The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (26 page)

minutes, they start to lose their bright green color, so toss all ingredients together except asparagus and stir them in just before serving.)

To serve, mound salad in a shallow serving bowl and garnish with a bouquet of fresh tarragon sprigs.

NOTE:
Cooking the two rices in chicken stock adds extra flavor to these grains.

Regular chicken stock works well; if you use reduced-sodium stock, you will

probably need to season the salad with additional salt.

BLACK BEAN, TOMATO, AND AVOCADO

SALAD FOR A CROWD

When you are cooking for a crowd, this salad, which can be made several hours in advance and
serves twelve, is an ideal choice. Vibrantly colored ingredients including black beans, yellow bell
peppers, jalapeños, avocados, tomatoes, and red onions are tossed in a cumin lime dressing and
seasoned with cilantro. Using canned beans saves time and does not sacrifice flavor in this dish.

The salad could be served with grilled chicken, steaks, or shrimp, or offered as a side dish to
hamburgers. If you have any salad left over, combine it with cooked rice, grated Monterey Jack
cheese, and shredded greens, as a filling for burritos.

SERVES 12

CUMIN LIME DRESSING

¾
cup olive oil

6
tablespoons fresh lime juice

1
tablespoon grated lime zest

4
teaspoons ground cumin

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

SALAD

4
15-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1
cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1
cup chopped red onion

1
cup diced celery

½
cup chopped fresh cilantro

3
jalapeño peppers, minced

3
avocados, cut into ½-inch dice

2
cups (about 8) chopped plum tomatoes

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:
Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, and 1½

teaspoons salt, and several grinds of pepper in a medium nonreactive bowl. (Dressing can be made 1

day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

TO MAKE THE SALAD:
Combine beans, bell pepper, onion, celery, cilantro, and jalapeños in a large nonreactive bowl, and mix well. Pour in dressing, and stir to coat all ingredients well. Gently stir in avocados and tomatoes. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours to marinate. (Salad can be prepared 5 hours ahead. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

To serve, mound salad in a large shallow bowl or on a platter.

Pinto beans get their name from the Spanish word
pinto,
which means “painted.”

RICH TERAPAK’S THREE BEANS PLUS

SALAD

This salad, created by Rich Terapak, a talented cook and attorney from Columbus, Ohio, is an
updated version of the classic bean salads that were so popular in the ’60s and ’70s. I marvel at
how quickly and easily this salad can be assembled. Using canned black, pinto, and garbanzo
beans, which are rinsed thoroughly then dried, saves a huge amount of time. The bean trio is
combined with red onions, bell peppers, jalapeños, grape tomatoes, and herbs, then tossed in a
cumin vinaigrette dressing. Bits of creamy goat cheese are added as a garnish at serving time.

SERVES 8 TO 10

SALAD

3
15-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1
15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1
15-ounce can pinto beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1
pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1
cup chopped yellow or red bell pepper

1
cup chopped red onion

1
tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper
(see page 17)

DRESSING

½
cup olive oil

¼
cup red wine vinegar

2
teaspoons ground cumin

¼
cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4
to
5
ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled or broken into small pieces
TO MAKE THE SALAD:
Place all the beans in a large nonreactive bowl. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeño, and mix well.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:
Whisk together oil, vinegar, and cumin in a small bowl. Pour over the bean mixture. Add cilantro, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. (The salad can be prepared 5 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

To serve, mound salad in a large shallow bowl and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

EXTRA-SPECIAL TABBOULEH WITH

AVOCADO AND FETA

Tabbouleh became popular in the United States in the 1970s, when it began to appear on the
menus of many health food restaurants. This version includes some extra additions. Chopped
radishes and crumbled feta are stirred into the salad along with the traditional tomatoes,
cucumbers, and mint. Then the tabbouleh is mounded on a platter and surrounded with a colorful
garnish of sliced avocados.

SERVES 4 TO 6

½
cup bulgur (see note)

12
ounces plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped

1
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4
green onions including 2 inches of green stems, chopped

½
cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped

4
radishes, chopped

½
cup crumbled feta cheese

¼
cup chopped fresh mint

1
tablespoon grated lemon zest

6
tablespoons olive oil

3
tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2
avocados, pitted, peeled, sliced

Combine 1½ cups hot water and bulgur in a large bowl. Cover tightly and let stand until bulgur is tender, about 45 minutes. Strain bulgur, and place in a clean dry towel; squeeze out any excess liquid. Return bulgur to bowl.

Add tomatoes, parsley, onions, cucumber, radishes, cheese, mint, and lemon zest to bulgur. Stir to combine.

