Easy and Elegant Summer Supper plus Birthday Wishes!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Sometime you have to entertain, even in hot weather. You want to impress your friends, but the last thing you need is to slave away for hours (or when it's really hot, minutes) in the kitchen. You could get take-away, but that's the culinary equivalent of giving someone a gift still in the bag from the store, with receipt attached.

Recently, my friends Celia and Victor Wakefield had me over for a pre-concert dinner - we were going to see the second performance of the Portland Chamber Music Festival. We had shrimp, a green salad with vinaigrette, bread, and a perfect dessert of marinated strawberries with whipped cream and shortbread cookies. It felt very posh, and when Celia - who comments here! - told me she the whole thing took about 20 minutes of oven-free preparation, I was sold. You will be, too.

Celia Wakefield's Simple Shrimp for 4

1 1/2 lb pre-cooked frozen shrimp (yes, this actually works better with the less-expensive shrimp!)

Marinade:

Large clove of garlic, chopped

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp + Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning, or chili to taste 

Salt to taste 

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil.

Four hours or so before serving, place the frozen shrimp on the cookie sheet and spread out as much as possible.

Pour the dressing over the shrimp and mix, then cover with plastic wrap.

The shrimp can sit out if the weather isn’t too hot, or place in fridge.

Before serving put shrimp briefly under a broiler to warm.

Celia served the shrimp with bottled tartar sauce she had thinned with a dribble of water and cream (she's English...) and to which she added a shake of the Trader Joe's chili-lime mix.

Celia's Easier-Than-Strawberry-Shortcake

Strawberries

Brown sugar

Grand Marnier

Whipped cream (let's face it, homemade is best, and doesn't take too long)

Shortbread fingers straight out of the box

This is also best if started about 3-4 hours before the meal.  Sprinkle enough brown sugar to make a fine layer on a rimmed plate, then add enough Grand Marnier to create a shallow pool. 

 Slice the strawberries lengthwise and lay them cut-side down in the liquid. Cover and let rest out of the way on the counter. (If you need to keep them in the fridge, bring them up to room temperature before serving.)

You can serve it in individual bowls, or bring out the plate, the whipped cream, and the shortbread and let guests assemble for themselves.

I know many readers have been following along as I write about my kids growing, heading off to college, joining the navy and otherwise getting their start in the world. Today is a big day, because Youngest - Virginia - turns 18 and will be off to university in two weeks. Please join me in wishing her a Happy Birthday, and remind her that even though she's technically an adult, she should probably still listen to her mom.

End of Summer Pasta Salad

DEBORAH CROMBIE: My wine club (Winc, which used to be called Club W) selections come with a card that describes the wine on one side and has a paired recipe on the other. I look forward to the recipes almost as much as the wine, and have made quite a few delicious things.

The wine is usually good, too, and sometimes amazing. In this case, however, (a vegan chenin blanc) most of it ended up down the sink. Not the best choice! But the recipe was terrific, so good, in fact, that I think it's going to be one of my staples.

I had to tweak considerably, of course, so here's my version:

Vegan Pesto Pasta (a la Debs)

2 cups favorite pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
1 container Cherub tomatoes (to which I am ADDICTED)
1 box Portobello mushrooms, sliced
olive oil
1 package arugula
8 Tbs pesto 
3 tsps garlic, minced
2 lemons
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Bring water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Wash veggies. Halve tomatoes lengthwise, and thinly slice mushrooms. Zest and slice lemons. Heat drizzle of olive oil on medium low heat. Cook tomatoes and mushrooms, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Drain pasta, and add it to pan used for veggies. Add arugula, pesto, garlic, and a splash of lemon juice. Toss on medium low heat until pasta is covered. 

Serve with mushrooms and tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with lemon zest.

This was so good that I ate it for lunch several days in a row. I think the lemon zest is the kicker. So if you have an overload of cherry tomatoes, bon appetit!

REDS and readers, do you have any special "end of summer" recipes?