Cool New Flavors for Your 4th of July Celebration

The red-white-and-blue holiday is almost here! But there’s more to the 4^th than just burgers and coleslaw. Here are some fresh, creative dishes your guests will love.

LOBSTER AND POTATO CHIP ROLLS

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 celery rib, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt
• Three 1-1/4 lb. live lobsters or 1-1/4 lbs. cooked lobster meat
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 brioche hot dog buns
• One 4-ounce bag of regular potato chips

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, celery, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco and the 2 tablespoons of chives. Season with salt and refrigerate until chilled.

Bring a very large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the lobsters to the boiling water, head first. Cover and cook until they’re bright red, about 8 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the lobsters.

Twist off the lobster claws, knuckles, and tails. Crack the claws and knuckles and remove the meat. Using kitchen scissors, cut along the underside of the tail shells and remove the meat. Discard the dark intestinal vein running lengthwise down each tail. Chop the lobster meat into 1/2-inch pieces and fold them into the dressing. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, melt the butter on a large griddle or in a large skillet. Add the closed buns and toast the outsides over high heat, turning frequently, until lightly browned about 3 minutes. Transfer the buns to a platter, split the tops and fill with the lobster salad. Tuck the potato chips into the rolls, garnish with chives and serve.

HELLO KITTY HOT DOGS

• 1 1/2 tablespoons wasabi powder
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 8 cups shredded cabbage, preferably a mixture of green and red
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Ponzu (Japanese citrus-soy sauce)
• Salt
• 6 all-beef hot dogs
• 6 brioche hot dog buns, split
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, whisk the wasabi powder with the water, then whisk in the mayonnaise and sugar.

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrot, and Ponzu. Add 1/4 cup of the wasabi mayo and toss to coat. Season the slaw with salt.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Cut a cross pattern into the ends of each hot dog. Grill over moderately high heat until lightly charred all over, about 4 minutes. Place a hot dog in each bun and top each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining wasabi mayonnaise. Spoon about 1 cup of slaw onto each hot dog, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.

ICE CREAM BONBON POPS

• Crushed popcorn
• 1-pint vanilla ice cream or your favorite flavor
• About 18 4-inch lollipop sticks
• Crushed candy, such as Sno-Caps, Whoppers, Skittles and M&M’s

Place two large, parchment paper–lined large plates in the freezer for 15 minutes. Spread out crushed popcorn on a baking sheet. Using a small ice cream scoop and working quickly, scoop out 9 ice cream balls and place on top of the popcorn. Return the pint of ice cream to the freezer so it doesn’t melt. Roll the balls in the popcorn to coat, pressing to help it adhere. Insert sticks into the centers of the balls, then transfer the bonbons to one of the frozen plates and transfer to the freezer. Repeat with the other toppings and remaining ice cream and plate. Freeze the bonbons until they are completely firm, about 30 minutes. Can be made ahead and frozen overnight.

EXPECTING A CROWD? CALL THE CATERING EXPERTS AT JERRY’S KITCHEN

Did the guest list for your summer party get out of hand? No worries! Just call the catering services pros at Jerry’s Kitchen.

We’ll bring the celebration to you with our award-winning food truck catering specialties – or, if you prefer, a classic menu with fresh favorites to please everyone. We even have vegan and vegetarian options!

To book catering services or food trucks for your party near Doylestown or Philadelphia, give us a call today.

Source

Food and Wine