Summer Picnic? Recipes Like These Keep It Simple, Tasty and Cool
Opt for cold food and a refreshing cocktail to beat the heat at picnics or cookouts this season.
These three recipes — courtesy of the Institute's recreational cooking classes— make ideal summer fare.
Mercury rising? Sun burning? Sidewalk sizzling?
These aren't circumstances that scream, "Let's have a picnic." And yet, here we are...
Whether you're spending summer in the city, on a farm, at the beach or in the mountains, you likely love a picnic — because, who doesn't?
Here are three picnic recipes that celebrate some of the season's best ingredients: homemade lobster rolls, watermelon salad, and spiked lemonade.
They're as easy to make as they are delicious — so let's get started!
Ingredients
- Kosher salt, for the water
- 2 (1 ¼ pound) lobsters, broken down with claws and tails separated
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup celery, finely diced
- 4 brioche rolls
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) butter, melted
- Fresh black pepper
- 4 lemon wedges
Directions
- Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Fill a large pot with water, heavily salt, and bring to a boil.
- When water is boiling, place lobsters in pot and cook until they turn bright red, about 12 minutes for claws and 10 minutes for tails. Using tongs, plunge lobsters into ice water bath for 2 minutes then drain of excess water.
- Crack lobster tails and claws and remove meat. Remove and discard intestinal vein (running the length of each lobster tail). When all meat is removed, cut meat into ½-inch pieces and pat dry. Place chopped lobster meat in a strainer set over a bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
- When lobster meat is chilled, place meat into a large bowl and mix with mayonnaise and diced celery.
- Brush rolls with melted butter and toast in a hot skillet.
- Put lobster mix in rolls, grind a few cracks of black pepper and serve with a lemon wedge.
Watermelon-Feta Salad
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 medium seedless watermelon, rind removed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup mint, chopped, plus additional for garnish
- ½ cup feta cheese, broken up into chunks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine chopped watermelon, lime, olive oil and mint. Toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place on a serving platter and top with feta cheese chunks. Garnish with additional mint and serve immediately.
Spiked Lemonade
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup bourbon
- Sparkling water, to taste
Directions
- In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a large pitcher, combine sugar syrup with lemon juice, stirring to dissolve. Add ice halfway to pitcher's brim. Add bourbon and stir to combine.
- Serve lemonade in a glass filled halfway with ice, topping each glass with sparking water.
Don't miss more cocktails and recipes in ICE's free online recreational classes.
