Picnic Time: Summer Favorites for the Perfect Herbal Picnic

By Lynn Alley

SUMMER PICNIC
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ICED HERB GAZPACHO
HERB FRIED CHICKEN
FRESH TARRAGON POTATO SALAD
CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT FUDGE

For this delightful picnic, we took advantage of one of summer’s best bounties: fresh herbs. Most of the herbs we used are easy to grow and fairly commonplace, so if you don’t grow your own, they should be easy to find.

Iced Herb Gazpacho

This healthy, easy summer recipe is best when it’s made from garden-fresh ingredients. Chill for at least an hour or two before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

6 large tomatoes
4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
1/2 cucumber
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
3 sprigs basil leaves
3 sprigs cilantro leaves
3 sprigs parsley leaves
Salt and pepper

In a food-processor bowl, roughly purée the tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, red pepper flakes, vinegar and oil. Add scallions and herbs, then pulse just until they’re chopped. (If you let the machine run, you’ll end up with a brownish mess.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

If possible, chill overnight before serving so the flavors can blend.

FRESH TARRAGON POTATO SALAD

Redolent with fresh garlic and tarragon, this unusual twist on a classic picnic favorite adds a touch of country French to an American picnic table. Substitute fresh dill or cilantro if you don’t like tarragon.

Serves 4 to 6

4 large russet potatoes
Apple cider vinegar
Garlic Mayo (recipe at right)
1/3 to 1/2 cup whole fresh tarragon leaves, stripped from stems
1 red onion or several chopped scallions
Salt and pepper

Cook and peel the potatoes. Dice them when they’re nearly cooled and douse them liberally with apple cider vinegar. Pouring on vinegar while the potatoes are still warm allows the vinegar to soak in.

Add Garlic Mayo, fresh tarragon and chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.

GARLIC MAYONNAISE

Making mayonnaise in a food processor, blender or with a handheld immersion blender is easy. Use it for potato salad, to top off grilled asparagus or as an artichoke dip. Once you’ve had homemade, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff. For a special ice-breaking activity at a dinner party, give each guest a glass of wine, these ingredients, and a mortar and pestle, and let them make the mayo by hand!

Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large egg
4 or more cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11/2 cups oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the vinegar, egg, pressed garlic and mustard in a food-processor bowl and turn it on. With the machine running, slowly pour the oil in a steady stream through the top.

Although it defies logic, the more oil you add, the thicker the mayo becomes. Season with salt and pepper.

HERB FRIED CHICKEN

Of all the fried chicken recipes I’ve encountered—and I make a point of tasting fried chicken at any opportunity—I like this one best. The flavor-packed crust has plenty of texture (from the oats and herbs) and colorful specks of green.

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon garlic powder (fresh garlic burns when fried)
1 tablespoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
6 to 8 sprigs fresh sage leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves
4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
5 to 6 sprigs fresh basil leaves
6 egg whites
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup beer
Canola oil for frying
1 whole frying chicken (cut up) or 2 to 3 pounds of tenders, drummettes or drumsticks (remove skin if desired)

In a food-processor bowl, combine flour, oats, garlic powder, salt, black and red pepper, and all herbs. Pulse just until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and herbs are in large, still-discernible chunks. (You want texture and color here.)

Place this breading mix in a gallon-size freezer bag and shake.

Using a handheld or conventional blender, beat the egg whites, mustard and beer until frothy. Pour the egg-white mixture into a shallow baking pan.

In a frying pan, heat an inch of canola or other vegetable oil until hot.

Working piece by piece, dip the chicken in the frothy egg-white mixture, then place it in the plastic bag and shake until thoroughly coated with breading. For an extra-thick crust, repeat the procedure.

Fry each piece until golden brown on all sides and until juices run clear when pierced with a fork. This should take about 15 to 17 minutes for whole pieces of chicken or 10 minutes for chicken tenders.

Drain on several thicknesses of paper towels. If you wish to make fried chicken the day before a picnic, drain it thoroughly on paper towels, then store it in the refrigerator on a clean layer of paper towels, covered only by a second layer of paper towels on top. This keeps it crispy, whereas covering the chicken with plastic wrap or foil makes it soggy.

CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT FUDGE

Peppermint is the only mint with enough oomph to stand up to chocolate. Use fresh-chopped peppermint leaves or, in a pinch, substitute store-bought peppermint extract. Making this in a small-capacity slow cooker is a foolproof way to melt the chocolate.

Serves 4 to 6

3 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter (1/2 stick)
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh peppermint leaves, chopped

In the crock of a small slow cooker, melt chocolate, butter and condensed milk on the low setting. Check and stir from time to time until all chocolate is melted and smooth.

Gently stir in walnuts and peppermint leaves. (The peppermint must be completely dry when you drop it into the chocolate.)

Pour the mix into a 9-by-9-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Place the pan in the refrigerator until hard, then remove and pull fudge out by tugging gently on aluminum foil. Invert fudge on a wooden cutting board or counter and gently peel off aluminum foil.

Using a 10-inch chef’s knife with a blade heated under hot running water, cut the fudge into squares. (You may wish to rinse the knife under hot running water several times.)