Memorial Day Recipes

Memorial Day weekend officially marks the beginning of the summer holiday season in the Hamptons making it a great time to prepare and enjoy those summer favorite recipes. Whether you’re hosting the whole gang or bringing a dish to the party, this roundup of some of my favorite Memorial Day Recipes will make your holiday weekend memorable.

To start, it’s always great to have a signature drink to keep things festive and simple. The Tuscan Fresco Cocktail is light and fruity with a bubbly finish that will put you in a summery mood.

Tuscan Fresco Cocktail Ingredients

2 rosemary sprigs

1 ounce peach nectar

1 ounce white cranberry juice

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

1/2 ounce Simple Syrup

1 ounce chilled Champagne or Prosecco

Tuscan Fresco Cocktail Instructions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, 1 rosemary sprig, and all ingredients, except for the champagne or Prosecco.

Shake well

Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass

Top off with champagne or Prosecco and a light stir. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

Toast and enjoy!

Dress up your cheese and charcuterie board with this melted cheese with strawberry thyme balsamic

Soft Cheese with Strawberry Thyme Balsamic Ingredients

1 small wheel of soft cheese—I used Castelbelbo, Brie cheese would another great option.

1 cup of fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and halved

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black cracked pepper

3 sprigs of thyme (1 to cook with strawberry balsamic. From 2 pick the leaves and use for topping)

Crackers, crusty bread for serving

Soft Cheese with Strawberry Thyme Balsamic Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place cheese wheel into an oven safe ramekin. I prepared this recipe for 2 so I only used a wedge of the cheese wheel. Use as much as needed for serving.

Place ramekin in the oven for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on the cheese and remove once it is soft and bubbling

Place a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add honey to the pan and allow to bubble. Next add your strawberries, thyme sprig, salt, pepper, and balsamic. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Spoon your strawberry thyme balsamic over top of the cheese. Sprinkle thyme leaves over the strawberries and cheese. Place on serving board with crusty bread or crackers.

A great guacamole is always a starter hit at any summer gathering. You’ll want to double up on this recipe for spicy guacamole.

Spicy Guacamole Ingredients

(3 servings)

1 Avocado

1/2  jalapeño (or 1 whole depending on the level of spice you like), diced

2 Tablespoons yellow onion, thinly diced

2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Spicy Guacamole Instructions

Halve the avocado and carefully remove the pit. Scoop the insides into a small mixing bowl.

Add cilantro, onions, jalapeño, lime juice and salt to the bowl.

Using a whisk or fork break the avocado down while combining all the ingredients

You can mash into a chunky or smooth dip and then place in serving bowl and enjoy with chips, tacos, fajitas or any of the above listed ways!

A great salad is an important part of any Memorial Day meal and there’s no better way to savor the taste of summer than with this watermelon and feta salad.

Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe (2 servings)

4 cups watermelon, cubed

1 small cucumber, cut into small cubes

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2.5 ounces feta cheese, cubed

6 leaves basil, chiffonade

4 leaves mint, chiffonade

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Watermelon Feta Salad Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Another great summer ingredient is off the vine heirloom tomatoes. One of my most requested summer salads is this Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Salad.

Heirloom Tomato + Mozzarella Salad Recipe

Four Heirloom Tomatoes (I like using different colors because it adds a little variety to the flavor and makes it visually more stunning)

One ball of mozarella (go as fresh as possible! Seek out the place that's known for it in your area)

6 leaves Chiffonade Basil 

Top with Sorrel Micro Greens Mix

Salt 

Pepper

Vinaigrette Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

salt

pepper

1/3 cup olive oil 

A lot of you are excited to get that grill going and firing up some classic burgers. This is definitely one of my son’s most requested dinner and this recipe for the Best burger will be a hit Memorial Day weekend.

The Best Burger Ingredients

4 servings

4 Potato Buns (I prefer Martin’s potato buns)

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 ripe tomato, sliced into rounds and seasoned with salt and pepper

6-8 romaine lettuce leaves, cut into shreds

4 large slices of cheese (I used Monterrey Jack cheese but use whatever cheese you prefer, it’s a matter of choice!)

mayonnaise and sriracha sauce, mix two parts mayonnaise to one part sriracha

1/2 pound ground beef chuck

1/2 pound ground short rib

salt and pepper

The Best Burger Instructions

Prepare your grill. I used a combination of wood fire and charcoals. Get your coals hot 30 minutes to to an hour in advance of cooking the burgers.

