Despite the rainy weather, I’ve been trying to eat outside whenever possible now that it’s summer. Like many city dwellers, I have a tiny patio that holds a grill and not much more, but that doesn’t stop me from dining al fresco! There are so many great ways to take dining outdoors in the summer time, as many of our current class offerings demonstrate.
Last weekend, I worked a class that really inspired me to bring my dining experiences outside. The recipes in our Al Fresco Dining class are very approachable, and their simplicity gives us time in class to discuss and practice important techniques. We talked about blanching, marinating with different oils and vinegars, grilling vegetables, and other fundamentals of simple al fresco dining. Additionally, we discussed how to put together a menu that can easily be timed and served outdoors. The menu consisted of Classic Antipasti, Grilled Truffle Mushrooms, Shrimp Scampi, and Profiteroles with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce.
I love this Classic Cold Antipasto recipe because it is so flexible. You can play around with the types of veggies you use, and it could easily be transported to a picnic in the park or a potluck cookout. Adding some salumi, cheese, and crusty bread makes this into a meal of its own, and it’s also a fresh and colorful side dish to go along with your grilled meat or fresh seafood.
Classic Cold Antipasto
Yield: 4 servings as an appetizer
Active time: 25 minutes
Start to finish: 2 hours, 25 minutes (includes marinating time)
For the antipasto:
2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
2 carrots, peeled and cut into batons
For the marinade:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon parsley, rough chopped
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.
2. Blanch the vegetables, separately, until crisp yet tender. Shock in a bowl of ice water. Drain well and transfer to a bowl.
3. To make the marinade, whisk together the garlic, oregano and red wine vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking rapidly to create a temporary emulsion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette and marinate, covered and refrigerated, for at least 2 hours but up to overnight.
5. Before serving, let the vegetables sit at room temperature for 1 hour, toss with the fresh parsley and serve.
