The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (17 page)

Cut four 6-to-8-inch-long pieces from the baguettes and slice in half horizontally. You may not need to use all of the baguettes. Spread a bread bottom with ¼ of the tuna salad, top with lettuce, and then with a bread top. Repeat to make 3 more sandwiches. Cut sandwiches in half or leave whole.

Potato chips were invented in 1853 in Saratoga Springs, New York, by George Crum.

CAPE COD FRIED SCALLOP ROLLS

Although my husband and I love the beautiful beaches and ocean views of Cape Cod, we confess
that it’s the area’s incredible seafood dishes that keep us coming back year after year. The Fried
Scallop Roll is one of my favorites. In fact, each summer I insist that we travel to Orleans’ Rock
Harbor, where a modest little spot on the water serves a fabulous version of these sandwiches. The
freshest sea scallops imaginable are cut into bite-sized pieces, coated with flour, and deep fried.

The crisp golden morsels are mounded on lightly toasted sandwich rolls and served with tartar
sauce. From the first taste, I am in heaven. I love the slightly crunchy exterior of the scallops and
the smooth texture beneath. Simple sides like sliced tomatoes, drizzled with oil and vinegar and
sprinkled with herbs, plus corn on the cob, would make perfect accompaniments.

SERVES 4

Vegetable oil

2/3
cup all-purpose flour

½
teaspoon salt

¼
teaspoon black pepper

½
cup whole milk

16
large (about 1 pound) sea scallops, side muscles removed

4
sliced sandwich rolls (hot dog–style buns with crustless sides), lightly toasted Quick Tartar Sauce
(page 331)

Fill a heavy, medium saucepan with enough oil to come 3 inches up the sides. Place over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking (about 365 degrees F if you are using a deep-frying thermometer).

While the oil is heating, spread flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate and stir to mix well.

Place milk in a bowl. Cut each scallop into 4 equal-sized pieces, and dip them in the milk. Remove and drain in a colander. Then, a handful at a time, coat in the flour until all scallops have been dredged.

When oil is ready, spread several thicknesses of paper towels on a work surface for draining cooked scallops. Use a slotted spoon to transfer a handful of the scallops to the saucepan. The oil will sizzle and bubble immediately. Cook the scallops until golden brown, stirring occasionally, only 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Continue until all scallops have been cooked.

Divide the scallops evenly and mound in the toasted buns. Serve scallop rolls with a bowl of tartar sauce. Serve immediately.

NEW ENGLAND LOBSTER ROLLS WITH

SESAME ORANGE MAYONNAISE

The New England coast boasts many seafood specialties, and lobster rolls are among the most
celebrated. Traditionally, soft sandwich rolls are toasted and mounded with fresh lobster salad. In
this version, mayonnaise scented with orange and sesame replaces the usual dressing in the salad
and adds a refreshing flavor. The following recipe serves three to four but can be easily doubled.

SERVES 3 TO 4

½
recipe Sesame Orange Mayonnaise
(page 329)

½
pound cooked lobster meat, diced (see note)

2
tablespoons finely chopped celery

1
green onion including 2 inches of green stems, finely chopped

3
to
4
sandwich rolls (hot dog–style buns with crustless sides), lightly toasted
1
tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

1½
teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
(see page 15)

Combine mayonnaise, lobster, celery, and green onion in a large nonreactive bowl. Mix well.

(Mixture can be prepared 2 to 3 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30

minutes before using.)

Mound each roll with some lobster salad and sprinkle lightly with chives and sesame seeds.

NOTE:
One pound of lobster will yield ¼ pound cooked meat. Many fish

markets will cook lobsters and remove the meat for you. The price is higher, but often worth it for the time it saves.

CRAB AND PISTACHIO SALAD SANDWICHES

Tender, sweet fresh crab meat and crunchy chopped pistachios pair well in a mayonnaise-bound
salad to use in sandwiches. The salad can be prepared several hours ahead and the sandwiches
quickly assembled at serving time.

SERVES 6

1
pound fresh crab meat, picked over

½
cup finely diced celery

6
tablespoons regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

¼
cup coarsely chopped unsalted roasted pistachios (see note)

¼
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4
teaspoons fresh lemon juice

4
teaspoons fresh orange juice

½
teaspoon grated lemon zest

½
teaspoon grated orange zest

Salt

Cayenne pepper

12
slices best-quality white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm), lightly toasted
6
Boston lettuce leaves (optional)

Combine crab, celery, mayonnaise, pistachios, parsley, lemon and orange juices, lemon and orange zests, ½ teaspoon salt, and a small pinch of cayenne in a medium nonreactive bowl. Taste and season with more salt if needed. (The salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.) Spread a slice of bread generously with crab salad and top with a lettuce leaf, if desired. Cover with a remaining bread slice. Repeat to make 5 more sandwiches.

NOTE:
Shelled roasted pistachios are available in specialty groceries or food stores. If you can’t find shelled pistachios, you can buy roasted nuts in their shells and shell them. It will not take long since you will need a small amount for this recipe.

