The fourth of July is my favorite holiday. Living in the mountains, it means summer has finally arrived. The smells of summer swirl in the air and laughter resounds. It is a special time to gather with friends and catch up on life’s adventures while sharing a meal together next to some water or in the backyard.
This year I wanted a menu that could be prepared in the morning and then easily shared with friends and family, so I wasn’t in the kitchen all day. I decided on a classic fried chicken with several salads and a fruit dessert (which can be made in advance).
The set up will be a table with oversized wooden plates and silverware tied in navy blue bandanas. Buckets will be filled with Topo Chico and simple syrups for the beverages so people could easily make their own. For the elevated gift, I am making a tin camping candle with essence of citronella and white sage, wrapped in blue bandanas as well.
Menu:
Spicy fried chicken
Summer crostini
Tomato and strawberry salad with mint
Em’s kale salad
Blackberry, peach, and thyme crostata
Watermelon slices with calendula flowers
Drinks:
Blackberry ranch water
Watermelon lemonade
Take-away:
Citronella and white sage camp candle
Spicy Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 package chicken thighs bone-in (about 6-8)
- 1 package of chicken drumsticks (about 6-8)
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 jalapeno cut lengthwise (optional)
- Vegetable oil
- Maldon sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper and jalapeno if using. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 360 degrees on a thermometer.
- Working in batches, carefully place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to brown in the oven). Don’t crowd the pieces. Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees before frying the next batch. When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside.
Golden Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Mint
Ingredients
- 1 package of sun gold tomatoes
- 1 package of cherry tomatoes
- 1 package of baby strawberries
- Olive oil
- Juice of one lime
- Mint to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the cherry tomatoes length wise and add to the bowl.
- Cut the strawberries in half.
- Toss together in a bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and the juice of a lime. Garnish with mint.
Em’s Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 2 heads of kale, torn
- 1 small shallot, diced
- ¼ cup of Bragg Liquid Aminos
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- ¼ cup roasted sesame seeds
- ½ cup pepitas seeds
Instructions
- Combine Bragg, oil, lemon juice, and shallot in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Tear or chop kale and rinse.
- In a large bowl, top kale with dressing.
- Let sit stirring often for several hours.
- Toast sesame seeds in a pan and add the seeds and pepitas to the salad. This salad will last for up to three days in the fridge.
Blackberry, Peach, and Thyme Crostatas
Ingredients
- For the Dough:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, frozen and cut into small pieces?
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ice water
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
- For the Filling:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 ripe but firm peaches, halved, pitted, and cut into ½ inch wedges
- 6 ounces fresh blackberries
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- For the dough:
- Place the four, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is in pea-size pieces. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and ice water. Slowly pour the vinegar water into the food processor, pulsing to combine. Pulse just until the dough begins to hold together. Transfer it to a clean work surface and pat together. Shape the dough into a round and cut it into four equal pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
- For the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a small bowl, rub the sugar and thyme together with your fingers to release the herbs oils. Place the peaches and blackberries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the thyme sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract, and four over the fruit. Toss to coat.
- Roll each piece of dough into a ¼-inch-thick round and transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Divide the fruit evenly between the circles, mounding it into the center of the dough and leaving a 1½-inch (4-cm) border all around. Fold the edges up around the filling. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the turbinado sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes
