Father's Day Menu

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When it comes to Father's Day, everyone thinks of grilling meat in the backyard. I mean, what man doesn't like an open fire and some charred protein? But here is the catch: What if you really want to give your dad a break from cooking and make something that he doesn't have to cook for the family? That's what Bernadette calls a gift, and here is the just the menu for the job. This weekend, serve Dad up a real treat with a Summer Snap Pea and Spinach Salad, some Southern Shrimp and Okra Gumbo, and a slice of Sinfully Simple Summer Strawberry Pie! Most of the country is going to be looking at record heat or record rainfall this Father's Day, so stay inside and enjoy these dishes with your dad instead! Enjoy!

1. Summer Snap Pea and Spinach Salad

What you need for this dish:

  • For the salad:
    • 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach, stems removed
    • 2 cups fresh snap peas, strung and diced into bite-sized pieces but NOT shelled
    • 1/2 cup basil leaves, minced
    • 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, minced
    • 1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
    • 10-12 fresh scallions, diced
    • Croutons
    • 6-8 ounces of feta, drained
  • For the lemon vinaigrette:
    • The juice of 2 lemons
    • 5 T olive oil, divided in half
    • 1/2 T sea salt (we prefer Maldon)
    • 1/4 t fresh cracked pepper

Here is how you make it:

  • For the lemon vinaigrette:
    • Put the lemon juice in a salad bowl, preferably wooden.
    • Add the salt and lemon and stir to dissolve.
    • Add half the olive oil.
    • Whisk to mix thoroughly and taste.
    • This is the part where you get to choose how lemony your dressing tastes. If your lemons are very lemony, you may need to add the rest of the olive oil to reduce the acidity. If you like it with some lemon kick, then add less of the olive oil and enjoy the zing! Bernadette isn't a fan of too much lemon, so she puts in the full 5 T of olive oil, but you're the chef here!
  • For the salad:
    • Toss the spinach leaves, snap peas, scallions, and herbs together in the bowl with the lemon vinaigrette.
    • Once coated thoroughly, crumble the feta into the bowl.
    • Add the croutons.
    • Toss the salad again, being careful not to break down the feta too much in the process.  

2. Southern Shrimp and Okra Gumbo


What you need for this dish:
  • 1 pound of fresh okra, with caps and tips cut off, sliced crosswise into 1/2" wide rings
  • 1 ham steak, rind removed, cut into cubes
  • 1 pound of smoked andouille sausage, sliced crosswise into 1/2" wide rings
  • 4 strips of bacon, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 dozen cooked shrimp, deveined and tails removed
  • 3 large onions, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 ear of corn, shaved off the cob
  • 12-15 medium ripe tomatoes (or 28-34 ounces of canned diced tomatoes and juice), grated
  • 2 jalapenos, sliced lengthwise, with seeds and ribs removed
  • 12 ounces chicken stock
  • 1-2 T butter
  • 2 T vegetable oil
  • 1-3 T Gagi's S'Umami™ Hot Pepper Vinegar Sauce (see blog for the recipe!), or hot vinegar
  • salt and pepper

Here is how you make it:
  • Begin by browning your bacon in 2 T of vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
  • When the bacon is approximately half-way done, add in the sliced andouille sausage and allow to brown along with the bacon.
  • Remove the bacon and sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pot.
  • Put the sliced okra into the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently. Okra is a very unique vegetable in that it produces a slimy coating as it cooks. Some people like this element of okra and do not "clear" the okra by cooking it until the slime is reduced. If that's your preference, more power to you. Bernadette is not a fan of the slime, and she prefers to cook the okra until it is as slime-free as possible but not overdone.
 
  • Once the okra is cooked to your preference, add the diced onion to the pot and cook until the onion is softened but not translucent.

  • This is the point when you add the grated tomatoes. If you have never grated a tomato, it's not that hard and it is an excellent way to get fresh tomato juice and meat without slicing and dicing all day. Here is how you do it:
    • Put a box grater in a large silver bowl.
    • Cut the stem off the tomato and slice off the top of the tomato to remove a bit of the core and expose the meat
    • Now, place that side of the tomato against the grater and grate just like you would cheese.
    • The skin will slowly peel back away from the grater holes as the juice and meat drain into the bowl.
    • When you reach the end of the tomato, discard the remaining part.

  • Stir tomatoes into the onion and okra, then add the jalapeno and stir to mix. These jalapeno slices can be removed at the end of cooking before serving, left in whole, or diced up and returned to the dish if you want some extra spice!
  • Add the chicken stock by ounces until you reach the desired thickness for your taste and preference.
  • Add the bacon and sausage back into the pot now, along with the diced ham and stir well to mix.
  • At this point, you may want to add more chicken stock in addition to the recommended 9 ounces if necessary.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add 1-2 T of butter and 1-3 T of Gagi's S'Umami™ Hot Pepper Vinegar Sauce to taste.
  • Allow to simmer lightly for 10-15 minutes.
  • Now, add the corn and the shrimp and stir to mix all the ingredients well.

  • Allow to simmer lightly for another 10-15 minutes or until corn and shrimp are heated and tender.
  • DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL! Never allow tomato-based dishes to boil as this increases the acidity of the sauce and will possibly cause heartburn later for you and your guests.
  • Serve over warm, fresh buttered rice with a little of the juice on top for extra flavor.


3. Sinfully Simple Summer Strawberry Pie

What you need for this dish:

  • 1 baked pie crust, cooled
  • 2 cups of fresh strawberries, cut in half
  • 2 1/2 T cornstarch
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 small 3 oz. box of Strawberry Jell-O
Here is how you make it:
  • Wash your strawberries thoroughly to remove any sand or dirt.
  • Slice the strawberries in half (if there are some really small ones, you can leave them whole).
  • Layer the sliced strawberries into the cooled pie crust.
  • In a medium sauce pan, bring the water to a light simmer and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve.
  • Now slowly add the cornstarch, whisking constantly to avoid clumping.
  • The sauce will begin to thick as you add the cornstarch.
  • Once all the cornstarch is added, increase the heat to a boil and continue whisking as the sauce thickens--about five minutes.
  • When the sauce adheres to the whisk and does not drip from the whisk when you lift it out of the sauce, remove the pan from the heat.
  • Add the Jell-O to the sauce and stir to dissolve.
  • Allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes or until you can comfortably sample the sauce with your fingertip.
  • Now pour the sauce over the strawberries in the pie crust.
  • Carefully place the pie in the fridge and allow it to set for 2-3 hours.
  • Serve with whipped cream or ice cream--your choice!
We wish all the fathers out there a fantastic Father's Day this year and hopefully some time out of the kitchen and away from the grill. For Bernadette, that's the best kind of gift anyone can give and after all, she does know best! Happy Father's Day!

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