The summer solstice is right around the corner. It’s time for backyard parties, beach bbqs and picnics by the lake. Now is the perfect time for quick cured meats, cheeses and pickles. These foods travel well, can be eaten cold and go great with bread and crackers. Think you don’t have time to make these foods yourself? There is a whole world of quick charcuterie, fresh cheeses and refrigerator pickles just waiting to be made! Here are my top ten:
Gravadlax with Sweet Mustard Dill Mayonnaise
Leites Culinaria
A great way to cure salmon, it only takes 24 hours to cure in the fridge and no cooking is required. Also a classic dish for the solstice.
This fresh cream cheese is a snap. It sits on the counter top for a day, is drained, then is combined with fresh radish and dill.
Quick Bread & Butter Pickles
Andrew Zimmern
A classic pickle recipe, these pickles go right into refrigerator where they last for weeks.
Irish Farmer’s Cheese
Farmette
This quick and lovely cheese is made on the stove top, strained and pressed. Viola! Serve with salt and olive oil.
Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes
Cookie + Kate
Be still my heart! Pickled radishes are the best for summer. Crisp, sharp, spicy, sweet – they go with sandwiches beautifully. I like buttered rye bread layered with these babies.
Sichuan Canadian Bacon
One tomato, two tomato
The pork cures a few days in the fridge and then can be smoked or baked. Eat it chilled and sliced thin, perfect with Asian noodles or on a Vietnamese sandwich.
Spicy Pickled Rainbow Swiss Chard Stems
Amanda Paa
Yes, you heard it correctly. Pickled rainbow chard stems are quick and delicious. Imagine the colors on the plate at your next BBQ!
Paté Campagne
Mrs. Wheelbarrow
Paté is the quintessential summer charcuterie. While prep on this may take a bit longer than the other projects, the result is chilled and ready to travel. Serve with mustard and crusty bread. Now I’m hungry.
Asian-Flavored Pickled Duck Eggs
Tammy Kimbler on Mother Earth News
Eggs are fantastic pickled! They can be eaten plain, chopped into salads or made into divine deviled eggs. And they get better the longer they sit in the refridgerator.
Labneh
David Lebovitz
Nothing could be simpler than Labneh, a cheese made by straining yogurt overnight in the fridge. You don’t even have to make the yogurt if you don’t want to. Strain yogurt, add whatever seasonings, herbs and veggies you like and you eat it. Done. Delicious.
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