july 4 recipes | The Artful Gourmet :: Food Stylist | Photographer | Blogger

July 4, 2017September 21, 2018

Happy July 4th :: Best Deviled Eggs Ever

Hey guys, it’s the 4th of July! One of my favorite holidays ever. Sunshine, pool parties, beach days, picnics on the patio, campfires, grilling, and the season of FUN.

I’m sure you’ve had your fill of July 4th recipe posts this week and to be honest, so have I. We all love to grill and have backyard BBQs with tons of picnic salads, burgers, ribs, chicken, hot dogs, strawberry shortcakes and berry pies. Thanks to everyone who has shared their recipes as I always love to see what everyone is making and get some fun ideas for future posts and food parties! So, this year I’ve decided to actually ENJOY my holiday — by relaxing, reading, hanging out with the fam, cooking, eating and drinking, and spend less time working, stressing and blogging. I always think it’s the perfect time to focus on blogging and my portfolio because I have extra time, but I really just need a BREAK. I’m sure you can relate.

But, I couldn’t pass up posting this outta control good recipe for my Best Deviled Eggs EVER – they’re creamy with mayo and mustard and eggs, with a delicious tang of vinegar and hot sauce and seasonings, plus an irresistible crunch from the dill pickle relish, finely minced celery and sweet onion. OMG. I could eat the whole tray. REALLY. (And I”m pretty sure you will too, my deviled egg lovers in the universe! 🙂

Happy July 4th and celebrate the season!

Happy July 4th :: Best Deviled Eggs Ever

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Serving Size: 2-4 deviled eggs

These are the best deviled eggs ever. Creamy and crunchy with finely chopped celery and onion, dill pickle relish and seasonings...these will be a hit at your July 4th party and gone in seconds!

Ingredients

Sea salt
12 large eggs
4 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons very finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle relish
3 tablespoons very finely chopped sweet onion
3 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon Nature's Seasons seasoning blend (Morton's)
1 teaspoon Deliciously Dill Blend (The Spice Hunter)
2 dashes hot sauce (RedHot or Crystal), plus more for serving
Dash of paprika, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place eggs in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook eggs 7 minutes. Turn off heat and let eggs sit in hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse eggs in cold water and transfer to a bowl of ice water; let sit until cool. Peel eggs under cold water once cooled.
Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, celery, dill relish, sweet onion, mustard, vinegar, herb seasonings, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Halve eggs lengthwise. Mix the egg yolks into mayo-mustard-relish mixture andplace whites on a plate.
Gently mash into a dressing; season with salt and pepper. Using a small fork or spoon, fill egg halves with yolk mixture.
Top eggs with freshly cracked pepper and more paprika and serve with hot sauce.

Notes

Make Ahead: Eggs can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill egg whites and filling separately; fill just before serving.

You can also garnish the eggs with some minced chives or green onion or bacon.

Recipe adapted from Hillstone Restaurant Group

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2017/07/happy-july-4th-best-deviled-eggs-ever/

July 1, 2015September 7, 2019

Shrimp & Veggie Pasta Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

One of my favorite recipes to make for a summer BBQ or outdoor party is Shrimp and Veggie Pasta Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette. It has a light, lemony herb dressing with fresh basil, parsley, dill and tarragon, along with a touch Dijon mustard, Champagne vinegar, olive oil and fresh lemon.

I love using big seashell pasta and adding plenty of fresh veggies including cucumbers, celery, roasted red peppers, grilled corn and scallions for crunch, and adding fresh sautéed shrimp, which you can also grill if you prefer. It goes perfectly with grilled chicken, burgers, skewers and fresh fruit like watermelon, pineapple and mango.

First cook your seashell pasta, drain and set aside. Then you can either grill the shrimp or sauté it for a few minutes in a large sauce pan with some fresh lemon, herbs, seasonings and olive oil and let cool while you prep the other ingredients.

Season and grill the corn, shave off the kernels and add to the salad with the rest of the veggies (celery, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, green onions). Feel free to sub whatever fresh veggies you like to the salad to make it colorful and healthy!

Make the Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette by whisking together some extra virgin olive oil, Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon, salt and pepper and chopped fresh herbs.

Pour over the pasta, veggies and shrimp in a large mixing bowl and fold together. I like to put the salad in the fridge and let the flavors meld together – you can really taste the fresh herbs and zingy lemon when you let it sit together for a bit.

