Al fresco madness (or where to dine)

Recipes: Planked salmon, Potato salad, Wiki-wiki salad, Homemade mayonnaise

Some people say familiarity kills passion. Hmm. I'm certainly in favor of changing things up, especially when it comes to where you eat. Who needs to eat in the dining room or the kitchen every day? After all, the person you're cooking for and eating with, whether it's your mom or your friend or your son or your lover, deserves to have a life filled with joy and excitement. Doesn't he/she? Yes, and so do you!

Why not set up a table for two somewhere else for a change? It's summer where I am in northern California. Why not dine al fresco, at a table outside in the garden or on the terrace or balcony, set with your nice dishes and cloth napkins and flowers? Make a little fuss over it.

Here are some wonderful classic dishes to make for a lovely dinner al fresco. The recipes are sized for two, but are easy to double or even triple if needed.

Planked Salmon

There are two requirements for planked salmon. First, a grill - which can be the classic round Weber-type that uses charcoal, or a fancier gas grill. (If a grill is out of the question, say you're in New York City and you're out on your stamp-sized balcony, just broil the salmon, Dijon and all, instead of planking. Use the recipe for Broiled Rockfish here)

Second, you must procure a cedar plank that fits on the grill with the cover closed. Cedar planks are sold at stores where they sell grills, and they are also sold at lumberyards. If you get one from a lumberyard, have them cut it into lengths that fit in your grill - you'll have to measure it. And yes, it has to be cedar, nothing else will do.

Soak a piece of cedar plank in salted water to cover for 2 hours.

Prepare the charcoal 15 minutes before, or light the gas grill. Arrange the hot charcoal around the edges of the kettle grill for indirect heat, or set the gas grill to indirect.

Salt and pepper two salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each) or one piece of salmon large enough for two. Lay the salmon on the soaked plank and smear a tablespoon of Dijon mustard over it. Crumble a tablespoon of brown sugar over the salmon. Put the plank with the salmon on it onto the grill and close the lid.

Cook it for 20 - 25 minutes. Let it sit off the grill for a few minutes before serving. That's it, done.

Potato Salad

This is my friend Donna's recipe and she has saved me from disliking potato salad. This is great stuff, unlike most of the other potato salad I've had in my life. Even if you think you don't like potato salad, try this one. I'm telling you, it's simply to die for.

• 2 large or 3 medium red potatoes, cut in quarters and boiled until they are tender.
• 2 eggs, hardboiled, cooled, and sliced
• half of a small onion, red or yellow
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Celery salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

When potatoes are cool, cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Leave the skins on.
Sprinkle the potatoes with vinegar, then sugar. Stir gently to coat.
Add chopped eggs.
Add mayonnaise and mustard and sprinkle generously with celery salt and pepper.
Mix together and put it in the refrigerator for an hour or two to chill and blend flavors.
Potato salad can be made hours ahead or the day before - keep refrigerated until you serve it.

Wiki-Wiki Salad

Here's another favorite picnic/alfresco recipe from a friend - this time my friend Johnnie. I'm offering this as an alternative to the potato salad, unless you're dying for both. Both salads plus salmon makes quite a large dinner for two, but both salads also keep well in the refrigerator and are delicious the next day. They compliment each other, so if you decide to make both you're on firm ground.

• 1/2 small green cabbage, cored and sliced thin as for cole slaw
• a good handful of snow peas, ends removed, and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 4 scallions (green onions), diced including white and green parts
• 1/4 pound broccoli flowerettes, cut fairly small
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted on top of stove or in oven
• 1 pack Top Ramen noodles, chicken flavor

 

Dressing:

• 1 flavor pack from Top Ramen noodles - chicken flavor
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• scant 1/2 cup vegetable oil (like Wesson)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt (or 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine cabbage, snow peas, scallions, broccoli, and almonds in a large bowl. Crunch the ramen noodles and add them. Mix together dressing ingredients in a small jar with a cap. Shake well. Add dressing to the cabbage mixture and toss thoroughly. Wiki-wiki is best if it sits for 30 minutes or so before you serve it.

That's it! Turn on the iPod to some good dinner music, fluff up the napkins, and pour the champagne!  That is, unless you want to

!!!Step it up!!!

and make your own mayonnaise for the potato salad. It will put the p.s. right over the top. You may even want to put a dab on the salmon, homemade mayo is that good! Well, at least take a look and maybe next time . . .

Homemade Mayonnaise

I make my mayonnaise in the food processor. Others swear by the hand-whipped method - I'm just too lazy. Mine always turns out great and it's easy - here's how:

Break a whole egg into the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade. Add 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Give it a few pulses to mix well and let sit for 10 minutes.

Measure 1 1/2 cups oil. I use 1/2 cup light-tasting olive oil and 1 cup Wesson oil. You could use other oils, although I've found it too heavy tasting to use all olive oil.

Put the cover on the food processor with the opening in the top for adding ingredients. Turn the processor on and, while it is running, drip the oil through the opening in a thin steady stream. Be careful not to add the oil too fast. Continue until you have used all the oil and you have a bowl full of mayonnaise.

Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. Your bowl of deliciousness will keep, refrigerated, about a week.