Grilling and Entertaining – A Labor Day of Love
I bet you’re looking forward to Labor Day Weekend – the summer’s bookend, a time to enjoy the harvest, get together with friends and family, and bid goodbye to these languid months. As for me, we’ll be entertaining my sister-in-law and new brother-in-law, who will be visiting from northern Wisconsin, and I’m beginning to plan the menus. Of course, I’m thinking about some outdoor grilling, but I’ll also probably be preparing other dishes that will take advantage of the local seafood and what I can harvest from the garden.
They’re due to arrive on Friday, and that menu will likely include a pan-seared cod or haddock covered with thinly sliced cucumbers, a roasted dish that can be prepared in less than half an hour. We’ll pair that with this great cherry tomato salad, which has quickly become a favorite.
As for the rest of the weekend, since we enjoy variety, it’s not likely to be burgers and hot dogs. I’m thinking about beer butt chicken. It’s simple to prepare, and the beer makes for a fantastic moist chicken. Here’s how you do it. Just coat the outside of the bird with a good rub and place it in a hot kettle grill with the coals moved to the side so that they surround the bird and provide sufficient heat to roast it for about two hours. Hot, juicy, and delicious. Possibilities for accompaniments are endless, but I might try this macaroni salad with lemon and herbs – a perfect way to make use of the last of my kitchen garden. (By the way, if you’re invited to a cookout rather than hosting, both of these salads travel well.)
If we’re hanging out at home, I can mind the smoker all afternoon. Maybe I’ll smoke a Boston pork butt for pulled pork on bulky rolls (or not), accompanied with an east Carolina vinegar sauce. Homemade cole slaw is the perfect side dish, but then again, corn is in season.
We’re also considering a recipe from the chefs at the Maine restaurant MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit: scallops with grilled plum tomatoes and homemade aioli and crusty bread. We’ll take advantage of the fresh fruit available now and pair it with a simple salad of melon, blueberries, and peaches with a little fresh mint from the garden. Since the grill is already lit, I might grill the peaches halved side down to caramelize and enhance the flavors – for a simple, sweet, tart side for the grilled scallops.
For a relaxed weekend, I can be flexible, so we can leave some of the menu decisions to our guests and what they’d prefer. With a big freezer, I could remove a chicken or a pork butt, and we’re good to go. With two great farm stands within a five-mile radius – Colby Farms and Tendercrop – fresh sweet corn, salad greens, and fruit are 10 minutes away. Let’s just hope the weather cooperates, but I’m looking forward to a simple, relaxing, and tasty weekend and a long-overdue reunion with family.
What about you? What’s on your Labor Day menu? Please share with others by commenting below.
