Take the Party Outdoors

An easy menu of sunny flavors with hints of spice makes for a summer party hosts and guests alike can enjoy

BY ROBIN ASBELL

Dining on the deck or patio is one of the great joys in life. There is just something about fresh air and sunshine that seems to make the food taste better. And some of the best gatherings are those when you can prep thefood ahead of time and serve it with a minimum amount of effort so you can enjoy your party, too.

This easy menu gathers flavors from warm, sunny cuisines. The lighter, leaner sauces and hints of spice are meantto be enjoyed in the sunshine and won’t slow you down if you are on the move. All these dishes are served buffet style,allowing your guests to fill their plates with whatever appeals to them the most. For pairing drinks, the flavors in thismenu go well with iced tea or beer. To top it off, a crowd-pleasing sheet cake makes the most of the season’s freshberries while offering up the sweet ending we all crave after a great meal.

Watermelon Salad with Mint

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

This refreshing salad is so juicy and zingy it’s sure to disappear quickly. Sweet watermelon plays well with tomatoes and cucumbers, and a hit of peppery mint accents the flavors. A simple lemon and olive oil dressing is all you need to bring it all together.

4 cups cubed watermelon

2 medium tomatoes, cubed

1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup fresh mint, slivered

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, place the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions and mint.

2. In a cup, stir the lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Drizzle over the watermelon mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Hawaiian Chicken in Lettuce Leaves

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

If your family loves tacos, they will love this tangy sweet Hawaiian chicken in a lettuce leaf wrap. This is perfect for parties, it comes together in a snap, and you can let your guests spoon the tasty filling into individual leaves and add hot sauce to taste. The dish is fresh and light—perfect for a hot day.

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon canola or avocado oil

1 pound ground chicken

1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple

1/2 cup roasted cashews

2 heads butter lettuce, separated into leaves

Sriracha Sauce, for serving (optional)

1. Chop the ginger and garlic and reserve.

2. In a cup, combine the soy sauce, honey and lime juice and reserve.

3. In a large skillet, heat the canola or avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sizzle for a few seconds, stirring. Add the chicken and stir, chopping the meat as it cooks. Reduce to medium and stir and turn until the chicken is mostly cooked; it will look white and browned in spots. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir. It will sizzle and be absorbed quickly. Stir in the jalapeño and pineapple and cook just until the pineapple is slightly softened, about 1 minute. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.

4. Sprinkle the cashews over the chicken and serve with lettuce leaves. Portion about ¼ to 1/2 cup into each leaf, depending on the size of the leaf. Drizzle with Sriracha, if desired, and eat immediately.

Watermelon salad with mint and Hawaiian chicken in lettuce leaves

Asian Rotini and Scallop Salad

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Asian noodle salads are always popular, and making one with curly rotini only adds appeal. In this veggie-packed dish, carrots, peppers, cucumbers and radishes provide a rainbow of color and crunch. It’s elevated to elegant main course status by placing seared sea scallops on top. If you prefer, you can substitute shrimp.

For the Dressing

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup tamari soy sauce

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 pound rainbow rotini

1 cup shredded carrot

1 red bell pepper, slivered

1/2 large cucumber

4 large red radishes, sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 pound sea scallops, thawed if frozen

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil

1. Put on a pot of water to cook the rotini.

2. For the dressing, in a cup, combine the sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, tamari soy sauce, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and whisk to combine. Reserve.

3. Cook the rotini according to package directions, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl and add the carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, radishes and basil and toss to mix, drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

4. For the scallops, drain any liquid from the scallops and pat dry. Remove the connective piece from the edge of each scallop, if present. Sprinkle the scallop tops with half of the paprika and salt.

5. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and let it heat for a minute. Drizzle in the oil and tilt the pan to coat the bottom. Place the scallops in the pan and sear 2 to 3 minutes undisturbed, until the edges look browned and start to crack. Sprinkle the tops of the scallops with remaining paprika and salt. Turn over the scallops, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until firm when pressed with a fingertip. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with a pot lid to keep warm.

