A Lemony Afternoon: Two Recipes

I don't know.

Maybe it's my imagination, but it feels like summer has arrived. The light is warm and lemony, glazing the distant mountains like icing on a pound cake. The air is sticky-hot, and it carries the fragrant smell of charcoal and fresh cut grass. To cool off, we enjoyed drinks and appetizers on the lawn.

Romaine-Prosciutto Wraps

Printable Recipe

serves 4

8 oz prosciutto

18 thin romaine leaves

1 t stone ground mustard

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

lemon wedges

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 teaspoons rice vinegar

salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

1/2 cup pancetta, fried and crumbled

1/2 bread crumbs

oregano

organic pansies

...

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make a lemon-garlic vinaigrette: whisk lemon juice, rice vinegar, oil, sugar, and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Fry and crumble pancetta and bacon. Set aside. Wash romaine leaves and pat dry. Salt and pepper each leaf, then drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic-lemon vinaigrette. Into each leaf, add bacon, pancetta, and bread crumbs. Wrap each leave with one strip of prosciutto. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, bacon-pancetta, and more bread crumbs. Garnish with lemon wedges, oregano, and organic pansies.

Place leaves on a baking pan. Bake 15 minutes. Drizzle the remainder of the vinaigrette over the wraps. Serve warm.

This appetizer is one of those weird things in the food world--

it looks odd and doesn't photography well, but it tastes ambrosial.

If you like grilled romaine and/or bacony-things, you'll love this recipe.

A cold, slightly tipsy drink is mandatory on a sticky-hot day.

Harder-than-Hard, Incredibly Light Lemonade

Printable Recipe

serves 1

2 cups sparkling water

3 packets Splenda

crushed ice

2 jiggers vodka

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

lemon slices

...

Mix water, Splenda, vodka, and lemon juice. Add ice and lemon slices.

Garnish with an edible flower.

Here's a peek at tomorrow's post for Tartan Day.