Peaches with your Puccini? Mojitos with Mozart?
Brewskis and a hoagie may suffice for a run-of-the-mill picnic, but when the venue involves arias in the park or opera in the vineyards, picnickers yearn for slightly swankier fare.
Great music sounds even better when you have a nectarine mojito in hand and are anticipating a bright three-pea salad, perhaps, and a pork tenderloin sandwich with arugula, fresh mozzarella and a garlicky, roasted red pepper spread.
The trick, of course, lies in the preparation.
“The idea of a picnic is really romantic, but the preparation part should be really practical,” says Seattle food writer and blogger Heather Christo, who tackles the al fresco topic in a chapter of her new, seasonal, menu-centric cookbook, Heather Christo’s Generous Table (Kyle Books, $29.95, 208 pages).
Cucumber, Chile and Pumpkin Seed Salad
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
2 cucumbers, halved, seeded and sliced into thin half-moons
• sea salt
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 medium-hot red chile, seeded and finely chopped
• handful of coarsely chopped cilantro
Sprinkle cucumbers with salt; let stand 30 minutes. Rinse in cold water; dry between double thickness of paper towels.
Heat a skillet over medium heat; toast pumpkin seeds until lightly coloured, stirring. Let cool.
In a serving bowl or sealable container, combine oil and lemon juice. Scatter cucumber on top, then scallions, chile, cilantro and seeds. Cover to transport. Toss salad just before serving.
Source: Annie Bell, The Picnic Book (Kyle Books, 2013)
Pea and Mint Salad
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
2 1/2 cups fresh green peas
2 cups snow peas
2 cups sugar snap peas
2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed to a paste
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 strips lemon zest
9 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• a couple of large handfuls mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• sea salt, black pepper
• a couple of squeezes fresh lemon juice
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green peas; cook one minute. Add snow peas and sugar peas; cook 2 minutes more. Drain, refresh under cold running water, then let stand for a few minutes for the surface moisture to evaporate.
In a large bowl, combine garlic, shallot, lemon zest and olive oil. Add peas, then toss to coat. Let cool, then mix in mint and sesame seeds. Cover and chill overnight.
Discard lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pack the salad and a lemon wedge for your picnic. Just before serving, add fresh lemon juice.
Source: Annie Bell, The Picnic Book (Kyle Books, 2013)
Raspberry Peach Bars
Makes: 12
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2/3 cup raspberry jam
3 cups raspberries
3 cups sliced peaches
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Crumble topping:
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan; line with parchment.
Using a stand mixer, combine butter and brown sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, salt and vanilla. Add 2 cups flour; mix until well combined.
Spread dough into bottom of prepared pan, pressing firmly with your hands.
Using an offset spatula, spread jam over dough.
In a bowl, combine berries, peaches, sugar, remaining 1/4 cup flour and cornstarch. Gently toss, then distribute over crust.
Mix crumble ingredients, cutting butter into dry ingredients until the crumble is the consistency of peas. Sprinkle over fruit.
Place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Cool completely before slicing.
Source: Heather Christo’s Generous Table (Kyle Books, 2013)
Yellow Nectarine Mojitos
Makes: 1 serving
Note: You can substitute peaches or cherries for the nectarines. For picnicking, tote the cocktails, minus the club soda, in Mason jars stashed on ice. Top with club soda just before serving.
1/2 cup nectarines, diced
6 fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
1/2 lime, sliced in half
1 Tbsp sugar
2 oz white rum
2 oz club soda, chilled
In the bottom of a heavy drinking glass, combine the nectarines, mint, lime wedges and sugar. Use a muddler to smash them together and release all the oils and juices.
Fill the glass with ice cubes, then add the rum. Top off the mojito with chilled club soda. Stir well, and serve with a straw.
Source: Heather Christo’s Generous Table (Kyle Books, 2013)
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Zesty Roasted Red Pepper Spread
Makes: 8 servings
Note: These are great made early in the day, so the flavours can meld and soak into the baguette.
1 pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 baguettes
12 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 cup arugula
Red pepper spread:
4 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a pan with foil and lay the pork tenderloin on it. Drizzle with olive oil, then generously season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until juices run clear.
Meanwhile, make the red pepper spread. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red peppers, parsley, 2 Tbsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Pulse until the garlic is well chopped and the spread has a thick but uniform consistency. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to three days.
Remove pork from oven; let rest five to seven minutes before slicing thinly.
Cut each baguette in two; slice each piece horizontally. Spread the roasted red pepper spread on each of the eight baguette pieces. On the bottom half of the baguettes, evenly distribute the mozzarella, followed by the pork, then the arugula. Replace baguette tops; slice each sandwich in half again.
Serve immediately, or wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Source: Heather Christo’s Generous Table (Kyle Books, 2013)