Combine your ground chuck and short rib. Using your hands, form the meat into patties, leaving some air pockets to absorb the juices and maintain the flavor when you grill the beef patties.

Generously salt and pepper (use black cracked pepper) the beef patties on both sides.

Place the beef patties on a grill over the fire. While cooking on the first side, turn the burger patty to get nice grill marks and to evenly cook the burger patty. Flip the burger patty, turn, and keep on the flame until cooked through. Add your cheese directly onto the burger patty.

Remove burger patties from heat onto a clean platter.

Use the broiler setting on your oven to lightly toast your burger buns.

Spread the melted butter on both sides of your burger buns

Spread mayonnaise and sriracha sauce on both sides of the bun.

Add the burger patty, tomato and lettuce

Voilà ! You have the best burger.

When you’re serving up burgers, you’ve gotta have the perfect steak fries!

Perfect Steak Fries Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes, evenly sized

3 cups vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons kosher salt to season water + more to season the completed steak fries

Perfect Steak Fries Preparation

Scrub and rinse potatoes well

Cut potatoes into sixths, once in half then placing the flat side down on the cutting board cut each side into three length pieces at a 45 degree angle. To achieve this cut wedge at 45 degree angle and then turn potato 180 degrees and repeat.

Immediately after cutting, place potatoes into a large pot with cold water (enough water to fully cover the potatoes). Place pot over high heat. Add 3 Tablespoons salt to water.

Bring water to a boil and then immediately reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally to separate the potatoes. Be careful to avoid breaking any of your potato wedges. Cook until a paring knife can easily pierce potato (approximately 6-10 minutes depending on the size of your potato).

Gently drain potato wedges into a colander being careful to not break any of the wedges

On a sheet tray fitted with a wire rack, lay the potatoes out to dry. Place in refrigerator until completely cool (approximately 15 minutes)

In a wide shallow pot add oil. Heat oil to 375 degrees (use kitchen thermometer)

Gently add potatoes. If potatoes are entirely submerged in oil cook until golden brown. If they are not, flip to cook each side to golden brown (approximately 2-3 minutes per side).

Drain the steak fries on sheet tray fitted with a rack. Let rest for one minute. The first fry will build a skin around the potatoes.

Add steak fries back into hot oil and cook for about 2 minutes more. This second fry will make the skin crispy

Remove from oil onto tray with rack. Salt immediately.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

When you live in a seaside village, once summer rolls around, you can’t help but want to sink your teeth into some delicious crab cakes. Landlocked or seaside, my recipe for crab cake sandwiches will take you right into summer.

Crab Cake Sandwich Ingredients

serves 8

1 cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon paprika

2 Tablespoons avocado oil

2 Tablespoons butter

3/4 cup white onion, brunoised

1/2 cup red bell pepper, brunoised

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, brunoised

1/4 cup celery, brunoised

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pound lump crab meat

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1 teaspoon of old bay seasoning

2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Martin’s potato rolls

Toppings: sliced tomato rounds, lettuce leaf

Crab Cake Sandwich Instructions

In a sauté pan melt butter. Over medium high heat add onion, peppers, and celery. Sweat until glossy and soft.

Reduce heat to medium. Add salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, and old bay. Add heavy cream, cooking for about 1 minute until cream reduces by half.

Remove from heat. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, crab meat, basil, parsley, 1 cup of panko, reduced cream and sautéed vegetables. Mix ingredients until well incorporated.

Shape crab mixture into 2 ounce rounds. Lightly flatten each crab cake. Spread one cup of panko on a plate or baking sheet. Coat each crab cake to prepare for cooking.

In a sauté pan, avocado oil. Pan fry crab cakes until golden on 1 side. Turn and cook until golden brown.

Serve on potato bun with fresh tomato and lettuce

Kick up your chicken dish a notch with this sweet and sour tart fruity flavor of tamarind combined with soy and a hint of sweetness from the honey chicken recipe.

Soy Tamarind Chicken Ingredients

1 chicken, about 3 pounds, cut into 8 pieces bone-in, skin on (ask your butcher to do this for you)

1 Tablespoon tamarind paste

2½ Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoons fish sauce

3 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon sambal

1 lime, juice and grated zest

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 dozen cilantro sprigs, optional

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 jalapeño, sliced (leave seeds in if you want it spicy, remove seeds if you prefer it more mild)

Soy Tamarind Chicken Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, tamarind, fish sauce, sambal, honey, lime juice and lime zest, garlic, salt and pepper.

