There’s no doubt about it: When the Fourth of July has arrived, summer is officially — and fleetingly — here. Mark the holiday with these dishes (and many, many more) from New York Times Cooking. Whether you’re in charge of the grill — are you focusing on chicken or vegetables this year? — or the sides, we have recipes to make your day.
More than 3,500 readers can’t be wrong: These deviled eggs are five-star good. Adapted from Sheila Lukins, of “Silver Palate” cookbook fame, they’re classic for good reason. Pass them around as the grill heats up, and you’ll look like the most put-together of hosts.
These tacos, from the chef Luis Herrera of Ensenada in Brooklyn, N.Y., are a bit of a project, but name a better spread for a party. You can prepare the adobo and pineapple pico de gallo ahead of time, then just grill the fish and let everyone assemble their tacos to taste.
Recipe: Fish Tacos al Pastor
Sam Sifton’s classic take on this pie piles lush peaches — tossed with just lemon juice, sugar and a bit of nutmeg to let their flavor shine — into a butter-based crust mixed with the smallest splash of cider vinegar for extra flakiness. But if you prefer more fruit to crust, Edna Lewis’s peach cobbler can’t be beat.
Recipe: Perfect Peach Pie
You don’t need to turn on the grill to get succulent, fall-off-the-bone ribs. Millie Peartree coats ribs with a simple but richly flavored dry rub, then wraps them in aluminum foil and pops them into the oven for a low and slow cook until tender and easily pulled apart. Finished with a sticky-sweet, caramelized barbecue sauce (store-bought or quickly homemade) puts them squarely in celebratory summer territory.
Is there anything more joyful than a strawberry shortcake? Peak summer berries shine when treated simply, as they are here, gently tossed with sugar until their juices drain and their flavors intensify. They’re layered into a flaky sweet biscuit with whipped cream for a three-part dessert, adapted from “Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book,” that’s ethereally good.
Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake
This vegetarian side, from Eric Kim, applies the elements of Korean bulgogi — soy sauce, garlic, sugar, a quick cook over high heat — to thin slices of eggplant. Once the eggplant drains its excess water, the dish comes together quickly. Its charred edges and tender middles are great for eating on their own or alongside grilled meats.
Recipe: Bulgogi Eggplant
Like most delicious things in life, there are rules to a Chicago hot dog: An all-beef frankfurter (Vienna Beef, anyone?) is nestled into a poppy seed bun, then topped with lots of vegetables (“dragged through the garden”) and finished with celery salt. Grill these over direct medium heat, or cook them on the stovetop, and you’ll get a true taste of Chicago, summer and joy.
Recipe: Chicago-Style Hot Dogs
Melissa Clark lets you make this classic cherry pie all your own: Choose sweet or sour cherries, fresh or frozen, based on preference or availability, and adapt the filling to just the consistency you like. Then serve with ice cream, and tuck in, letting the cherry juice serve as a sauce.
Recipe: Cherry Pie
Steak becomes intensely flavorful in this take on a Puerto Rican favorite from Von Diaz. The meat gets a garlicky adobo marinade before grilling and, after it’s nicely charred, it’s slathered with wasakaka, a Dominican parsley and cilantro sauce tangy with lime juice. You can marinate the meat and make the sauce a day ahead, so all you have to do at your party is grill. GENEVIEVE KO
Mozzarella, tomatoes and basil: That’s it! And, sure, a little salt, pepper and olive oil, too. This easy version of the classic dish, from Melissa Clark, gets better as it sits — an ideal side for your festive spread. Because there are so few ingredients, pick them thoughtfully: gorgeously ripe tomatoes, juicy fresh cheese, full-flavored olive oil. (None have to be expensive, just good.) But whatever you use, it’s still sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Recipe: Classic Caprese Salad
There are many ways to make shish kebab, and this version, from Naz Deravian, prioritizes Turkish flavors, like yogurt and tomato paste, Aleppo pepper, paprika and cumin. If grilling isn’t in the cards this holiday, you can also make these in the broiler or on the stovetop. You may not get the char, but you’ll absolutely still get bold flavor.
Recipe: Shish Kebab
Based on a sweet brown sugar syrup and dark Caribbean rum, this recipe from Brigid Washington for a Trinidadian favorite is bright from lime and warm from a bit of nutmeg. “Every single note sings, whacks, reverberates!” wrote Alexa Weibel, who tested the recipe. “It tastes like sunshine.” And, best of all, it makes enough for a crowd.
Recipe: Rum Punch
What’s a summer cookout without coleslaw? This Kay Chun version is the Platonic ideal, packed with two kinds of cabbage, carrots and a smattering of celery seeds for an earthy complexity. Leftovers, should you have any, are great as a topping for all your grilling favorites.
Recipe: Coleslaw
“This is the perfect macaroni salad.” Millie Peartree’s recipe gets a tiny bit of sweetness from some sugar and carrots. But do as Millie recommends and use a more savory brand of mayonnaise as a complement for the ultimate barbecue side.
This recipe, which Millie Peartree got from her mother, Millie Bell, will leave your guests asking, “Who made the potato salad?” And in the best possible way. Sweet relish balances the rich potatoes, which, to Millie’s point, you should take care not to overcook: “You want potato salad, not mashed potatoes.”
Recipe: Classic Potato Salad
A vinaigrette powered by hot mustard powder infuses these green beans from Kay Chun. They’re dressed while they’re still hot, allowing the sauce to be absorbed into each crisp-tender bite. Chopped roasted pecans, showered on at the end, provides a bit extra crunch to this dish that — graciously — can be served warm or at room temperature, so you can mingle as it sits.
This recipe will make you feel like you’re eating by the sea, as each cob is finished with that mid-Atlantic favorite: Old Bay. Emily Fleischaker gives you options for how to cook them: grilled or boiled on the stovetop. But be sure to slather them with the infused butter and finish with a splash of lemon.
Make the most of a pound of ground beef with these burgers from Kay Chun. The addition of cremini mushrooms adds earthiness and juiciness in great measure. Treat them as you would any regular all-beef burger: Top with cheese and whatever condiments you like — and see if anyone can spot the secret ingredient. (Still, if it’s a classic grilled burger you seek, there’s always Sam Sifton’s recipe.)
Recipe: Mushroom-Beef Burgers
Raw broccoli meets dried fruit in this classic Southern broccoli salad. This Kay Chun version is sweet from a tablespoon of sugar and a half cup of golden raisins, a nice contrast to the tart vinegar and bracing red onion. It gets better with time, so prepare it early and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve, then finish it with crispy bacon. For a vegan take (especially great for a long sit in the sun), check out Hetty McKinnon’s broccoli salad.
You can use limes or lemons for this South Asian drink that’s punchy and a little funky from Himalayan black salt and sea salt. Zainab Shah calls it “nourishing” — and that’s just the right word. It lifts as it refreshes, a reprieve from those hot summer days that take it right out of you.
Recipe: Nimbu Pani (Limeade)
Original Source: www.nytimes.com
