Oh boy, salad. As many of you may know, I'm not a big fan of the "green/lettuce" salad. I do like this salad instead, though, made with fresh local corn and asparagus. I use the fresh red pepper when I add the onion, but use the jarred stuff in a pinch, like when I can't find a red pepper at my small local grocery. I also make this with leftover sweet corn, not necessarily roasted on the grill. It's all good....

Corn Salad with Asparagus

3 cups

INGREDIENTS

6 ears corn
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (7 ounce) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and chopped or one fresh red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbls minced red onion, optional
6 basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-low heat and lightly oil grate.

Husk and de-silk the corn and place the ears of corn on the grill. Cook until the kernels are tender, about ten minutes turning frequently. Remove the ears from the grill and cool. Cut the kernels off of the cob.

Cook asparagus in boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse immediately under cold, running water until well chilled. Set aside.

Combine the corn, asparagus, peppers, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Annie

Scallops always make a great first course. Here is one of my favorite ways to prepare them:

Scallops with Braised Lentils

6 slices bacon, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup indigo lentils
3 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 tbls butter
1 lb sea scallops
3 tbls white wine vinegar
chopped fresh parsley

Cook bacon until browned. Drain and reserve. Pour off all but 2 tbls oil, reserving balance. Add onion and carrot to drippings in pan and sauté until onion is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add lentils, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are tender. Set aside and keep warm.

Melt butter in heavy skillet over high heat. Season scallops with salt & pepper. Add to skillet and stir until just cooked, about 3 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

Add vinegar to skillet, bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in enough reserved bacon drippings to make a dressing.

Plating: Spread a layer of lentils on bottom of small serving plate. Cut scallops in half, crosswise, or even in thirds if very large. Lay out three or four of these scallop "coins" on each plate, slightly overlapping.

Sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley.

For a really impressive presentation, make a stencil in the shape of a scallop shell. Use this to lay-out the lentils bed, then arrange the scallop coins on it.

Ooops - I just returned from a trip - I'll get the entree together ASAP!

I'm sorry for the delay - I know the entree should be the first to be posted to help plan the menu better :-(

In keeping with the summer weather, here's a great grill recipe. My handwritten note on this recipe in my file says "Delicious!" - so I hope you like it.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB

Copyright, 2001, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, All rights reserved
Show: Barefoot Contessa Episode: The Mediterranean Feast
See this recipe on air Monday Jun. 09 at 5:30 PM ET.

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour
Inactive Prep Time: 12 minutes Yield: 8 to 12 servings

2 pounds (2 pints) plain yogurt (regular or low-fat)
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus more for brushing grill
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
3/4 cup fresh whole rosemary leaves (2 large bunches)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-pound) butterflied leg of lamb (9 pounds bone-in)

Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, overnight or for up to 3 days.

Bring the lamb to room temperature. Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals. Scrape the marinade off the lamb, wipe the meat with paper towels, and season it generously with salt and pepper.

Brush the grill with oil to keep the lamb from sticking, and grill on both sides until the internal temperature is 120 to 125 degrees for rare. This will take 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how hot the grill is. Remove the lamb to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve.

What goes better with lamb, than rosemary roasted potatoes?

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

-2 lbs potatoes (either regular size cut into chunks - peeled or not depending on your preference - or small new potatoes cut in half)
-1-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
-a few grinds of black pepper
-1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced very fine (if you want a more subtle rosemary flavour, put in whole branches to flavour the dish. If you have to use dried, use much less and realize it may not go soft in the dish)
-1 tsp good paprika
-about 1/2 cup meat or veggie stock, or wine
-if you like garlic, add about 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Fresh garlic will burn while roasting.

Remember to scrub the potatoes well if you are leaving the peels on or using baby potatoes.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine all ingredients except the stock/wine in a bowl large enough to toss everything well. If you are fussy use a spoon, if you like to get INTO your cooking use your hands ;).

Spread this mixture in a roasting pan or sheet with sides in a single layer. Drizzle on the stock or wine. Cover with foil.

Place in oven and let steam for about 15 minutes.

