There’s no better way to celebrate the summer than with a great family feast. In her latest cookbook, “Barefoot Contessa Family Style,” cookbook author and host of “Barefoot Contessa” on the Food Network, Ina Garten, shares easy ideas and recipes that will make everyone feel like family. She shares some of her secrets on “Today.” Check out the recipes below.
THE MENU
-Tzatziki & Pita
-Grilled Lamb Chops
-Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
-Summer Pudding with Rum Whipped Cream
THE RECIPES:
TZATZIKI & PITAIna Garten
Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Grate the cucumber and toss it with 2 tablespoons salt; place it in another sieve and set it over another bowl. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain.
Transfer the thickened yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumbers as you can and add the cucumbers to the yogurt. Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend.
91236806048960485plain yogurt4cup4 cups plain yogurt, whole milk or low-fatcucumbers22 hothouse cucumbers, unpeeled and seededkosher salt2tablespoon2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher saltsour cream1cup1 cup sour cream vinegar 2tablespoon2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegarlemon juice0.25cup1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)olive oil2tablespoon2 tablespoons good olive oilgarlic 2clove1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)dill1tablespoon1 tablespoon minced fresh dillpepper0.25teaspoon1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
GRILLED LAMB CHOPSIna Garten
Serves 4 to 6
Lay the chops in one layer on a platter and sprinkle them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the grill and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until cooked, but very rare. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
91236806057560674lamb2rack2 racks of lamb, cut into ribletsKosher saltKosher saltblack pepperFreshly ground black pepperPrepare a charcoal grill with one layer of hot coals.
ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES Ina Garten
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.
Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.
91236806057560492eggplant11 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch dicedred bell pepper11 red bell pepper, 1-inch dicedyellow bell pepper11 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch dicedred onion11 red onion, peeled and 1-inch dicedgarlic 2clove2 garlic cloves, mincedolive oil0.3333333333333333cup1/3 cup good olive oilkosher salt1.5teaspoon1 1/2 teaspoons kosher saltblack pepper0.5teaspoon1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperorzo0.5pound1/2 pound orzolemon juice 0.3333333333333333cup1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)olive oil0.3333333333333333cup1/3 cup good olive oilkosher salt1teaspoon1 teaspoon kosher salt black pepper0.5teaspoon1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperscallions44 scallions, minced (white and green parts)pignolis, toasted0.25cup1/4 cuppignolis, toastedfeta0.75pound3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)basil leaves1515 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
SUMMER PUDDING WITH RUM WHIPPED CREAM Ina Garten
Combine the strawberries, sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the raspberries and all the blueberries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer, and simmer for a minute. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise.
Slice the bread in 1/2-inch-thick slices and remove the crusts. In the bottom of a 7 1/2-inch round by 3-inch high souffle or baking dish, ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooked berry mixture. Arrange slices of bread in a pattern (this will become the top when it’s unmolded) and then add more berry mixture to saturate. Continue adding bread, cutting it to fit the mold, and berries. Finish with bread and cooked berries, using all of the fruit and syrup.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap loosely over the pudding. Find a plate approximately the same diameter as the inside of the mold and place it on top. Weight the mold with a heavy can and refrigerate. Remove the weight after 6 to 8 hours. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, run a knife around the outside of the pudding and unmold it upside down onto a serving plate. Serve in wedges with rum whipped cream.
RUM WHIPPED CREAM:
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla, and rum. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Serve Cold.
Cream that is not ultra-pasteurized will whip better.
91236806049182743strawberries1pint1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and slicedsugar1.5cup1 1/2 cups sugarraspberries33 half-pints fresh raspberries, dividedblueberries22 half-pints fresh blueberriesframboise 2tablespoon2 tablespoons framboise (raspberry brandy)brioche 1loaf1 loaf brioche or egg bread (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)heavy cream1cup1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy creamsugar3tablespoon3 tablespoons sugarpure vanilla extract0.5teaspoon1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extractdark rum1tablespoon1 tablespoon dark rum
Recipes provided by Ina Garten. Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Ina Garten.