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Laptop dining
By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer
April is about the last month that outdoor eating is anything close to comfortable in Florida, unless you are dining poolside. The cloying humidity of summer is nearly upon us. By May, daytime temperatures creep back to the high 80s, and afternoon rain showers kick in. Let's not think about that now but rather revel in what's left of civilized weather. Fixate on light evening breezes, orange blossoms and jacaranda blooms, not nerve-jangling lightning, no-see-ums and mosquitoes. There are plenty of reasons why we shouldn't eat outdoors: There's too much to pack, there's no place to go, the kids will only eat McDonald's, it's messy, it's buggy, it's a hassle. Put your excuses away. Planning a picnic is easy. You don't need a spread that would please Caesar, just one show-stopping dish and a few accompaniments. This holds true if you're eating at a pool party, a public park, a swanky evening gathering or on a boat sailing the Gulf of Mexico. Many people picnic on the grass before performances of American Stage's annual tweaking of Shakespeare on the outdoor stage at Demens Landing in downtown St. Petersburg. (The Bomb-itty of Errors opens Friday and continues through May 12. Call (727) 823-7529 for times and ticket information.) Consider the laptop factor: Can the meal be eaten with a fork from a plate perched on a lap? If not, your menu may be inappropriate. In other words, no spaghetti, no chop suey, no soup. And no knives other than those needed to slice cheese or slather butter on country bread. A menu that takes this into account can go anywhere. An excellent portable dish is the main-dish salad that contains protein, grains and vegetables. By vegetables, we don't mean greens. Save green salads for the dinner table where they won't sit too long and risk wilting under the dressing. What type of salad, then? Pasta seems the most logical but only if you avoid the carrots-cherry tomatoes-Italian dressing version that first hit the potluck scene about 20 years ago. It's overdone and lacks enough flavor or interest to satisfy as an entree. Bean- or rice-based salads are also good choices for the main event. Chilled Penne with Smoked Salmon and Poppy Seed Dressing is an example of a salad that is tasty and attractive enough to make an impression at the fanciest outdoor parties. Forget the image of the plaid picnic tablecloth and wicker basket. When you serve this, you'll be dining al fresco. (It's always fancier if you speak Italian.) The penne is joined by slightly cooked asparagus pieces, thinly sliced scallions and diced smoked salmon. Check your grocery store's seafood area for smoked salmon. Cheaper versions are usually firmer and work well in this recipe. You could even used canned salmon; just make sure you don't stir it too much or the salmon will break apart. You want chunks of fish. The poppy seed dressing is quick to put together, and, though the original recipe calls for fresh tarragon, we used dill. The results were extraordinary. One of the problems with pasta salad is the amount of dressing that the noodles absorb. If you mix the salad the night before you want to serve it, the pasta is often bone dry in the morning and requires another helping of dressing. Sure, the additional dressing adds moisture, but it also increases calories, carbohydrates and fat, depending on the type of dressing. Warm pasta soaks up more liquid than cold, so make sure the pasta is chilled, not just cooled, before the dressing goes on. We did that by draining the penne then plunging it into a bowl of ice water which stopped the cooking -- the penne should be al dente -- and cooled it fast. Twelve hours of fridge time made the pasta drier than when it was first dressed, but the salad still had plenty of flavor. An overdressed salad will foil the laptop plan as dressing runs from one side of the plate the other. To accompany this salad we suggest crusty French bread, rolls or perhaps savory Cheddar Dill Muffins. The dill in the salad is subtle enough that the dill in the muffins won't be overkill. A skewer of fresh fruit would be another good accompaniment. See how easy that is? We better hurry now, there's a heat wave coming on. Chilled Penne with Smoked Salmon and Poppy Seed Dressing
Salad:
Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender but still firm to bite. Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, no more than 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid for salad dressing. Rinse pasta and asparagus with cold water until cold. Drain well. Transfer pasta and asparagus to large bowl. Add green onions and smoked salmon. Mix reserved cooking liquid into dressing. Add to salad; toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Makes 4 main-dish servings or 6 side-dish servings. Source: Bon Appetit magazine, April 1998 Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives
Blend first five ingredients in processor until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set dressing aside. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large bowl. Add dressing to hot pasta; toss to coat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and olives; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Makes 8 servings. Source: Bon Appetit magazine, August 2000 Wild Rice Salad
Cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in rice, turkey, onion and grapes until evenly coated with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Before serving, sprinkle slivered almonds over the top of the salad. Makes 12 servings. Source: www.saladrecipe.allrecipes.com Cheddar Dill Muffins
In bowl combine first 6 ingredients. Combine rest of ingredients and stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups almost full. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Yields 9 jumbo or 12 standard muffins. Source: www.recipecottage.com. Black Bean and Couscous Salad
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat. Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Source: www.saladrecipe.allrecipes.com
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From the Times Taste section From the features wire |
