4th of July is one of my favorite holidays - I love summer and unless it’s one of those huge parties, 4th of July seems like a less than stressful time to celebrate our nation’s independence. What’s better than sitting outside and enjoying a summer day and evening with something good to eat, a cold (insert “alcoholic”) drink, and good company? (Bonus points if fireworks are involved!)
This 4th of July consisted of a relaxing day and night on our porch with mostly traditional American barbecue food. I chose some really fun wines, including a few rose’ from Provence, some crisp whites, and bolder style American reds to pair with grilling (and let’s not forget the Sauternes I brought out later on in the night - not your standard Independence Day drink I’m sure but a great way to end the evening).
I made a cool side dish and my signature pie.
My side dish was lobster mac & cheese. I’ve made mac & cheese before, but this time I wanted to add lobster, and I’m pretty sure this is the final alteration to my original recipe. I begin with a proper bechamel sauce, which I cut the recipe in half (so it’s 2 1/2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, and 2 cups heated whole milk), and then add my cheeses, which are always the same 4 - gruyere, sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and parmigiano reggiano. They’re all coarsely grated except for the parmigiano which is fine. I like those cheeses because of course we need cheddar, it wouldn’t be mac & cheese without it. Gruyere gives it a mature, deep flavoring and aroma. Smoked gouda gives it just that - smokiness. And parmigiano gives it the nutty, salty taste (so I add no salt - not even to the water to cook the elbow macaroni). To season the smooth, creamy mixture, I add a pinch of nutmeg and dry thyme leaves and a bit of finely ground black pepper. I saute pancetta and add chopped onion until it’s just barely caramelized, and add it to the mixture, along with the cooked and drained macaroni. This time I added chopped steamed fresh lobster meat from the local fish market, and some finely chopped fresh parsley from my organic plant at home, and gently mixed it together. I put it in a large baking pan and topped it with a bit more grated parmigiano, and baked it for about 45 minutes, until the sides begin to bubble, and the top is golden and crisp. For me, that’s the perfect mac & cheese. High in calories but absolutely delicious, it tends to pair well with a fruity and/or smoky red with some substance, and I’d probably go with a Syrah, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, or Malbec. And I was so pleased that everyone loved it! Remember - fresh is better, and it’s smart to choose your own ingredients, so that you can control the flavor you want and ensure that you’re not putting anything unnatural into your cooking. Boxed mac & cheese? Powdered cheddar? You can do better than that! Bechamel is beyond simple, pick your favorite combination of cheeses, and season it as you like. And speaking of freshness, I was in a hurry and tried to buy lobster meat from a larger store - until the employee refused to answer my questions about where the lobster came from, and proceeded to tell me it was frozen and had an expiration date one year from now. Excuse me? That’s not what I want to serve! It can’t be fresh if it’ll expire in one year. So the lobster came from the local fish market, and I strongly advise you to do the same. At least it’s not frozen and loaded with preservatives, and you know exactly where it came from, that the lobster was still alive that day and was steamed just for you (or you could steam it at home).
The pie was key lime (good thing I made 2 of them!) - whether you can find the real key limes from Florida (which are sometimes difficult to juice) or you opt for regular limes, it’s a delicious pie and ideal for summer, as it’s served chilled with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. I make a graham cracker crust which is very simple, and the pie filling consists of lime juice, lime zest, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk. (I’m sure everyone’s got their own whipped cream recipe but just in case - mine is heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and good vanilla extract.) It’s a very easy pie to make and a crowd pleaser.
I can’t believe how long it’s been since I last updated the food blog! I’ve finally got a few moments tonight while sipping a Plavac Mali on the couch and watching the Yankees and Red Sox, and I think I’ll write about a simple concept I tested this week - a combination of two favorite starter ideas that together, made for something exponentially better.
Anyway, I love gorgeous appetizers at restaurants, but at home, whether it’s a cocktail party or a simple gathering, I think starters should be fairly simple - yet absolutely delicious. After going through recipes upon recipes of dips, salads, canape, etc., sometimes it’s fun to just put something together that seems like it makes sense.
Bruschetta is one of those timeless appetizers that most people seem to like - at least at Italian American gatherings. But it’s not quite the same as the basic bruschetta - I made the topping with a simple balsamic dressing and chopped beefsteak tomatoes, finely chopped shallots, and fresh herbs from my garden (basil, parsley, and oregano) - toss it and set it aside and let the flavors marry. But here’s where it gets a little bit different.
To make it more interesting, I made a sort of low calorie hummus of cannellini beans (Tuscan white beans), olive oil, kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice. Rinse and drain the beans and put them in the food processor, and add the other ingredients, and puree it until it’s completely smooth. (This can be made the night before.)
