July menus: flag-waving picnic … steak and corn - recipes

Sunset, July, 1984

Casual meals that adjust to a relaxed pace suit July days. The practically of so much delicious produce in peak supply also influences this month's menus.

For the Glorious Fourth, corn takes center stage at a patio barbecue. An old-fashioned, crusted dumpling enclosing a sweet, ripe peach is featured at a family brunch. Tucked into a hollowed-out round loaf of French bread, a portable, Italian-flavored herb-and-vegetable frittata travels easily to a picnic.

All-American salute

Pile pieces of corn in a hot, steaming mound. Choose from assorted flavored butters to spread on each coblet. Grill a thick steak on the barbecue, then thinly slice it; the butters can act as a sauce.

This menu serves 6; for 12, simply cook more steak, double the salad recipe, and increase the amounts of corn and butters. Grilled Beef Steak Coblets of Corn Flavored Butters: Sesame, Bacon, Dill, Blue Cheese, Chili, Caper Napa Cabbage Slaw Vanilla Ice Cream Strawberries and Olallieberries

To develop flavors, it's best to prepare the butters the day before. Store in the refrigerator, but let butters come to room temperature so they will be soft when served. You can also start the salad ahead.

After you ignite the charcoal for the steak, heat water for the corn. When steak is just ready to come off the grill, cook the corn. Meanwhile, rinse and sweeten berries for dessert and mix the slaw with the dressing. Ice cream can be purchased or homemade; serve big scoops topped with berries for dessert. Grilled Beef Steak

Choose a 2-inch-thick tender steak such as boneless top sirloin or top round (also called London broil), allowing at least 1/3 pound meat per person.

About 6 inches above a solid bed of hot charcoal briquets, grill steak until well browned and a thermometer inserted in center registers 140[deg.] for rare (about 15 minutes per side), or done to your liking. Cut meat across grain into thin, slanting slices; season portions with flavored butter (recipes follow) and salt and pepper. Coblets of Corn

Husk 12 ears of corn. With a sharp knife and mallet, cut ears into 2-inch pieces; tap knife with mallet to force through cob. Rinse corn.

To cook, bring 5 quarts water to a rolling boil in an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat. Add corn bring to a rolling boil. Drain, or with tongs transfer to a deep 4- to 5-quart dish. Serve at once with flavored butters (recipes follow). Flavored Butters

For 6 servings, make at least 2 or 3 flavored butters; if you want to make more, they keep well.

To make each flavor, beat 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) room-temperature butter or margarine until fluffy. Add seasonings (choices follow) and beat until blended. For best flavor, cover and chill butters at least overnight; or store as long as 1 week in the efrigerator. Serve at room temperature. Seasonings:

Sesame. Stir 1/4 cup sesame seed in a 7- to 9-inch frying pan over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add to butter as directed. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Bacon. Cook 1/2 pound bacon in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat until brown and crisp. Let bacon drain, then crumble and add to butter as directed. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Dill. Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill to butter as directed. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Blue cheese. Mix 1/4 cup (2 oz.) crumbled blue cheese with butter as directed. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Chili. Mix 1/4 cup drained canned diced green chilies with butter as directed. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Caper. Add 2 tablespoons drained capers to butter as directed. Makes about 2/3 cup. Napa Cabbage Slaw 1/2 cup slivered almonds 6 cups (about 2 lbs.) coarsely shredded napa cabbage 1 cup each thinly sliced radishes and sliced green onion 1 cup fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves 4 to 6 ounces Chinese pea pods, ends and strings removed, cut in slivers Soy cream dressing (recipe follows)

toast almonds in a 9-inch square pan in a 350[deg.] oven until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

In a 4- to 6-quart serving bowl, combine cabbage, radishes, green onion, coriander, and pea pods. If made ahead, cover and chill as long as overnight.

To serve, pour soy dressing over cabbage mixture; mix gently. Makes 6 servings.

Soy cream dressing. Stir together 3 tablespoons each white wine vinegar and sugar until sugar dissolves. Mix in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 clove minced or pressed garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each sesame oil (optional) and cayenne. Gradually add vinegar mixture to 1 cup mayonnaise, stirring until blended. Use, or cover and chill up to overnight.

Summer brunch

Let the temperature of the day determine the temperature of the meal. Peaches in Pastry Blankets Vanilla Yogurt sliced Cooked Ham Hot or Cold Spiced Tea

Bake the peaches the night before or in the morning. Top pastry with yogurt or serve alongside. Serve ham hot or cold. Peaches in Pastry Blankets 3 large ripe peaches 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice Pastry blankets (recipe follows) Chutney filling (recipe follows) 6 walnut halves, optional 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water Ginger syrup (recipe follows)