6. Serve the rotini in a wide bowl or platter, topped with seared scallops. Drizzle the juice from the pan over the salad and serve.

Asian rotini and scallop salad

Jerked port in the slow cooker

Jerked Pork in the Slow Cooker

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Jerk is a classic seasoning from the island of Jamaica, where meats are marinated and then slow smoked over pimento wood. For this easy version, you can keep the kitchen cool since it is made in the slow cooker. It’s so easy to slow braise the meat overnight and finish the dish in the morning so it’s ready to reheat in time for the party. This recipe can be as hot as you like. If you go with the Scotch bonnet chile it will be Jamaican hot, but if you want to tone it down, a couple of jalapeños will give it a milder kick. Serve in buns or over cooked rice for a spicy, savory meal.

1 small Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, or 2 jalapeños

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon fresh ginger

2 large scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, grated

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

31/4 pounds pork roast, unseasoned

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

12 hamburger buns, or cooked white rice (cook 3 cups long grain rice for 10 to 12 servings)

1. In a blender, combine the chile, onion, ginger, scallions, thyme, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Place the lid on the blender and blend, increasing to high speed to make a smooth puree. Scrape out into a slow cooker.

2. Trim the pork roast to remove excess fat, then cut 4- to 5-inch deep slashes on opposite sides of the roast to allow the sauce to penetrate. Place the roast in the slow cooker and turn to coat with sauce, massage the puree into the slashes and make sure it covers the meat. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

3. At 8 hours, transfer the roast to a large bowl and test by sticking a fork into the meat to see if you can pull it into shreds. It should be tender enough to tear easily. If not, place back in the cooker for another half hour.

4. When the pork is tender, place it into the bowl and let it sit until cool enough to handle. Use two forks to shred the meat.

5. Pour the liquids from the cooker into a 2-quart pot and place it on the stove. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to keep a strong simmer, at about medium high. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquids are reduced by half and appear thicker. Add the chopped pepper and onion and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

6. Pour the vegetable mixture over the cooled, shredded pork. At this point, it can be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 4 days, or frozen for 2 months. To reheat, you can use the slow cooker for serving—just heat the meat on low for about an hour. Switch to keep warm as soon as it is hot. You can also reheat the meat in a pan on the stove, stirring over low heat until hot. Serve a heaping half cup or so in each bun, or over cooked white rice.

Cook’s Note:

If you think the slow cooker is only for wintry stews and heavy braises, think again. The slow cooker is just as adept at cooking for a crowd in the hot months. Instead of turning on an oven or watching a grill for hours on end, you can make pulled pork and other slow roasted meats without heating up the kitchen. Your slow cooker will ensure that the meat stays moist and that it becomes meltingly tender while you ignore it completely. This Jerk Pork is a great example, and you can do the same thing using barbecue spices and a dash of bottle barbecue sauce.

Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake

MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS

Feed a crowd with a tender, beautiful cake that’s studded with juicy blueberries and a hint of lemon. The cloud of cream cheese frosting is gorgeous as is, or you can opt to arrange more berries on top. If you’re feeling patriotic, go with red raspberries and blueberries atop the white frosting to make a flag.

3 cups unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon zest

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups blueberries

For the Frosting

1 stick butter, at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

berries for decoration, if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9x13-inch metal baking pan.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, then gradually beat in the sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down as needed. Beat in lemon juice and zest.

3. On low speed, mix in about a third of the dry mixture just until mixed, then mix in half of the buttermilk and continue alternating until a smooth batter is formed. However, don’t overmix: Scrape the bowl and mix just to combine. Fold in the berries and spread in the pan.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out with no wet batter attached. Cool completely on a rack.

5. For the frosting, let the butter and cream cheese soften to room temperature. Place both in the stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric mixer, and beat the mixture until creamy, scraping down sides of the bowl to make sure all the cream cheese is incorporated. Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat until smooth. Add lemon juice and beat to mix. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. If desired, arrange berries on top.

Lemon blueberry sheet cake