Emily Post's Great Get-Togethers (17 page)

3 teaspoons salt (or less)

1 teaspoon ground chile peppers (or to taste!)

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

Combine all ingredients. Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to a week.

Buttermilk Coleslaw

Serves 6 to 8 generously, depending on the size of the head of cabbage

Dressing

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon celery seed

¼ teaspoon caraway seed

4 teaspoons salt

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

Slaw

1 large head green cabbage

½ cup shredded carrot

¼ cup chopped scallions

¼ cup red onion, thinly (julienne) sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Toss all these ingredients together, then add the dressing and toss thoroughly. Serve chilled within 24 hours.

Salsa Verde

This Italian staple is incredibly versatile—delicious with grilled or roasted meats, vegetables, seafood, or just some good crusty bread. The variations on this sauce are as numerous as its applications, but certain ingredients are a must. The base of salsa verde consists of good olive oil, garlic, capers, anchovies, and loads of fresh herbs. Using this recipe as a base, have fun and experiment with the sauce to suit the dish it is accompanying. This sauce should always be served the day it is made and never refrigerated, to ensure bright clean flavor and color. Makes approximately 1½ cups, enough to serve 6 to 8

1½ cups roughly chopped fresh parsley

½ cup roughly chopped fresh oregano

½ cup roughly chopped fresh mint

3 scallions, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons rinsed, dried, and roughly chopped capers

3 anchovy fillets, chopped into a paste

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Repeatedly pulse the motor while drizzling in the olive oil in a steady stream. Alternately, place everything but the oil in a large bowl (you may want to chop the herbs a little finer if using this method). While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and add a pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar if you think it needs it.

Romesco Sauce

A nubbly, ruddy emulsion, thickened with bread crumbs and almonds, not egg yolks, Romesco sauce is bold yet suave. Serve it with sausages and grilled vegetables, spread it on sandwiches, or use it as a dip for crudités. A smaller batch is a little tricky to make, but Romesco freezes well. Small, quick-thaw quantities are good to have on hand. Makes about 4 cups

1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs

1 cup whole unblanched almonds, about 4½ ounces

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 cups seeded chopped red-ripe plum tomatoes (from about 1 pound whole)

1 (7¼-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained (about 1 cup), see Note

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon best-quality sweet Spanish or Hungarian paprika

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
2. In a shallow metal pan, toast the bread crumbs, stirring them once or twice, until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
   
3. In a food processor, combine the crumbs, almonds, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Process until the almonds are fairly evenly chopped. Add the tomatoes, peppers, vinegar, paprika, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper and process briefly. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube, stopping once or twice to scrape down the work bowl. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
   
4. The Romesco can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months. Return it to room temperature and adjust the seasoning before using.
   

Note:
Freshly roasted red pepper can certainly be substituted. One meaty, medium-large pepper should yield about 1 cup chopped flesh.

Ancho Chile Butter

A delicious addition to cornbread! Or, serve with warm tortillas.

Makes approximately 1 pound

1 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon Ancho chile powder

¼ cup honey

Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Serve at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Lizzie’s playlist

FOR A HOT SUMMER NIGHT

Inspired by the movie
The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
, Lizzie chose three artists from the sound track to set the mood for a sultry summer’s night—Ann Savoy with her Cajun flair and bluegrass-folk sound, Jimmy Reed for a soft, vintage backyard sound, and legendary blues artist Taj Mahal.

Ann Savoy

• “C’est Si Triste”
  
• “Lulu Revenue dans la Village”
  
• “C’est un Péché de Dire un Mentire”
  
• “Mélodie au Crépuscule”
  
• “The Very Thought of You”
  
• “Getting Some Fun out of Life”
  
• “Ces Petites Choses”
  
• “It’s Like Reaching for the Moon”
  
• “Si Tu Savais”
  
• “The Way You Look Tonight”
  

Jimmy Reed

• “Big Boss Man”
  
• “Baby What Do You Want Me to Do?”
  
• “You Got Me Dizzy”
  
• “I Ain’t Got You”
  
• “Shame, Shame, Shame”
  
• “Goin’ to New York”
  
• “Ain’t That Lovin’ You, Baby”
  
• “Found Love”
  

Taj Mahal

• “Hesitation Blues”
  
• “You’ve Got to Love Her with a Feeling”
  
• “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes”
  
• “Queen Bee”
  
• “Sittin’ on Top of the World”
  
• “Nobody’s Business but Your Own”
  
• “Early in the Morning”
  
• “Come on in My Kitchen”
  
• “Lonely Avenue”
  

The Perfect Picnic

A
n alfresco picnic makes us feel liberated, free from the conventions of the table. A picnic always has an element of adventure and spontaneity, whether it’s an elaborate feast in a field of wildflowers or a simple lunch in a public garden, a romantic evening on the beach or an afternoon under a shady tree with the Sunday paper. Let your imagination go wild: You’re limited only by how much you can transport and how well it will travel. Ideally, everything should be ready to serve when you happen upon your ideal picnic spot.

