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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Memorial Day Weekend Extravaganza For Everyone (A Redux)

Okay, maybe not EVERYONE!


I am reposting last year's Labor Day Menu because it is a classic & really great for everyone on your guest list from vegetarians to the most rabid carnivore. Not fab for vegans, I'm afraid, although you can always throw a couple of portabello mushrooms that have been marinated in a little Italian-style dressing on the grill & serve them up on great brioche with avocado & tomato for them. 

Here's a link  for the grilled portabello burger to a great food blog for vegetarians  from which the picture of this yummy portabello burger comes:  Just the Food.com 


Obviously, Labor Day and Memorial Day are three months apart and the produce for early September differs from the produce in late May, but surprisingly there are some decent Brandywine & Early Girls showing up in the Farmer's Market even this early. I was avoiding them like the plague until I could resist no more. They are not as sweet as they will be in 6 weeks but they are great for making the caponata recipe I include and will definitely work as oven-roasted tomatoes for the pizza.

To make your Memorial Day more reflective of the season:


Skip the cherry tomato/ boccaccino salad. Instead, you can add seasonal veggies like fava beans & English peas to any green salad or by themselves with a little olive oil, lemon juice, fresh cracked pepper, truffle salt & shaved pecorino romano or just parmiggiano-reggiano if you don't like the piquant flavor of the sheep's milk.




Make the ribs but replace the corn (which is definitely not edible yet) with thick fresh grilled asparagus spears.



The Warm Blackberry-Apricot Crumble with Mascarpone Ice Cream will work beautifully in May. Apricots are really yummy now. You can, as always, replace the blackberries & apricots with peaches & strawberries, if you rather. 

It's your party and you can eat want you want to... eat what you want to... eat what you want to...


Here's the link for my fabulous Labor Day Feast that will make your Memorial Day Barbecue a memorable one: 





Here's to all the men and women who have bravely served this country:


2 comments:

Unknown said...

Great post - repost - for those of us who didn't know of thegourmetchronicles last May. I am eternally in the pursuit of the perfect ribs - and the vegetarian in my 'crowd' will love the portobello, if we can find really good ones this weekend.

Lori Gomez said...

Thanks, Brother Jack! ;)

Hope you enjoy a beautiful Memorial day weekend!