EGG SALAD CLUB SANDWICHES

Pimentostuffed olives and a hint of Dijon mustard take classic egg salad to a new level. The salad
is mounded on toasted bread slices and topped with bacon and crisp red leaf lettuce. Served
garnished with potato chips, cherry tomatoes, and sliced deli-style pickles, these sandwiches are
good to serve for lunch or a light supper.

SERVES 4

8
large hard-boiled eggs
(see page 15)

15
or more Spanish olives (pimentostuffed green olives)

¼
cup very finely chopped celery

Salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

¼
cup regular or reduced fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise plus extra for spreading on toasted bread
½
teaspoon Dijon mustard

8
slices good-quality white sandwich bread, lightly toasted

8
slices bacon, fried until crisp and golden

8
crisp red leaf lettuce leaves

Shell eggs, chop coarsely, and place in a large nonreactive bowl. Chop olives and add to bowl along with celery, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix gently to combine. Stir mayonnaise and mustard together and then add to egg mixture and mix well. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. (The egg salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.)

To assemble sandwiches, spread all bread slices on 1 side very lightly with some mayonnaise.

Mound an equal amount of egg salad on each of 4 slices, break bacon slices in half, and arrange 4

halves on each sandwich. Top with lettuce leaves and remaining toasted bread slices. Slice sandwiches on the diagonal with a serrated knife and secure halves with wooden skewers.

To serve, arrange 2 skewered halves on each of 4 dinner plates.

BEEF IN THE ROUND SANDWICHES

These sandwiches are a meal in themselves and ideal to serve at an outdoor buffet. They are made
with rounds of sourdough, which are scooped out and layered with roast beef, Gruyère cheese,
thin apple slices, and red cabbage slaw. These hearty sandwiches are cut into wedges for serving
and would be good offered with A Mixed Bag of Beans
(page 162)
and a mixed greens salad tossed
in a vinaigrette dressing.

SERVES 8

1
6-ounce jar prepared horseradish, drained well

½
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) sour cream

6
tablespoons chopped dill pickle

¼
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

2
teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

¼
teaspoon salt

¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2
cups chopped red cabbage

2
6-to 8-inch round crusty sourdough breads

1
medium Granny Smith apple, halved and cored

2
teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¾
pound thinly sliced Gruyère cheese

1
pound thinly sliced rare roast beef

In a large bowl, stir together horseradish, sour cream, pickle, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper until well blended. Add cabbage and stir to combine. Set aside.

Slice each loaf of bread in half, horizontally through the center, into 2 rounds. Gently pull out most of the soft bread from the center of each half, leaving a ½-inch-thick edge.

Cut each apple half into very thin slices and toss in lemon juice.

On 1 of the bottom bread halves, layer half of the cheese, then half of the apples, and half of the roast beef. Use half of the cabbage mixture to cover the roast beef, then cover with a bread top.

Repeat to make another sandwich. (Sandwiches can be prepared an hour ahead. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

To serve, place the sandwiches on a cutting board, and using a serrated knife, cut each into 4

wedges.

Side dishes wield much more weight than their name implies. I think of them as supporting actors who help the lead shine in a play. And when it comes to backyard cooking, side possibilities are unlimited, as this chapter will reveal. Some of these vegetable recipes are fairly simple, others dressed up a bit, but all are delicious enough to make a lasting impression on your guests.

Grilled asparagus spears, slightly smoky from a short time on the fire, tender green beans tossed with olive oil and chives, and paper-thin sweet potato slices, deep fried until crisp, are simple but flavorful accompaniments. Corn on the cob is irresistible, boiled or grilled, then slathered with any of several seasoned butters found in this collection. As an alternative, consider a spicy Pepper Jack corn pudding made with scraped kernels of sweet summer corn.

Potatoes are the backyard cook’s best friend, and you’ll find more than one way to prepare them here. Skewered and grilled, wrapped in foil packages, then cooked atop hot coals, or baked in gratins, these spuds will enliven any barbecue menu. Tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant —that beloved summer trinity—appear in many dishes, alone or in combination.

Any of these recipes will rescue your vegetarian guests from side-dish boredom. And what fabulous candidates these creations would make to take to a backyard barbecue when someone says to you: “Just bring a vegetable.”

GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS

This is one of the simplest, yet most delicious, ways I know to prepare asparagus. Thick spears are
dipped in water seasoned with a little oil, then put atop a hot grill. Cooked until lightly charred
and tender, they need only to be salted, peppered, and dusted with parsley when done.

SERVES 6

2
teaspoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling grill rack

1½
pounds large asparagus spears

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2
tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot fire (high temperature). Combine 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl. Add asparagus and toss to coat well. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain and season with salt and pepper.

Grill asparagus until crisp-tender, turning frequently with tongs, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle with parsley.

ARTICHOKES WITH PECORINO, BLANK

PEPPER, AND OLIVE OIL

Nothing could be easier than this dish, which calls for three ingredients plus salt and pepper.

After artichokes are cooked and still warm, their inner leaves are removed and fuzzy chokes
scraped out, and a sauce of virgin olive oil, grated Pecorino, and cracked pepper is poured into
the center of each. For eating, the leaves are pulled off and dipped into the sauce, and the tender
chokes are infused with flavor when you reach them. The artichokes make an attractive vegetable
garnish to grilled steaks or lamb chops.