluminum foil.
Lay the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Brush generously with the oil.
Make your spice rub by blending 1 tablespoon of each of the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Taste and correct for seasoning. Some people prefer a hotter rub. Just make sure you have enough to cover the entire side of salmon. You may not want to add more salt. A bit more paprika, garlic powder and onion powder cannot hurt.
Preheat the broiler.
Broil the salmon for 15 minutes. Check for doneness by flaking the center with a fork. It should be a bit translucent. A sure bet test is using an instant read thermometer. Place it in the thickest part of the salmon. It should read 130 degrees.
This salmon is good at room temperature or a little on the cool side.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: You can make creative use of any leftover salmon by tossing flakes of it into a green salad, adding it to pasta with a little olive oil, butter, cream and peas or mashing it with mayonnaise for a salmon salad sandwich.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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