The Main Menu: Enjoy the summer days with these recipes
By JAN MAIN
As they say, it’s summer and the living is easy! We have waited a long time for this season to come – especially this year.
The winter was long, cold and endless. Finally, summer has arrived and with it a parade of crops to add variety, ease and freedom from our winter weary diets.
These are just three favourite recipes which are great for picnics, travel and outdoor living in the sunshine! Happy Summer Everyone!
Fruit in Daiquiri Sauce
This fruit salad keeps well covered and refrigerated for up to four to five days. It travels well making it ideal to take on holiday trips or to the cottage. Be sure to save the watermelon shell to use as a bowl holding the salad. It looks stunning served this way!
1 each, honey dew melon, cantaloupe and small watermelon. Cut into even sized balls with a melon baller
2 cups (500 mL) fresh blueberries
1-2 cups (500 mL) fresh strawberries
Daiquiri Sauce
2 limes, zest and juice
1-2 lemons, zest and juice
2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) dark rum or substitute orange juice
1/3 cup (75 mL) water
Using a melon baller, make even sized melon balls from the melons and place in an attractive fruit bowl) or use the watermelon as a serving bowl. Add blueberries and strawberries, halved.
In a saucepan, combine the grated zest from limes and lemon, lime and lemon juice, sugar and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool.
Add rum or orange juice and pour over prepared fruit. Decorate with fresh mint leaves.
Recipe can be doubled for a crowd. The original recipe makes 8-10 servings. It keeps well covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Marinated Coleslaw
Cabbage never tasted so good! The slaw can be made ahead and kept covered and cold for up to five days making it an ideal travel companion – not to mention, a welcome addition to the dinner table!
Feel free to add or use a variety of cabbages to vary colour, tastes and textures – red, napa (the wrinkled one) and regular green cabbage.
1 medium cabbage- green, napa or red some of all
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
Marinade
1/2 cup (125 mL) cider vinegar
1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each, dry mustard, celery seed or caraway seed
Other possible additions to the coleslaw: Grated carrot, corn, blanched cauliflower or broccoli, sliced celery, diced apple, grapes, raisins or crasins, minced fresh parsley or mint.
In a large mixing bowl, combine finely shredded cabbage or different types of cabbage with onion and sugar for at least 1 hour.
In a saucepan, bring vinegar, oil, salt, mustard, and celery seed to the boil; pour over shredded vegetables and mix well. Mix well.
Cover and refrigerate, keeps well for up to one week. Serves about 8 people. Recipe doubles easily for a crowd.
Chicken Burgers
You now see ground chicken and ground turkey readily on the meat counter. I have enjoyed using it regularly for a variety of dishes but have discovered it tasty in burgers.
However, the more delicate taste of the chicken or turkey compared to ground beef requires different seasoning. I hope you enjoy it in this recipe.
Serve the burger on a toasted whole grain bun with Dijon mustard, bread and butter pickles and a big slice of fresh Ontario tomato! Yum!
Burgers can be made ahead and refrigerated several hours before cooking or grilling but keep cold and covered. Once made, any leftover burgers can be frozen for up to two weeks.
1 lb (500 g) ground chicken or turkey
1 slice of brown bread made into breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 tsp ( 2 mL) salt, and dry tarragon or thyme
1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
In a mixing bowl using fork, mix well, ground chicken or turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, tarragon or thyme and black pepper. Divide into 4 even sized balls and shape into flat patties.
May be covered and refrigerated to be grilled later in the day or cooked immediately.
Makes 4 servings. If not all the cooked burgers are used, they may be covered and frozen for up to 2 weeks.