Half the fun of preparing a picnic is foraging for yummy ingredients, something special you don’t eat every day. One of the simplest picnics, in the European tradition, consists of little more than a loaf of bread, cheese, some olives, salami, fruit, and a bottle of wine. If you take care to pick the best of these ingredients, you’ll have a spectacular, but still affordable, feast. If you want to expand it further, you can add a tomato and basil salad or a curried chicken salad (ready to serve from a container) or soup (hot or cold in a thermos to be poured into mugs). To up the elegance factor, pack chutney, honey, or jam to go with the bread and cheese, opt for prosciutto instead of salami, and finish with a fruit tart or pastry and sparkling wine.

Four Seasonal Picnics

SPRING

Louise’s Spring Pea Soup
(page 145)

Smoked Salmon, Goat Cheese, Black Pepper,
Red Onion, and Capers on Baguette

or

Melon Seed Pasta Salad with Roasted
Asparagus and Prosciutto
(page 166)

Asparagus with Champagne Vinaigrette
(page 12)

Cherries and Almond Dream Cookies
(page 169)

SUMMER

Cold Grilled Chicken or Large Shrimp

Salad of Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Corn
with Mozzarella and Basil

or

Green Bean and Potato Salad with
Caesar Dressing
(page 13)

Baguette

Strawberries and Shortbread Cookies

FALL

Ham and Brie Sandwiches with Honey
Mustard Butter on Baguette

Bulgur Salad with Dried Cherries
and Pumpkin Seeds
(page 167)

Grapes, Apples, Figs

Little Espresso Brownies
(page 170)

WINTER

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Sweet
and Hot Paprikas
(page 168)

Roast Beef Sandwiches with Fresh
Horseradish Sauce

Orange and Fennel Salad with Olive Oil
and Red Onion

Grappa and Biscotti

Melon Seed Pasta Salad with Roasted Asparagus and Prosciutto

In springtime we think of this fresh, pink-and-green salad. Made with our favorite pasta (which is indeed shaped just like melon seeds, but you can also substitute orzo), it’s the perfect foil to slightly crisp asparagus and soft, salty prosciutto. Lemon zest and plenty of fresh black pepper provide the punctuation. Serves 8

½ pound medium-thick fresh asparagus, tough stem ends snapped off

7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1 pound dried semolina melon seed (semi de melone) or orzo pasta

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (see Note)

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch squares

1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving (optional)

Butter (Bibb) lettuce leaves, arugula, or mesclun, for serving (optional)

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F. Line 1 or 2 half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper. On the paper, toss the asparagus with 3 tablespoons of the oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread the asparagus in a single layer. Bake, stirring once, until the asparagus is just crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overcook; the asparagus will continue to cook on the pan after they come out of the oven. Cool to room temperature. Cut the asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces.
   
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring once or twice, until barely tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil, the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the pasta, asparagus, prosciutto, lemon zest, and parsley and toss well. Adjust the seasoning—we like lots of black pepper. (Depending on the saltiness of the prosciutto, additional salt may not be needed.)
   
4. Serve immediately, or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Return the salad to room temperature, adjust the seasoning once again, and toss just before serving.
   

Note:
To serve as a first-course plated salad, line 8 salad plates with the greens and divide the pasta evenly among the plates, mounding it in the center. Garnish with an additional sprinkling of chopped or plucked parsley.

Bulgur Salad with Dried Cherries and Pumpkin Seeds

Nutty, crunchy, moist, and wholesome, this salad is attractive, too, with red cherries, scallions, and pumpkin seeds in colorful polka dots. Since it travels well, take it along with sandwiches on a picnic or put out a big platter on a buffet. (Tuck some watercress, baby lettuce, or frisée around the edges when you do this, and be sure to use the maximum amount of orange juice in the dressing to keep it moist.) Serves 6 to 8

2½ cups boiling water

2 cups medium-grain bulgur (cracked wheat)

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

¾ cup chopped cilantro

½ cup coarsely chopped tart dried cherries

¼ cup diagonally sliced scallions (tender tops included)

4 to 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped orange zest

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgur. Let stand, stirring once or twice, until the bulgur is cool and has absorbed all the water. (If it remains watery after 45 minutes, drain it for a few minutes in a strainer.) Fluff the bulgur with a fork, spread it on a sheet pan, and let stand uncovered at room temperature to dry out. (It won’t become bone-dry, but it shouldn’t be soggy.)
   
2. Meanwhile, in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring often, until they are lightly colored and beginning to pop, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet immediately and cool to room temperature.
   
3. In a large bowl, combine the bulgur, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, cherries, scallions, 4 tablespoons of orange juice, the olive oil, orange zest, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ¾ teaspoon of pepper. Toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning (add the additional orange juice if you think the salad needs it) and toss again.
   
4. The salad can be held for several hours, covered, at room temperature or it can be refrigerated overnight. Return it to room temperature before serving.