Picnic spots are chosen for ambience. Throwing down a blanket beside water with wonderful views and nearby trees for shade makes casual picnics special.
You should select foods that transport well and are prepared in advance. But keep it simple. Take hydrating beverages like water, iced tea or lemonade.
Use a good quality cooler or insulated bag. Line the bottom with frozen bottles of water. Then start by adding the heaviest items first. Items that do not need to be refrigerated, like potato chips, can go on top. Beverages and ice for beverages are best in a separate cooler.
Avoid waste by taking reusable cups, plates and cutlery. Set the food up in a shaded spot.
Not all picnics have to be planned and packed at home. Often hotels and restaurants near a park or waterfront will have a “ready to go” offering when you are travelling this summer.
The River Café on Prince’s Island in Calgary offers picnic baskets. I recently enjoyed a Sunday afternoon gourmet Lunch on the Lawn at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C.
Swiss Chard Galette
- 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling 310 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 2 tbsp. chopped nuts, such as walnuts, pecans or almonds 30 mL
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 mL
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 125 mL, 1.25 cm
- 3 – 4 tbsp. ice water 45 – 60 mL
For the filling:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil 15 mL
- 1 large leek white and light green parts, sliced
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp. aged balsamicvinegar 15 mL
- salt and black pepper
For the galette:
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 15 mL
- 1/4 c. Gruyere cheese 60 mL
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Add flour, salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse twice to mix. Add butter and pulse until the largest pieces of butter are about the size of large peas. Then add chopped nuts and ice water, pulsing once or twice after each addition until the dough just barely begins to hold together.
Empty the crumbly dough mixture from the food processor on to a clean, dry surface. Gather the mixture into a mound and form into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate for one hour or up to two days.
Add oil to a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add leeks and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add Swiss chard and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for another two to three minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool completely and discard any excess liquid in the pan before moving on to the next step.
Heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Remove dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for five to 10 minutes to soften and make rolling out easier.
Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch (30 cm) circle about 1/8 of an inch (.3 cm) thick. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard in the centre of the dough, leaving about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) around the edge. Top with Gruyere and then with vegetable mixture. Fold up the edges of the dough to form a crust. Brush the crust lightly with beaten egg and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check the bottom of the crust to make sure it has cooked and is firm before removing from the oven. Let cool slightly and cut into wedges to serve.
The dough and filling can be made in advance, but don’t assemble it until just before baking.
Coleslaw Dressing
This recipe will make enough dressing for about eight cups (2 L) of coleslaw salad mix.
- scant 3/4 c. mayonnaise 175 mL
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 30 mL
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 15 mL
- 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup 15 mL
- 3/4 tsp. celery seeds 3 mL
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt 1 mL
- Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, celery seeds, salt and several grinds of fresh pepper.
Tomato Salad with Chile Crisp Vinaigrette
This is best if the tomatoes are prepared but add the dressing immediately before serving. Transport the dressing in a jar with a tight lid.
- 1/4 c. soy sauce 60 mL
- 1 tsp. sesame oil 5 mL
- 1 tbsp. crispy chile sauce 15 mL
- About 6 c. variety of tomatoes 1.5 L
Stir ingredients together and drizzle over prepared tomatoes.
Soft-Baked White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 175 mL
- 3/4 c. packed light or dark brown sugar 175 mL
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar 60 mL
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp. pure vanillaextract 10 mL
- 2 c. all-purpose flour 500 mL
- 2 tsp. cornstarch 10 mL
- 1 tsp. baking soda 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 3/4 c. white chocolate chips 175 mL
- 1 c. dried cranberries 250 mL
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about two minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be soft and thick. Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and mix on low speed until combined. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to three to four days. Chilling prevents the cookies from over-spreading.
Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough chilled longer than three to four hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This makes the firm cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
As the oven preheats, scoop and roll dough, about one and a half tablespoons (22 mL) of dough each, into balls. The dough may be slightly crumbly, but will come together as you work it with your hands. Arrange dough balls three inches (7.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. The centres will still look soft. If cookies didn’t spread much, lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter a couple times while the cookies are still warm. They will flatten.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about two dozen. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to one week.
Curry Chicken Salad
- 1/4 c. low-fatsour cream 60 mL
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise 30 mL
- 1 tsp. lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoonsjuice 5 mL, 30 mL
- 1 tbsp. curry powder 15 mL
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 green onions,thinly sliced
- 1/4 c. fresh cilantro,chopped 60 mL
- 1/2 c. golden raisins 125 mL
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless,skinless cooked chicken breast 750 g
Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest, juice and curry powder in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add green onions, cilantro, raisins and chicken. Toss to combine.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and avid supporter of local food producers. She has been a market vendor, grew up on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan and is a member of TEAM Resources.