So easy, so light and refreshing and perfect for a backyard BBQ or beach party.

Yum

Shrimp & Veggie Pasta Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

1 pound of pasta (medium-large shells or rotini)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 pound small shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined, tails removed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Sea salt, to taste (for shrimp and salad dressing)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh herbs, roughly chopped (tarragon, basil, parsley)
2 fresh sweet corn cobs or 1 cup frozen
1 cup English cucumber, diced
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced
2 lemon wedges, squeezed for garnish

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions (usually about 9-11 minutes for al dente). Drain, rinse under cool water and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice scallions and cook until soft about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add one more tablespoon of oil then add shrimp, red pepper flakes, Old Bay seasoning and sea salt; sauté together stirring constantly until shrimp are opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set pan aside to let shrimp mixture cool.
In a large mixing bowl add salt and pepper, vinegar, mustard, garlic, lemon juice and zest. Use the KitchenAid® 3-Speed Hand Blender with the whisk attachment to blend ingredients together and slowly pour in the olive oil in small amounts until the dressing is emulsified and mixed well. Chop the fresh herbs, mix into the Lemon-Herb dressing and set aside.
Prepare the fresh corn by grilling it – add a little olive oil, salt and pepper, then char it over a medium-high grill for about 15 minutes. Shuck the cooked kernels off the cob and set aside in a separate mixing bowl. If using frozen sweet corn, simply boil in 1-2 tablespoons of water in a small pot over medium-high for 3-4 minutes, then drain and place into a bowl, set aside.
Add the cucumbers and celery to the accompanying mixing bowl of the KitchenAid® 3-Speed Hand Blender, and pulse a few times until chopped into a small to medium dice. Chop each vegetable separately to avoid overfilling the blender bowl. Chop the roasted red pepper into medium diced pieces. Throw all the chopped veggies into a bowl and set aside.
Pour the cooked pasta, shrimp and scallion mixture, corn and all the prepped veggies into a large mixing bowl and add the Lemon-Herb dressing. Gently mix all the ingredients together with a large spoon. Garnish pasta salad with additional chopped herbs, fresh lemon juice and additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator or cooler until ready to serve.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2015/07/shrimp-veggie-pasta-salad-with-lemon-herb-vinaigrette/

READ THE FULL POST ON THE KITCHENAID BLOG TO SEE HOW I MADE IT WITH MY KitchenAid® 3-Speed Hand Blender + TIPS FOR PLANNING THE PERFECT BEACH BASH

June 25, 2012September 26, 2020

Crazy Good Lobster Rolls & a July 4 Feast

#Summer is the time of year where all I want to do is flee to the ocean, bask in some sunshine and eat some really good seafood. With July 4th approaching us, my photographer friend and partner Maike Paul decided we wanted to do a test shoot together and make some crazy good Lobster Rolls and a July 4th Feast.

We picked up a fresh lobster at a local seafood market in Brooklyn (who we named Lobster Louie) and he accompanied us as we walked around Williamsburg searching for a big steam pot and some fresh ingredients and props to make our succulent Lobster Rolls. We picked up some fresh corn on the cob, scallions, chives, celery, and lemons, some crunchy Kettle chips, Corona and limes, heirloom tomatoes and lettuce to make a salad to accompany our feast.

Lobster Rolls are fairly easy to make – and if you’re squeamish like I am, you might want to get a helper to cook the lobster in the steam pot (we recruited Maike’s boyfriend). One tip I recommend is to put the whole lobster in the freezer for about 15 minutes before boiling it as it makes the lobster “sleepy” – it’s a more humane way to cook a live lobster and you’ll feel less guilty, I promise. You can also use frozen lobster if you just don’t want to deal with the complication and doom all together!

We brushed some light butter on the hot dog buns and put them in a grill pan for a few minutes to make them toasty and browned. New England-style buns are the best, but if you can’t find them, regular top-split buns are fine.

To make the corn on the cob, boil it first for about 10 minutes to soften it and then brush the corn with some butter and throw them in a grill pan or a charcoal grill to get some nice grill marks and then top it off with some sea salt and Old Bay Seasoning or paprika for some extra savory flavor. Make a fresh green salad with heirloom tomatoes and a light lemon vinaigrette to accompany along with some crunchy BBQ Kettle Chips and a cold, refreshing Corona with lime. Now that’s a July 4 feast to remember! Enjoy.

