For many of us, summer is the best time to throw a party.
Getting everybody outside onto the porch, yard or patio means you don’t have to worry about cleaning the house or squeezing a ton of people into a crowded space. Also, summer entertaining tends to be more casual, which lends itself to finger foods that aren’t as fussy or upscale as a big fall or winter bash.
Which is not to say appetizers and hors d’oeuvres served with cold beer and fruity cocktails shouldn’t look impressive. We just want something that echoes summer’s laid-back vibes and is simple for you to make and easy for your guests to grab and devour.
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Roasted Olives with Lemon, Garlic and Herbs
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 3-inch sprigs fresh thyme
2 3-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 pound olives, such as Cerinola and Castelvetrano, in assorted colors and sizes (about 3 cups)
1/2 lemon, cut into 1/4 -inch rounds
1 large garlic clove, unpeeled and crushed
DIRECTIONS
Position rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stir and crush together oil, thyme, rosemary, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a baking dish large enough to hold olives in a single layer. (A terra-cotta baking dish or ceramic quiche pan are both good options.) Stir in olives and lemon rounds.
Roast, stirring halfway through cooking, until mixture is very fragrant and sizzling, about 20 minutes. During last 5 minutes, stir in garlic.
Remove from oven and cool until warm or at room temperature. (Olives can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days; remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.) Serves 6-8.
— “Super Tuscan” by Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar (Touchstone, $35)
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Southern Cheese Straws
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces (2 cups) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons ice water
DIRECTIONS
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Process cheddar, flour, butter, salt, paprika, baking powder and cayenne in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add ice water and process until dough ball starts to form, about 25 seconds.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter. Knead briefly until dough fully comes together, 2 or 3 turns. Using your hands, pat dough into 4-inch square. Roll dough into 10-inch square, about 1/4 -inch thick, flouring counter as needed to prevent sticking.
Position dough so edge is parallel to edge of counter. Using rounded side of fork, drag tines across entire surface to make decorative lines, if desired. (I omitted this step.)
Using pizza cutter or a chef’s knife, trim away and discard outer 1/2 inch of dough to make a neat square. Cut dough into three equal pieces perpendicular to decorative lines. Working with one section of dough at a time, cut into 1/2 -inch-wide strips in direction of lines,
Even space cheese straws on prepared sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Bake until edges of straw are light golden brown, 30-35 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let straws cool completely on sheet then serve. Makes about 48 straws.
— “The Complete Small Plates Cookbook” by America’s Test Kitchen ($35)
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Summer Squash Tart
INGREDIENTS
1 pound yellow summer squash and/or zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced thin crosswise
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 store-bought pie dough round
1 5.2-ounce package Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
DIRECTIONS
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees.
Toss squash with 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander and let drain in sink for 10 minutes.
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Place pie dough round in center of prepared sheet. Spread boursin evenly over dough, leaving 1-inch border at edge. Sprinkle cheese with lemon zest.
Spread squash over clean dish towel; cover with second towel and press firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Transfer squash to now-empty bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Arrange squash in even overlapping layer over Boursin. Fold 1-inch edge of dough over filling, pleating every 2-3 inches and pinching to secure. Bake tart until crust is golden and squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Serves 4.
— Cook’s Country, June/July 2023
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Coconut Shrimp with Chili Sauce
INGREDIENTS
For chili sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sherry (or cooking sherry)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 -1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
3 tablespoons cool water
For shrimp
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup water
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups plain panko
1 pound peeled and deveined tail-on raw large shrimp
Vegetable oil, for frying
DIRECTIONS
Combine chili sauce ingredients except corn starch and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half.
While mixture is boiling, dissolve corn starch into cool water in a small bowl. Reduce heat to low and add corn starch-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare shrimp: Stir together 2 cups flour, salt and black pepper in a shallow bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk together eggs, 1 cup water, baking powder and remaining 1 cup flour in a separate bowl until just combined. Stir together coconut and panko in a third bowl.
Dredge 1 shrimp in salted flour mixture; shake off excess. Dip into egg batter and let excess drip off. Dredge in coconut mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat process using remaining shrimp. Freeze shrimp until firm, about 30 minutes.
Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat over high to 325 degrees. Working in three batches, fry shrimp in hot oil until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer cooked shrimp to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Serve with chili sauce for dipping. Serves 6.
— Adapted from foodandwine.com
Tribune News Service
