Deck take-alongs
Whether the party can actually take place on the deck isn’t important. We’re itchy to get on with the season’s festivities and it’s time to dust off our best take-along recipes.
Broccoli Salad with Orange Ginger Sesame Dressing
A perfect spring alternative to the heavier mayo-drenched bacon-and-cheese version, this salad is a wonderfully light, fresh accompaniment to anything off the grill. It tastes great icy cold or at room temperature and stays firm for quite a while so it’s definitely not last-minute.
Feel free to add diced red bell pepper, grape tomatoes or other vegetables you enjoy raw. To turn this into a more substantial side dish, add 2 cups cooked and drained pasta. Double or triple the dressing quantities in that case, of course.
If you’re lucky enough to have a steak or chicken breast left from the party think fabulous next-day lunch.
Serve four as a regular side dish or more from the buffet table with these amounts.
3 heads of broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
2 tbsp. fresh orange juice 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
½ to 1 tsp. prepared chili paste, optional and to taste 1 tsp. granulated sugar 2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 tsp. grated or mixed fresh gingerroot
2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, divided
Blanch broccoli in salted boiling water for a minute, until just starting to soften. Rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly in a colander then on paper towels.
Whisk together orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in green onions and ginger.
Toast sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat, swirling them constantly so they don’t scorch. Add half to the dressing, setting aside the rest.
Toss broccoli with dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with remaining sesame seeds at the last minute.
Creamy and Rich Hummus
Canned chickpeas in the pantry and you’re halfway to one of the most popular dips of the century. Before you tell me you have to go to the store for tahini (sesame seed paste) this recipe is every bit as good with peanut butter instead.
Be sure to take the extra minute to fluff up the tahini and lemon juice in the first step because it really does make the final result creamier. You need a food processor or good blender for this recipe to work.
This makes plenty for a buffet dip bowl.
6 tbsp. tahini or other nut butter
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 14-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and well drained
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. each ground cumin and coriander
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. olive oil smoked paprika for sprinkling on top
Put tahini and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and process a couple of minutes, until smooth, light and fluffy.
Add chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Process until mixture is uniform and thick — it will be somewhat mealy at this point. You will need to scrape the sides and push the chick peas into the blades every few seconds.
Add water and process until smooth — scrape down the sides at least twice. Add olive oil slowly, with the food processor running, until completely incorporated and mixture is smooth. Don’t process it for more than 20 seconds or the oil will start to take on a slightly bitter note.
Pour into serving bowl. Garnish with paprika and drizzle on more olive oil if you like. The flavours improve with some fridge time but let it warm up a bit before eating. Serve with pita triangles, crackers, or raw vegetables.
Lime Cheesecake Bars
No one seems to think about bringing sweets to a barbecue but these tart and refreshing bars sure go over well, especially after a heavy grill menu.
I have to admit I’ve made these with bottled lime juice but freshly squeezed is just plain better. How many you need depends on their size and how juicy they are. To get the most juice out of the reluctant little devils microwave them for a few seconds and roll them on the counter firmly before cutting.
1-1/4 cups graham wafer crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. melted butter
3 egg yolks
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. finely grated lime zest 2/3 cup lime juice Prepare the pan first to make these easier to lift out. Place two strips of foil in opposite directions in an 8-inch square baking dish, leaving plenty hanging over two sides so you can grasp and lift out the bars. Coat evenly with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine graham wafer crumbs, sugar and melted butter and press into prepared pan. Bake at 350 F for 8 minutes.
For the filling, beat egg yolks until light in colour and fluffy. Slowly beat in condensed milk. Whisk in lime zest and juice. Pour into prepared crust and bake at 350 degrees F 15 minutes, until the centre is just about set. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate a couple of hours.
Lift out the entire thing and place on a cutting board. Dip a large, sharp knife into hot water and wipe clean with a paper towel — you should do this after every cut to keep the knife clean and the squares neat. Cut into 9 dessert-sized servings or 16 squares.