To mourn the end of summer, my friend Corey and I decided to have one last barbecue for the year. It was really just an excuse to play Will Smith's "Summertime."
It was necessary to have our party at Corey's house, because I'm pretty sure it would have been a bad idea to hold the party on my fire escape—the only outdoor space I'm allotted at my tiny apartment. We clung to the hope that we'd have at least one last day of heat for our bash, but instead we got chilly air and leaves in various shades of autumn.
The theme to the farewell feast was food that is super easy to make but tastes like it took hours to prepare. I picked up some vegan Boca burgers and marinated them in Stubb's Mopping Sauce Bar-B-Q Baste for 30 minutes. We cooked the burgers and thick onion slices directly on the grill, along with sliced mushrooms stuffed into foil packets. To give the burgers an extra-smoky taste, we toasted the buns right on the grill.
Two of the many side items were Jalapeño-Corn Salad and Red Potato Salad. Both stuck with our "fast summer feast loaded with flavor" theme. The corn salad has a little kick, and if you're a fan of the heat—as I am—add another jalapeño or keep the seeds in.
Our barbecue was a hit—not quite as exciting as Will's, but still fun—and the perfect way to say goodbye to "summer, summer, summertime."
Jalapeño-Corn Salad
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 ears sweet corn, kernels cut off
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
2 tsp. white vinegar
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
Cayenne pepper and salt, to taste
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
•Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the corn and jalapeños over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the corn is tender. Remove from the heat.
•Place in a large bowl and add the vinegar, lime juice, cayenne, and salt. Toss to coat. Let cool.
•Add the remaining ingredients and serve.
Makes 5 to 6 servings
Red Potato Salad
2 1/4 lbs. red potatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. vegan mayonnaise
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped red onion
•Scrub and quarter the potatoes. Cook in salted water until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
•Whisk together the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, vegan mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
•In a large bowl, gently fold the chopped vegetables into the potatoes. Add the dressing, tossing to coat. Season to taste.
Makes 6 servings
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Comments ( 5 )
Thanks for the tip on marinating the veggie burgers in BBQ sauce, I had not thought to do that!
I always have several boxes of veggie burgers in the freezer. For those nights when I don't feel like cooking much, and yes, I have many of those nights I just put the veggie burgers in the oven. A stop to the store for buns is no big deal. I always have Veganaise and mustard handy. And my lazy-I-don't-feel-like-doing-anything meal is done!
Again, thanks for the tip on marinating the veggie burgers in BBQ sauce!!
Posted by Jaclyn | September 18, 2007 2:01 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 14:01
One more thing,
Amy, I really like your pictures of food. I think a visual of what you are cooking makes all the difference. You do a great job of shooting.
Thanks!
Posted by Jaclyn | September 18, 2007 2:16 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 14:16
As someone who loves bbq's i am appalled that you think you participated in one. No meat, no barbeque. I hope you had a nice picnic with your boyfriend.
Posted by Austin | September 19, 2007 5:55 PM
Posted on September 19, 2007 17:55
That just sounds nasty.
Posted by Lindizzle | September 24, 2007 9:38 PM
Posted on September 24, 2007 21:38
I also want to thank you for including the pictures. They really do make a difference. I can't wait to try the jalapeño-corn salad. It looks so good. As a newcomer to vegetarian cooking it's great to find a dish that I think both my meat eating and veggie friends will enjoy. What a great addition to our tailgating parties!!
Posted by Marie | September 26, 2007 2:54 PM
Posted on September 26, 2007 14:54