Fresh Fourth
Three salads add jolts of color, zesty flavor to your July 4 menu
As the most popular U.S. holiday for cooking out, July 4 is a day marked by the tantalizing sounds and smells of meat sizzling on the grill.
Whether it’s the smoky aroma of charcoal that makes us weak in the knees or the summery perfume of barbecue sauce slowly caramelizing in a spicy-sweet flourish, it’s summer cooking at its best.
But even the biggest stars — in this case, the ribs, burgers and barbecue chicken that make the day epic — need a cast of equally tasty supporting actors to make the event really shine. It’s hardly a cookout without a slew of sides for your guests to also fill up on. And, no, potato chips and pretzels don’t count.
No one will complain if your picnic table sports tried-and-true, classic sides like baked beans,
coleslaw or potato salad. They’re faves for a reason, after all, so go for it! Yet this being the nation’s birthday party, it might also be fun to throw a few surprises on the menu that add a bright jolt of color or zesty flavor — hopefully both.
With summers hotter than ever, perhaps this year’s motto for the Fourth should be “Fresh and Easy,” as in food that’s simply prepared (i.e., no special equipment or oven required) but still delivers great flavor.
Red, white and blue are the official colors of Independence Day, so how about starting with a cool fruit salad that encompasses all the colors of the flag? It begins with cubes of juicy red watermelon and raspberries, with fresh blueberries and crumbled feta rounding out the required hues. A light and bright honey-citrus dressing ties it all together in refreshing fashion, and here’s a guarantee — the kids will love it, despite it being healthful.
Got some vegetarians on the
guest list? A hearty, plantbased wheat berry salad is sure to make them happy. The berries’ nutty flavor pairs perfectly with the tang of quick pickles (radish, cucumber and fennel), and when you add a creamy buttermilk dressing to the mix, the results are pretty addictive.
And finally, now that it’s July, how about a salad made with what’s arguably summer’s finest fruit: tomatoes, which are starting to show up at farmers markets and also in early planted gardens. Sweet and sun- kissed, with myriad sizes and varieties to choose from, all a bowl of the fruit needs to make it really sparkle is a sweetandsour dressing made with a generous dash of the Mediterranean spice mix za’atar, and a tablespoon or two of capers for a briny finish.