To my way of thinking a Memorial Day meal for small al fresco gatherings should be easy to prepare. Officially, itap the day set aside to acknowledge and mourn military personnel who died in service. Itap also thought of as the unofficial start of summer, a day to gather and enjoy a delicious yet informal outdoor menu.
Grilled lamb chops are simple to fix. They only require three hours of marination in a simple mix of lemon juice, chiles, garlic and herbs. Grilling requires about 3 minutes per side. They are irresistible and if you like, they can be eaten like “lollipops” if the end portion of the rib bones are frenched; the fat, meat, and cartilage are scraped away from the bones with a sharp knife, a process called “frenching.”
Potato salad seems an essential component an outdoor meal. There’s nothing complicated about it; it is boiled potatoes tossed with a mustardy vinaigrette spiked with fresh herbs. An uncomplicated mixed green salad would be a welcome accompaniment. A refreshing sangria that showcases mangoes is a scrumptious beverage option.
And for a decadent finale, a chocolate Bundt cake served with whipped cream and berries. Delectable.
Easy Potato Salad
The potato salad recipe is open to loads of variations. I like to include hard-cooked eggs as a protein-packed garnish to please the vegetarians in the crowd. If serving away from home, I pack the peeled whole eggs in a container with ice and add them to the salad at the event. Other potential add-ons include chopped, small gherkin pickles (cornichons), or finely diced red onion.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4 pounds small white potatoes, such as Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes, or small red potatoes
- Coarse salt
- Vinaigrette: 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- About 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- About 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- About 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- Optional: 3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, chilled, quartered lengthwise
DIRECTIONS
1. Place whole potatoes in large saucepan or Dutch oven and add cold water to cover. Add a good pinch of salt. Bring to boil on high heat; partially cover and reduce heat to gently boil for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are just fork tender. Drain in colander.
2. Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette in large bowl. Whisk vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard until combined. Add oil in thin stream, whisking to combine.
3. When potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, cut each in half lengthwise and add to bowl with vinaigrette (stir vinaigrette before adding first potato). Toss (I use a silicone or rubber spatula to prevent breakage). Add capers, chives, parsley and dill; toss. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
4. If using eggs, just before serving, add eggs and gently toss (or use the eggs as garnish).
Louis Grilled Lamb Chops
This, my favorite grilled lamb chop recipe, was shared with me many years ago by personal chef Katherine Louis Boucher. She told me that she grew up in a Greek-American family in Santa Ana. Her maiden name was Louis, an Ellis Island adaptation of the original Louizo. Marinated-then-grilled lamb was a culinary tradition in her childhood home, especially on holidays. Her father often prepared whole leg of lamb before deciding a few of years ago that grilling the chops was easier and more delicious. The recipe feeds a crowd using 25 chops, but feel free to cut the ingredients in half, using just 14 or 15 chops and just half of the marinade.
Yield: 25 chops
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Minced zest and juice of 2 lemons, Meyer lemons preferred
- 2 fresh jalapeños, halved, seeds removed, thinly sliced; see cook’s notes
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- 25 rib lamb chops, at least 1-inch at bone ends scrapped to clean them, see cook’s notes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Garnish: 1 lemon thinly sliced, Meyer lemon preferred, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cook’s notes: Use caution when working with fresh chilies; upon completion wash work surface thoroughly and do NOT touch face or eyes.
Louis cut the chops from racks of lamb. The first 2 or 3 ribs off the large end of the rack contain more fat than those closer to the loin.
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, jalapeños and shallots. On a cutting board, chop the garlic, oregano and 1/4 cup parsley until coarsely chopped; add to olive oil mixture.
2. Arrange the lamb chops in a nonreactive baking dish; top with the marinade and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
3. Heat grill to medium- high. Season the lamb chops generously with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with thinly sliced lemons and parsley.
Source: Katherine Louis Boucher, personal chef
Chocolate Bundt Cake
This scrumptious chocolate Bundt cake has an appealing moist texture and rich chocolate flavor. Both espresso powder and vanilla come to the party, lending floral notes to the chocolate. Dust it with powdered sugar if you like, by shaking the sugar from a fine sieve. Or prepare the drizzle-style chocolate frosting (see cook’s notes). Serve it with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup (regular not Dutch processed) cocoa powder, plus 1 tablespoon, divided use
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 tablespoon melted for pan prep
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- Optional: 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
Garnish: Powdered sugar for dusting, or chocolate drizzle-style frosting, see cook’s notes
For serving: 15 ounces (3 cups) fresh raspberries and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
For serving: Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream
Cook’s notes: Chocolate drizzle-style frosting is an option. Combine 2 tablespoons butter and 2 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan on low heat; stir until melted (do not overheat). Off heat, stir in 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat, adding boiling water (about 2 tablespoons) until thinned to desired consistency. Slowly drizzle over cooled cake.
DIRECTIONS:
1. In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and melted butter. Using a pastry brush, thoroughly coat interior of 12-cup Bundt pan. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine remaining cocoa, chocolate and espresso (if using) in medium heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over mixture and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Whisk mixture until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, and then whisk in sour cream. In separate bowl, whisk to combine remaining flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
3. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 12 tablespoons butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with chocolate-sour cream mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter a final stir or two by hand using a rubber spatula.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out with only a few crumbs attached, 45 to 55 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto cooling rack. Cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Meanwhile, gently toss raspberries with sugar and set aside. Dust cake with powdered sugar, or if you prefer, drizzle with chocolate frosting (see cook’s notes). Serve with lightly sweetened raspberries and whipped cream.
Source: Adapted from “Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book” (America’s Test Kitchen, $40)
Mango-Lime Sangria
This refreshing pitcher-style sangria is sourced from Nicole Aloni’s “The Backyard Bartender.” It showcases fresh mango, as well as dry rosé, instead of the more common mix of summer stone fruit and red wine. Serve it in one very large pitcher or two smaller pitchers.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup peeled chopped mango
- 1/3 cup superfine sugar
- 10 ounces fresh orange juice
- 10 ounces fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 3 limes, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup peach brandy or peach schnapps
- 1 to 2 bottles dry rose
- Ice cubes
- 1 to 2 cups soda water
Cook’s notes: Often the fresh limes I buy aren’t juicy. I poke them once with point of a small sharp knife and microwave them for 10 to 15 seconds. Then I roll them back and forth on the countertop.
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine mango and sugar in a medium bowl; toss and let sit 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Combine mango mixture, orange juice, lime juice, triple sec, slices limes, peach brandy, and rose in large (preferably clear) pitcher. Stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours). Stir mixture and fill wine glasses half full with ice. Add juice mixture and soda water to taste. Stir.
Source: “The Backyard Bartender” by Nicole Aloni
