What's at the top of your summer entertaining checklist? The perfect party playlist? A few pitchers of your favorite drink? We'll go ahead and assume that good food is pretty high up there, which is why we enlisted the help of a hosting pro for some staples. This morning, Elena Besser stopped by TODAY to share seasonal dishes that will take your spread to the next level.
A refreshing salad is a must to balance out meaty mains, and Besser's green goddess recipe fits the bill. Toss crunchy romaine, grilled chicken and crispy chickpeas together with the creamy homemade dressing and we guarantee you'll be asking for seconds. Now back to those meaty mains, Besser is sharing the secret to fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs — and it actually doesn't even require a grill. Cook them low and slow in an oven, then brush with sticky date barbecue sauce.
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Elena Besser's summer entertaining recipes
This recipe is my mission to take people that don’t love green goddess dressing and convert them into green goddess lovers! Growing up, I wasn’t a fan of green goddess dressing, but ever since going to Cozy Royale, a restaurant in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, my perspective has completely changed.
I always get so excited when summer comes around because it is peak ribs season! The irony is, you don’t need to have a grill to make the most amazing ribs at home. My favorite technique is to cook them low and slow in an oven until they are insanely tender and falling off the bone.
More recipes to make this week
No grill is necessary to fire up a round of patties either. Besser's smash burgers can be cooked inside on a skillet, then wrapped in lettuce to be served protein-style. And no cookout is complete without a couple of summery sides — we suggest Besser's sweet corn mac and cheese and Italian potato salad.
You’ve probably seen smash burgers on restaurant menus before, but how are they really different from your typical burger? The answer is right there in the name — a smash burger is made from ground beef that is pressed on a hot pan or flat-top into a thin patty with a spatula or a cast iron press, giving it a crunchy crust.
The natural starchiness of sweet corn sets up the base of the sauce, without the need to use milk and create a bechamel. After adding in two kinds of cheese, extra-sharp cheddar and nutty Parmesan, the pasta is topped with crispy bacon and fresh chives for an unbeatable summer dinner.
Potato salad and pasta salad are classic staples that can be served at any time of day with just about any protein. Plus, like a fine wine, it just gets better with age. So, make it up to a day in advance and store in the fridge before serving.
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