Crazy Good Lobster Rolls & a July 4 Feast

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 6

Ingredients

3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup water
1/8 cup fresh chives, thinly sliced (plus more for garnish)
1/4 cup fresh green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 lb. (4 cups) cooked lobster meat
6 hot dog rolls, New England-style or split-top rolls
4-6 fresh corn on the cob, husked
butter, for basting corn and hot dog rolls
4-6 small heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 head green leaf lettuce
2-3 tablespoons lemon vinaigrette dressing, for salad
2-3 limes, for Corona

Instructions

Bring a large steam pot full of water to a rolling boil and prep all fresh ingredients. Boil lobster for about 10-12 minutes and let cool for another 10 minutes.
Remove the lobster claws and the tail and split open the shell to remove fresh cooked lobster, and cut up the lobster meat into large chunks and remove residue by rinsing under cold water.
In a large bowl, add the lobster meat and stir in celery, mayonnaise, water, chives, green onions, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper, Old Bay seasoning or paprika. Season to taste with more lemon, paprika, salt, and pepper if desired. Garnish with additional chopped chives.
Boil the corn on the cob for about 10 minutes until soft. Brush with butter and grill in a grill pan for about 5 more minutes until grill marks appear. Sprinkle with sea salt and Old Bay seasoning or paprika.
Brush the hot dog rolls lightly with butter, and grill in a grill pan over medium-high until they get browned and toasty. Serve the lobster salad in toasted buns with the corn on the cob and a fresh green salad with heirloom tomatoes and a light lemon vinaigrette dressing and fresh ground black pepper.
Serve with a bowl of crunchy BBQ Kettle chips and a Corona with lime or crisp Sauvignon Blanc white wine.

Notes

If using a whole live lobster, put in the freezer for 15 minutes before boiling - this is a more humane way of cooking the lobster. You can also use frozen lobster tails if you desire equalling 4 cups to make this recipe. An alternative to the mayo-based lobster salad is to toss the fresh cooked lobster in some butter with fresh tarragon and salt and pepper (Connecticut-style)!

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/06/crazy-good-lobster-rolls-a-july-4-feast/

Watch the video from Fine Cooking on how to humanely cook a live lobster

Food Network Lobster Rolls by Sarah’s Secrets

Amateur Gourmet’s Lobster Rolls

Ellie Krieger’s Lobster Rolls

Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls by Serious Eats

Lobsters with Laura Lobster Rolls

July 6, 2011September 26, 2020

Fresh from the Farm Market: Herbed Potato Salad + Strawberry Watermelon Salad

Summertime always remind me of home – when the sun is shining, a warm breeze is in the air, locusts are humming and all the flowers, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables are in full bloom. There’s a small local farmer’s market up in Webster, NY not far from where I grew up that I used to visit with my Mom as a kid. We would buy fresh apple cider and donuts, pumpkins for Halloween and fresh corn and melons for our summer picnics. This year I went home to visit for Fourth of July weekend, and my Mom and I visited once again to buy some fresh fruit and veggies for our holiday BBQ feast.

Herman's Farm Market & Cider Mill — Herman’s Farm Market & Cider Mill

I was craving some juicy watermelon and strawberries and went on a mission. There’s nothing like that first bite of sweet, cool, bright pink flesh of melon and ruby red berries in the summertime.

This Watermelon and Strawberry Salad is a simple combination of fresh watermelon, strawberries and a few blueberries mixed in with a little bit of lemon juice, sugar and water to make a simple refreshing syrup to macerate the fruit. This is how we traditionally make the fruit salad but you can also toss the fruit in a citrus infused balsamic vinegar for a tangy contrast with the sweet fruit – a good friend of mine made this salad and used Tavern on the Green Citrus which has a blend of orange, tangerine and lime essence and is just as delicious!

I found a recipe for a French Potato Salad made with salt potatoes and fresh herbs, a lightened up version from the heavier mayonnaise-laden salads from our family picnics of the past.

It calls for salt (or new) potatoes (red or yellow), shallots, parsley and thyme tossed in an oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard base making it light and tangy.

Fresh parsley adds some green…and the sweet shallots mixed with thyme, dill and onions gives it nice fresh flavor. I added some dried dill (you could also use fresh) and a few chopped green onions for an extra dash of flavor – délicieux!