A big part of summer for me is summer food. I have a few tried-and-tested favorite recipes that I wanted to share with you.
As I’m typing, I am preparing Pulled Pork from this recipe. A pork shoulder that I dry-rubbed with spices is baking at a low temperature for 6 hours. I’ll let it sit when it comes out while I prep the sauce and then pull the pork apart with forks. This is a delicious, tangy recipe that I pair with cole slaw, Martin’s potato rolls, and home mac-n-cheese. It’s great for summer barbecues because it can be made ahead & reheated. It also makes a lot so and freezes easily!
I used to over-aggressively grill chicken which resulted in totally burned exteriors and mostly raw interiors. Two years ago I googled basics chicken grilling and found this recipe which has become my favorite. It also involves a dry rub and then grilling the chicken over low heat for a longer time. The flavor of the rub contrasts beautifully with my homemade barbecue sauce (ketchup, mustard and maple syrup – adjust as needed – usually more mustard is needed!). I usually double the recipe so I have leftovers. I also have tried different chicken pieces and they all work.
Another favorite is my friend Dannette’s Shrimp/Avocado/Corn salad. I haven’t made this yet this year but will be doing so next week. It has become a summer staple. This is the rough recipe but the beauty of this dish is that you can adjust things/quantity to taste.
- Marinate shrimp for 30 minutes in Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Lemon Juice/Red Pepper Flakes/Dash of Ouzo if you have it.
- Skewer & grill shrimp for few minutes until pink (I like them charred a bit!)
- Add shrimp to cut up avocado, corn cut from the cob
- You can add salad greens (romaine stands up well) and also mango
- Dress with olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
Finally, my favorite summer dessert is Blueberry Pie. I use Mark Bittman’s recipe and
serve with Vanilla ice cream. If I don’t have time to do my own crust, I use Pillsbury’s or ShopRite’s premade crusts (and make the edges look like they’re home-made!) If I’m lucky enough that there are leftovers – I usually have a slice for breakfast the next morning!
What are your favorite summer recipes?