Remove the foil, and give the potates a stir. Place back in the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender and have gotten crispy in places. This can be anywhere from an additional 20-30 minutes, longer if the potates are really hard. I have found the longer this cooks the better it is!

You could also wrap the mixture in a foil pouch (reduce the stock or wine to a tbsp or so) and cook on the top rack of the grill, but I would cut the potatoes a bit smaller and it will take at least 40 minutes. Poke a few steam vents in the top and don't flip the packet!

Need something green on the plate....

Fancy Green Beans

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
2 slices bacon
1/2 cup red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup thin onion wedges
1/2 cup whole cashews

In a small bowl, stir together the teriyaki sauce, honey, and butter.
Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the lemon juice. Drop in the beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beans are bright green. Drain the beans in a colander and then plunge them into the iced water. Drain again and set aside.

In a skillet, cook the bacon until very crispy, crumble and set aside. Saute the bell pepper and onion in the hot bacon fat for 2 minutes. Add the beans, cashews, and bacon to the skillet. Add the teriyaki-honey sauce and toss gently

Nancy

This is really good, although I deviated from the original slightly. (will note my changes). Menu is looking wonderful so far!

Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup
serves 4-6 depending on serving size

1/2 red pepper (my addition)
2-3 lbs med tomatoes
8 cloves garlic
3 shallots
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp dried thyme
4 c chicken stock
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 tsps fresh basil
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 c olive oil ( I used 1/4 walnut oil and 1/4 c olive oil)

Garnish: Fresh crab meat and Two tbsp pesto thinned with milk (I added this as a special touch but can be ommitted)or original recipe called for pamesan shavings or slab of goat cheese) I liked the effect of the green pesto and also that it contained the parmesan.

Oven 400F. Place tomatoes, red pepper, garlic, shallot, rosemary and thyme in a 9x11" baking dish. Cover with the olive oil or walnut/olive oil if using. Bake 15-20 min or til tomatoes begin to brown. Using slotted spoon transfer the solids to heavy saucepan and add half the liquid from the baking dish. Discard or freeze the remaining liquid. Add chicken stock to pot on stove and simmer over med heat til tomatoes and liquid are reduced by 1/3, about 15 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, basil, black pepper and salt and simmer 5-10 min. Puree. Strain through a sieve into a tureen (or another container)

Garnish with your choice of garnish. Note if using the pesto, thin the pesto with enough milk to make it drizzable, then drizzle in a swirl pattern on the soup, with crab in center.

Shelley

This is Liana's recipe...I've never been a fan of hummus, but this one is very good. It'll go well with the lamb I think...

* Exported from MasterCook *

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Recipe By :Liana
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 can garbanzo beans -- (15 oz.)
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic -- crushed
3/4 cup roasted red peppers

In a food processor, process beans, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil until smooth. Add red peppers and garlic and process until desired consistency. Serve with pita bread wedges.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This seems like a terrifically healthy menu. This dessert comes from one of our local woman's club cookbook. This particular recipe comes from a lady my sisters used to love to babysit for because she always left a delicious meal to serve for dinner.

Cold Lemon Souffle

2 pkg. gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
6 egg yolks
1 c. fresh lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten
cream of tartar
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. whipping cream
Raspberry sauce
semi-sweet chocolate shavings
chopped nuts

Soften gelatin in cold water. Beat egg yolks lightly; add 1 c. sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Cook in top half of double broiler, stirring constantly, until mixture coats a metal spoon. Add lemon rind and gelatin to mixture; blend thoroughly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add a pinch of cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until foamy, then add rest of sugar (1 T. at a time) beating until merigue froms stiff glossy peaks. Fold in lemon mixture. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold in lemon mixture, then fill a 2 quart souffle dish and chill for at least 3 hours, or until set. Serve with raspberry sauce. Top with semi-sweet chocolate shavings and sprinkle chopped nuts around the edge of the dish. Serves 8.

Note: Add a 4-inch double foil collar around the dish tied with string to prevent souffle from over-running until set.

Enjoy! Meredith