Dining In: Summer casual

With Fourth of July festivities upon us, we thought it would be fun to do a traditional summertime menu—but with a twist and a bit of sophistication.

For starters, in place of traditional cheeseburgers, we created a unique entree of Grilled Buffalo Sliders with Smoked Cheddar. Buffalo is a little leaner than beef, though it has a wonderful meatiness to it. It is juicy and tender and a delicious alternative to the ordinary burger. It’s also widely available today, at least at most higher-end grocers and Whole Foods Market. Smoked cheddar helps to make these burgers incredibly decadent and adds to the grilled flavor of the meat.

The Creole Aioli we’ve made to accompany the burger is simple to prepare and worth the extra effort because of the added depth and complexity it gives to the flavor of the sliders.

The Grilled Corn Chow Chow is another delicious condiment that also pairs well with other meats, sausages or hot dogs. This versatile summertime favorite features tangy vinegar, green tomatoes and peppers along with the grilled corn to elevate the buffalo to a gourmet level without a whole lot of effort. We suggest grilling fresh corn, though Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s carry fire-roasted corn in bags in their freezer sections, which works well in this recipe and will save you a little prep time.

For dessert: What could be more appropriate on the Fourth of July than making your own ice cream? It is an event that people of all ages can enjoy throughout the entire process. Gelatos are not whipped quite as much as ice cream, and they are traditionally served at a slightly warmer temperature. This recipe is for a basic sweet cream gelato made in a standard ice cream maker, but we have suggestions for adding flavors to it as well. It’s the perfect way to cool down a hot July meal!