Nothing is more refreshing than the bounty of summer, from simple watermelon skewers with mint to a full-on alfresco buffet supper.
Yield: 10 cups
6 c. local apple cider
2 c. fresh raspberries
2 T honey
2 tsp. sugar, plus more to taste
Muddle the watermelon to a puree-like consistency and place in a shaker with tequila, agave nectar, peach liqueur, and lime juice. Add ice halfway and shake vigorously. Strain into a margarita glass and garnish with watermelon wedge
Yield: 24 rolls
For the dipping sauce: 3 T rice wine vinegar ¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce 1 T black sesame seeds 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil 1 tsp. organic raw blue agave For the summer vegetable rolls: 12 sheets rice paper 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and chill until ready to serve; you should have about a ½ cup. To make the summer vegetable rolls, dip a sheet of rice paper in a bowl filled with warm water and place on a flat work surface. (If you like, use a little nonstick cooking spray on the work surface to make assembly easier.) Lay a small amount of carrots, lettuce, cucumber, and avocado on the lower third of the rice paper, about ½’ from the bottom and sides, and roll tightly. The rice paper will stick to itself, creating a seal. Repeat with the remaining rice paper sheets and filling. Slice the vegetable rolls in half on the diagonal and serve with dipping sauce. Recipe from the kitchen of Kara and Steve Ross.
Yield: 24
2 –2½ c. tomato juice
2 T tomato paste
2 tsp. peeled, grated fresh ginger
Zest of 1 lime
Zest of 1 orange
¼ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
¼ tsp. sea salt24 fresh oysters, shucked
½ c. vodka (optional)
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
Pour the tomato juice into a large mixing bowl or pitcher, using just 2 cups if you plan to add vodka or 2½ cups if you are making virgin shooters. Stir in the tomato paste, ginger, citrus zests, lemon juice, jalapeño, and sea salt and chill overnight in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, pour approximately 2 tablespoons of the mixture into 24 shot glasses or small cordials. Drop a fresh oyster into each glass and add a splash of vodka (if using). Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Recipe from the kitchen of Marie and William Samuels.
To save time on the day of your party, philanthropist Margarita Allinson suggests setting the table the evening before and covering it with a light blanket or sheet to keep it pristine. Hydrangeas stay fresher when they are stored in the refrigerator overnight, then placed on the table shortly before guests arrive.
For the salmon:
2 1-lb. salmon fillets, skin on
2 T olive oil, plus more for rubbing cedar planks
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
For the gremolata:
1 Meyer lemon
⅓ c. pine nuts
1 T minced garlic
2 c. sorrel or arugula leaves, rinsed
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Prepare the cedar planks and the salmon: Soak 2 12′ cedar planks in warm water for 2 hours. (Make sure they’re completely submerged, placing a weight on them if necessary.) Drain and pat dry. Dip a paper towel in some olive oil and rub it on both sides of the planks. Meanwhile, rub 2 tablespoons of olive oil on both sides of the salmon fillets, then season generously with sea salt and black pepper on both sides and set aside. To make the salmon, preheat the oven to 350°F, then preheat the planks for 10 minutes. Remove the planks from the oven and place the prepared fillets on them, skin side down. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and roast salmon 15 minutes. While the salmon is cooking, make the gremolata. Zest the lemon and set aside. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice (you should have about 2 tablespoons); set aside. Place the lemon zest, pine nuts, and garlic in a small food processor and chop till fine. Add the sorrel in batches, pulsing until the greens are finely chopped but not bruised. Transfer the chopped sorrel mixture to a mixing bowl and add reserved lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt to taste. Stir until incorporated. When the salmon has roasted for 15 minutes and the fillets have just become opaque, turn the oven to broil and broil fish for 3 minutes. Divide the salmon into 6 portions and remove the skin (it should separate easily from the flesh). Place each portion on a plate and spoon some of the gremolata on top. Serve immediately. Recipe from the kitchen of Georgina Bloomberg.
For the whole-grain mustard vinaigrette:
½ c. walnut oil
¼ c. white wine vinegar
¼ c. whole-grain mustard
2 tsp. maple syrup
½ tsp. fine sea salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For the crab cakes and salad:
¼ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. crème fraîche
2 large eggs, beaten
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. hot sauce
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and finely diced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored, diced small
1 T finely chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. minced jalapeño
2 T finely diced red bell pepper
25 saltine crackers, finely crushed
1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
¼ c. canola oil
1 head frisée
3 bunches watercress
Petals of 3 pansies, for garnish (optional)
Prepare the mustard vinaigrette by whisking together all the ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside. (You should have approximately 1 cup of dressing, which can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.) Prepare the crab cakes. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly whisk together the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, eggs, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Add the mango, apple, dill, jalapeño, bell pepper, and crushed saltines and mix until combined, then stir in the crabmeat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F and divide the mixture into 12 crab cake patties. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; when the pan is hot, pour in the canola oil. Place the patties in the pan and sear them until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each. Transfer patties to a nonstick baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. While the crab cakes are cooking, make the salad, tossing the frisée and watercress with just enough vinaigrette to coat the leaves. Divide the salad onto 12 plates and place cooked crab cakes on top, garnishing with pansy petals, if using. Recipe from the kitchen of Lauren and Bob Roberts.
6 large heirloom tomatoes in assorted varieties and colors, cut into wedges
¼ red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
Fleur de sel
Leaves of ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
Mix first four ingredients together and let sit at room temperature for a bit to absorb flavors before serving, garnished with the basil. Tip: Soaking the red onion in ice water for 15 minutes after slicing softens its pungency and lets the tomatoes take center stage. Recipe from the kitchen of Carron Sherry and Rich Hogan.
Yield: 10 cups
6 c. local apple cider
2 c. fresh raspberries
2 T honey
2 tsp. sugar, plus more to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to separate the puree from the raspberry seeds. Taste and add more sugar, if needed. Pour the strained puree into shallow glass baking dishes or metal pans suitable for freezing. (The puree should only measure about ⅜’ deep.) Place the dishes, uncovered, in the freezer until the mixture just begins to freeze around the edges, about 45 minutes (it will be slushy in the center). Using a fork, scrape the crystals from the edge of the granita mixture into the center. Mix thoroughly and return to the freezer. Repeat the scraping and stirring process once an hour until the granita is evenly frozen and icy, about 4 hours. To serve, scrape the ice crystals to fluff and lighten them and spoon the granita into chilled glasses. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
4 lbs. peaches, split in half and pits removed
¼ c. grade-B maple syrup
2 c. Greek yogurt
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 T confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the fruit cut side up in a single layer on a cookie sheet and drizzle the maple syrup on top. Roast the fruit in the oven until it is slightly caramelized and some of the juices are released, about 10 to 15 minutes. Arrange the peaches on a decorative platter and pour the rendered juices on top. In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon zest, sugar, and almond extract. Serve the warm fruit on dessert plates with a dollop of the yogurt mixture on top.
