Recipes That Keep You Cool

It’s summertime--and the living should be easy. So should the entertaining. Here are a few cool recipes to make your parties especially tasty. The food can all be eaten with your fingers; the drinks are all slightly frivolous and entirely festive.

Everybody likes watermelon--and this dish makes a good thing even better. If you hollow out the watermelon to make a bowl, and then serve the marinated cubes in the shell, you’ll have a truly spectacular presentation.

WATERMELON SALAD

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon, well-chilled

1/2 medium onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup raspberry and/or blueberry vinegar

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Lettuce

Combine watermelon, onion and basil in large bowl. Toss until well-mixed. Pour vinegar over watermelon mixture, toss gently to combine mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on lettuce. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

SAUSAGE IN MINI BUNS

3/4 pound lamb, cut in chunks

1 ounce pork, cut in chunks

1 ounce pork fat, cut in chunks

4 dates, pitted and cut up

Salt

2 1/2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk

1/4 cup sauteed chopped onion

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Mousse

11 oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped

1 tablespoon minced oregano

1 tablespoon minced thyme

1 1/2 tablespoons sauteed diced sweet red pepper

1 tablespoon minced parsley

2 teaspoons black pepper

Dijon mustard

Mini Buns

Fresh basil leaves

Grind lamb, pork, pork fat, dates, 1 teaspoon salt, nonfat milk powder, sauteed onion and cumin in meat grinder or food processor. Combine lamb mixture, Mousse and olives, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, oregano, thyme, red pepper, parsley and black pepper. Mix lightly but thoroughly by hand.

Shape mixture into 1-inch patties. Grill on lightly oiled stove top grill or heavy skillet, about 7 minutes on each side. Spread mustard on each Mini Bun and fill with basil leaf and sausage. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Variation:

Shape Mini Buns in oblong shapes and bake as directed. Fill with any sausage desired, cut in strips to fit buns.

Mousse

3 ounces pork, cut in chunks

3 ounces pork fat, cut in chunks

2 ounces ice cubes

Grind pork and pork fat in meat grinder or food processor, adding ice steadily. Do not overmix. Process to cohesive, almost sticky texture.

Mini Buns

1 (1-pound 9-ounce) package frozen Parkerhouse-style rolls, thawed

Cornmeal

1 egg, lightly beaten

Shape unbaked rolls into small round buns. Sprinkle cornmeal on greased baking sheet. Place shaped buns on sheet and brush tops with beaten egg. Let rise in warm place until almost doubled. Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 15 minutes.

Bored with pate? Tired of tacos? Try this tasty variation, which combines the best of both worlds.

MOLLETES

1/4 cup bacon drippings or lard

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 serrano chile, minced

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained

Salt, pepper

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices, buttered and toasted

1 1/2 cups shredded Manchego or Jack cheese

Bottled or homemade tomato salsa

Minced cilantro

Heat bacon drippings in skillet. Add and saute onion, garlic and serrano chile until tender. Add beans and mash until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread beans on toasted bread slices. Sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler just until cheese melts. Garnish with dollop of salsa and sprinkle of cilantro. Makes about 3 dozen.

If you’re looking for something quick and delicious to serve your guests, consider these modern morsels. A new take on the canape, they are the perfect finger-food.

TURKEY-LETTUCE ROLL-UPS

12 to 15 thin slices smoked turkey

1 package garlic-flavored Boursin cheese

Soft lettuce leaves

Pistachio nuts

Spread each turkey slice with cheese. Sprinkle with pistachios as desired. Place small lettuce leaf on top and roll up. Cut in half and secure each with wood pick. Makes about 6 servings.

No drink has ever been a more beautiful color than this one. And few have ever tasted as delicious. Bet you can’t drink just one.

MANGO-RITA

1/2 cup dark rum

2 tablespoons triple sec

Juice of 2 large limes

Flesh of 1 ripe mango

Ice cubes

Combine rum, triple sec, lime juice and mango in blender container. Fill blender with ice and process until ice is completely crushed. Makes about 4 cups.

This is a really refreshing new twist on the Bloody Mary. You can, of course, add liquor if you like.

TOMATO-BASIL DRINK

1 tomato

Salt, pepper

1 teaspoon minced basil

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Hot pepper sauce

Puree tomato. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in basil, lime juice, dill and hot pepper sauce to taste. Chill well before serving. Makes about 1 cup.

For the Californian in all of us, this is a healthy and delicious drink.

HONEYDEW-YOGURT SLUSH

2 cups cubed ripe honeydew

1 (4.4-ounce) carton light peach yogurt

10 ice cubes

Sugar

Combine honeydew, peach yogurt and ice cubes in blender container. Blend until slushy. Add sugar to taste. Makes 2 servings.

The surprise in this drink is the slight bite of chile, a refreshing touch in a slightly sweet drink.

TROPICAL CHILE CHILL

1 cup pineapple chunks

2 cups cubed honeydew

10 ice cubes

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chopped jalapeno chile

Sugar

Combine pineapple, honeydew, ice cubes and chile in blender container. Blend until slushy. Add sugar to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Even if you closed your eyes when somebody handed you the glass and then took a sip, you’d instantly know what the color of this drink was. It has just about the greenest flavor of any drink you’ve ever tried.

FIRE AND ICE

1 cucumber, partially peeled

1 small green or yellow pepper

Juice of 2 large limes

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 mint leaves

1/2 cup water

1/8 to 1/4 jalapeno chile, sliced

16 ice cubes

Combine cucumber, green pepper, lime juice, salt, mint, water and chile in blender container. Blend until smooth. Add ice and blend until ice is crushed. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

Think pink. Think sweet. Think refreshing.

BERRY FIZZ

1 pint ripe strawberries, hulled

1 pint raspberry sorbet

Club soda

Combine strawberries and sorbet in blender container. Blend until smooth. Place ice cubes in 4 chilled glasses. Pour over berry mixture and add enough club soda to fizz. Stir and serve. Makes 4 servings.

This makes the most beautiful drink you can imagine--deep lavender in color--with a taste that is seductively surprising.

PURPLE FIG SHAKE

10 overripe figs, stems removed

2 tablespoons water

1 cup milk

1 cup vanilla ice cream

10 ice cubes

Sugar, optional

Puree figs with water in blender until smooth. Add milk, vanilla ice cream, ice cubes and blend until smooth and frothy. Depending on sweetness of figs, add sugar to taste if necessary. Makes about 4 cups.

Like peaches? Tired of Bellinis? Try this delicious drink.

PEACH MARGARITA

6 ounces tequila

3 ounces triple sec

Juice of 2 limes

2 ripe peaches

Ice cubes

Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice and peaches in blender container. Fill with ice and blend until ice is completely crushed. Makes about 4 cups.

Styled by Donna Deane and Minnie Bernardino