Whisk oil and lemon juice in a medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Add all but 2 tablespoons dressing to bulgur mixture. Toss to combine. Season tabbouleh to taste with salt and pepper.

Add avocado slices to remaining dressing; toss to coat. Mound tabbouleh on a serving platter.

Garnish with avocado slices.

NOTE:
Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, can be found in supermarkets and in natural food stores.

BLT PASTA SALAD

America’s favorite sandwich fixings–bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce–are equally good in a pasta
salad. Crispy bits of fried bacon, sweet grape tomatoes, chopped arugula, and minced red onions
are tossed with bow-tie pasta, then coated with a Parmesan mayonnaise dressing. This side dish,
which can be made an hour in advance, would be excellent served with Fennel and Rosemary–
Coated Chicken Breasts
(page 74)
or with Grilled Lemon Parsley Veal Chops
(page 36).

SERVES 8

Salt

1
pound farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

2
tablespoons olive oil

8
ounces bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces

4
cups grape tomatoes, halved length wise

1½
cups (3 to 4 ounces) stemmed, coarsely chopped arugula (see note)

1
cup chopped red onion

DRESSING

½
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

1
cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
1
tablespoon white wine vinegar

Coarsely ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook according to package instructions, until al dente (just tender to the bite), then drain and transfer to a large, shallow nonreactive serving bowl. Toss pasta with olive oil and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet set over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp and golden, then drain on paper towels. Add the bacon, tomatoes, arugula, and onion to bowl with pasta and mix well.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, half of the Parmesan cheese, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add to bowl with pasta and toss well to coat pasta with dressing. Add the remaining Parmesan cheese, and toss well to mix. Taste and season salad with more salt and pepper if needed. (Salad can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at cool room temperature.)

NOTE:
I love the assertive taste of arugula in this salad, but if you can’t find it, you could substitute watercress sprigs.

ORZO SALAD WITH VEGETABLES AND HERBS

A quartet of vegetables–sugar snap peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions–adds distinctive
notes of color and texture to this summer salad, which is seasoned with a lemon dressing and
garnished with specks of mint and parsley. Try it with Fennel and Rosemary–Coated Chicken
(page 74),
with Pork Loin in a Rosemary Jacket
(page 68),
or with Cornish Game Hens with
Mustard and Rosemary
(page 107).

SERVES 8

SALAD

Salt

6
to
8
ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, cut into ¾-inch pieces
22/3
cups (about 21 ounces) orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1¼
cups diced tomatoes

¾
cup diced peeled cucumber

½
cup chopped green onions including 2 inches of green stem

¼
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼
chopped fresh mint

2
teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

DRESSING

3
tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1½
teaspoons grated lemon zest

1
teaspoon minced garlic

½
cup olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1
head Boston lettuce

TO MAKE THE SALAD:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add sugar snap peas; cook 1

minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer peas to a strainer. Rinse with cold water and drain. Add orzo to same pot. Boil until tender but still firm to bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and cool.

In a large nonreactive bowl, mix together orzo, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, parsley, mint, and lemon zest.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:
Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic in a medium bowl.

Gradually whisk in olive oil. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Pour enough dressing over the salad to coat well. You may have a little dressing left over.

Season salad with salt and pepper, if needed. (The salad can be made 1 hour ahead. Do not let it sit longer, or the peas and onions will start to lose their bright color. Cover salad and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

To serve, line a shallow serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Mound salad in bowl.

When you’re hosting a backyard event—a lunch, supper, small cocktail party, or maybe a late afternoon get-together with neighbors—planning the food often takes priority over all else.

More often than not, we give little thought to the drinks. Wine, beer, and sodas are common and acceptable choices, but why not be more creative? With just a little extra effort you can prepare a signature drink that your guests will long remember.

You’ll find a host of tantalizing drinks in this chapter. There’s more than one recipe for lemonade—so popular that it could be declared America’s national drink. Iced teas and coffees with new twists, and bracing creations made with freshly squeezed lime or orange juice, are other thirst-quenchers. Peaches, raspberries, and coconut are featured in thick, icy-cold smoothies. And, drinks with spirits include classic backyard sangria, piña coladas, mojitos from Cuba, and
caipirinhas
from Brazil.

JULEP ICED TEA

Like mint juleps, this thirst-quenching drink is made by combining crushed mint leaves with sugar.

Strong brewed tea and freshly squeezed lemon juice, however, replace the bourbon. The creation
of a talented Mississippi cook, Lynn Wilkins, this tea is a perfect refreshment to serve with any
backyard meal.

SERVES 6 TO 8; MAKES 2 QUARTS

4
to
5
lemons

2
cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves

6
standard-size black tea bags, preferably English Breakfast tea