Place the chicken into the tamarind soy marinade. Make sure to coat each piece fully and well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate over night. Toss at least one time in between sitting and to be sure each piece is and remains well coated.

When chicken is ready, pre-heat the oven to 425°F.

Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil (this makes clean up easier). Place marinated chicken onto sheet tray, leaving space between each piece.

Bake chicken in oven.

While chicken is baking place remaining marinade into a pot. Over medium high het cook marinade, stirring occasionally. Reduce until it is a glaze like consistency.

After 20 minutes of cooking, rotate the sheet tray to cook chicken evenly. Then using a pastry brush, glaze the chicken with the marinade. Finishing cooking the chicken in the oven until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 35 minutes total) NOTE: If you need more color on the skin of your chicken you can broil t , but keep a close eye on the chicken while broiling to avoid the marinade burning.

Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken and sprinkle with fresh cilantro and jalapeño

Of course, you have to round off your Memorial Day meal with a fresh and light dessert! This blueberry lemon loaf has the fresh taste of summer and holds well whether you’re dining outdoors or in.

Blueberry Lemon Loaf Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

zest of 1 lemon

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 2/3 cup almond flour (I used Bob’s Redmill superfine almond flour)

Non-stick spray or butter to grease pan

Blueberry Lemon Loaf Icing Ingredients

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 Tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Blueberry Lemon Loaf Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Grease an 8 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or butter and set aside

In a medium mixing bowl beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl until it’s light and fluffy. Using a rubber spatula, scrap up the sides so that the butter and sugar incorporate evenly.

Add eggs one at a time making sure that each egg is evenly incorporated before adding the next. Use rubber spatula to scrap sides if necessary.

Add almond and vanilla extract.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking powder, and salt.

Incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients, beating on a low setting. Be careful to not over beat your mixture.

With rubber spatula, fold in 3/4 of the blueberries into the batter

Transfer batter into the loaf pan and scatter the remaining blueberries over the top

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cover pan with tin foil and rotate. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Using a cake tester or toothpick insert the center of the loaf. The tip should come out clean. The blueberries will remain moist but the cake should be fully cooked.

Remove loaf from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes or until you can handle removing cake from pan onto a serving platter, set aside

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together lemon juice and confectioners sugar (sift sugar if it is a little rocky/chunky). Texture should be thick enough to be spreadable. If you need to add more lemon juice do so drop by drop to avoid it becoming too runny.

Pour icing over the cake loaf and using a rubber spatula spread out.

Let cake set and then slice and serve!

Pie may be the most quintessential dessert for picnics, barbecues, and summer gatherings. This classic key lime pie with graham cracker crust is a fan favorite.

Classic Key Lime Pie Graham Cracker Crust

1 Tablespoon white sugar

1 and 3/4 cups Graham crackers

8 tablespoons of butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

Classic Key Lime Pie Filling

4 egg yolks

2 teaspoons key lime zest (if you cannot find key limes, regular lime is fine)

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice (you can use a key lime juice concentrate)

Classic Key Lime Pie Whip Cream

1 cup Heavy or Whipping Cream chilled

2 tablespoons Confectioners' Sugar

Classic Key Lime Pie Instructions

Begin with the graham cracker crust.

Preheat oven to 350F

Using a rubber spatula, combine graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar.

Melt the butter and using a fork, combine with the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.

Spray non-stick baking spray on 9” springform pan or fluted false bottom tart pan

Pour graham cracker mixture into the pan, pressing the mixture down evenly on the bottom and to the top of the sides. 

Bake for 8 minutes.

Set aside and cool.

With wire whisk attachment, use an electric mixer. Beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed for approximately 5 minutes (until fluffy).

Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat 3- 4 minutes (until it is thick).

Lower the mixer speed and slowly add lime juice, mixing until just combined, no longer.

Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack.

Use a hand mixer to whip the cream, adding the confectioners' sugar towards the end, mix until stiff.

When pie is cooled, using a rubber spatula spread the whip evenly across the top using an off set spatula to smooth it out.

Refrigerate at least two hours.

Slice and serve