Effortless Entertaining

A-table1-farmtoforkYou’ve waited all year for this: a balmy summer day, not a cloud in the sky, just right for enjoying your beautiful outdoor space. So call up a few friends, fire up the grill, and mix up a pitcher of refreshing drinks.

More and more home entertaining is being done on the patio, and for good reason: today’s outdoor kitchens are often just as functional as those indoors. And let’s face it, doesn’t food taste so much better if it’s prepared and eaten outside? Add to the mix an arrangement of comfortable seating, a fire pit for when it gets chilly, and some easy, yet impressive, recipes for your next alfresco get together.

Planning the right menu for summer dining is easy. Take your cue from the foods that are in season at your local supermarket or farmer’s market. It doesn’t take much to dress them up: grilled sweet corn can be slathered with herbed compound butter, for instance, or ripe tomatoes can be layered with basil and fresh mozzarella for a classic Caprese salad. For dessert, all you need is a platter of watermelon wedges, perhaps sprinkled with flaky sea salt and a squirt of lime juice.

Make-ahead salads are smart options as well: a base of cooked whole grains like farro or barley tossed with chopped vegetables and a tangy vinaigrette is healthier and more interesting than a pasta salad. What’s more, it can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until your guests arrive.

And for the main course, simple grilled dishes are sure to please. A large salmon fillet can be grilled on a cedar plank for an impressive preparation. Spatchcocked chicken, in which a whole chicken is cut open at the backbone and flattened, is a great way to grill a whole chicken quickly and uniformly so that every part is juicy and tender. Finally, since a grill is capable of achieving high temperatures, it’s the ideal environment for cooking pizzas or flatbreads that have an ultra-crisp crust.

Whether it’s an impromptu get-together, or a more elegant garden party, you can’t miss with a simple and seasonal menu that lets the setting of your celebration truly shine.

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2-Cucumber Cups
Shrimp Salad | This shrimp salad is served up in edible “bowls” made from cucumber. Serve it on a Himalayan salt block for a stunning presentation. To make the recipe even easier, buy the smallest size frozen shrimp that are already cooked, peeled, and cleaned. Excerpted from The Simple Art of Salt Block Cooking by Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser, reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press.
– 2 cups cooked shrimp, roughly chopped
– ⅓ cup mayonnaise
– 2 tablespoons sour cream
– 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
– 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more
for drizzling
– 1 English cucumber
› Chill a Himalayan salt block in the refrigerator for several hours.
› In a medium bowl, stir together the shrimp, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
› Peel the cucumber (or leave on “stripes” of peel lengthwise for a decorative look).
› Slice off and discard the ends, then cut the cucumber crosswise into 1– inch pieces.
› Use a melon baller or a round teaspoon to scoop a little indentation into the cut side of each cucumber slice.
› Spoon a little of the shrimp salad into each indentation.
› Just before serving, arrange on the chilled salt block.
› Drizzle with the remaining lemon juice, and serve immediately.


3-Caprese Flatbread
Caprese-Style Flatbreads | Take advantage of tomatoes and basil at their peak with this simple flatbread recipe. You can make it on the grill if you have a perforated pizza pan designed for grilling. Otherwise, use a stovetop grill pan.
– 4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
– 12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
– 1 bunch fresh basil, cut into strips
– 1 batch homemade or storebought pizza crust
– ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
– ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
– Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
– Freshly cracked black pepper
› Preheat the grill (with the pizza pan inside) or grill pan to high heat.
› Divide the pizza dough in half.
› Measure the interior of your grill or pizza pan.
› Working on a floured work surface, pat and stretch the dough to a shape that will fit the inside of the pan.
› Brush the top surface of the dough generously with olive oil.
› Carefully transfer the dough to the grill pan or pizza pan, oiled side down.
› Cook for 5 minutes, until the underside is crisp and lightly browned.
› Brush the top side of the dough with oil then, using tongs, flip the dough over and cook on the other side for 5 min. until evenly browned.
› When the flatbread has cooked evenly on both sides, remove it to a cutting board or a platter.
› Immediately arrange half the mozzarella slices evenly over the surface of the flatbread, and top each mozzarella slice with a slice of tomato and a few strips of basil.
› Drizzle the pizza with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
› Cut into slices between the mozzarella and tomato stacks before serving.


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Black Bean, Corn, and Quinoa Salad with Lime Dressing | This easy salad is always a hit at potlucks or casual dinner parties. It’s also a great accompaniment to fajitas made on the grill. Excerpted from Quinoa Cuisine by Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser, reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press.
– 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
– 2 cups water
– 1 (15– ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 cup yellow corn, either fresh or frozen and thawed
– 1 green onion, white and green parts, sliced
– 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
– ½ teaspoon ground cumin
– ½ teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
– pinch of kosher salt
– pinch of black pepper
– pinch of granulated sugar
– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
› In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
› In a medium bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, and onion.
› In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cumin, mustard, salt, pepper, and sugar.
› Slowly add the olive oil, whisking continuously to emulsify the dressing.
› Drizzle the lime dressing over the quinoa mixture, stirring gently to combine.
› Sprinkle with the cilantro and stir to combine. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to serve chilled.
› Stir just before serving to fluff the salad and break up any clumps.


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DIY Trifles | Individual trifles that your guests can make themselves are an easy dessert option that is sure to be a conversation starter. Set out platters of chunks of angel food cake and pound cake, bowls of chocolate and vanilla pudding, and dishes of seasonal fresh fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, peach slices, and pitted cherries. Guests can layer their favorites into pretty parfait glasses. Don’t forget to have a canister of whipped cream on hand for the finishing touch.

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