Father’s Day often marks the kick-off of summer and time for grill outs with family and friends. To help celebrate the dads in our lives and welcome the grilling season, we asked Lauren Lane Culinarian to share some of her favorite summer entertaining recipes. So commandeer the grill for the day and give Dad a seat of honor to enjoy this fresh summer feast.
Hummus with Toppings
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
Your favorite store-bought hummus, or make one of Lauren's favorites: Lauren-Lane.com
Topping Options:
1 small zucchini or a few radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 handful watercress or microgreens
Additional topping ideas:
fresh basil
crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or capers
INSTRUCTIONS
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Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl. Using your spoon, make a few swirls on the top.
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In a medium bowl, toss toppings together. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
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Drizzle hummus with olive oil and top with the dressed toppings. Serve with pita chips and/or crisp veggies for dipping.
Grilled Corn Salad
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 ears corn, grilled and cut from the cob
1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
1/4 cup fresh feta or goat cheese, crumbled
3 sprigs basil, leaves removed and torn
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Black pepper, to taste
Jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place husked or unhusked corn on the grill and cook for about 10-15 minutes, turning often, until charred. Let cool before scraping kernels from the cob. (Tip: If you don’t plan to husk the corn before grilling, soak the ears in the husk in water for better moisture retention and to reduce fire risk.)
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Place grilled corn kernels into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
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Taste, and re-season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste.
Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Sauce
1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro (optional)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Steak
1 ½-2 pounds flank steak, or steak of choice.
INSTRUCTIONS
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Make sauce: Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
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Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Sear steak for 6-8 minutes on each side until heavily browned on the outside and slightly pink in the middle.
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Thinly slice steak across the grain and top with Chimichurri sauce.
All recipes by Lauren Lane Culinarian. For more recipes, go to Lauren-Lane.com or visit her on Instagram: @Lauren_Lane_Culinarian.