Cooking Together for the 4th of July
Shopping List
Produce
3 large Heirloom tomatoes (look for a mix of colors like red, yellow, or purple)
4–5 ears Fresh sweet corn
1 large English cucumber
1 small Yellow bell pepper
1 small Shallot
1 head Garlic (need at least 7 cloves total)
1.5 lbs Small baby potatoes (Yukon Gold or red-skinned)
3 pints Fresh blueberries (1 cup for salad, 2 cups for dessert)
1 bunch Fresh basil
1 bunch Fresh rosemary
1 bunch Fresh thyme
1 bunch Fresh chives or cilantro
3–4 Fresh limes (for zest and juice)
1 bunch Fresh mint (drink garnish)
Meat & Seafood
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz Fresh lump crab meat
Dairy & Refrigerated
8 oz Fresh mozzarella cheese (large ball or mini bocconcini/perline)
2 cups Heavy cream
1 cup Whole milk
Baking & Pantry Staples
2 bags of hibiscus tea
1 packet Unflavored powdered gelatin
Vanilla bean paste
Granulated sugar or honey
Cornstarch
High-quality extra virgin olive oil
Champagne vinegar
Aged balsamic glaze (thick/syrupy style)
Ground cumin
Sea salt (flaky salt like Maldon is great for the salad)
Coarse sea salt & black peppercorns
Optional: Old Bay seasoning (for the crab)
Optional: Neutral cooking oil (to lightly grease dessert molds)
Beverages & Ice
Club soda or sparkling water
Lemon-lime soda OR Ginger ale
1 bag Crushed ice
Timeline for Preparation
1:00 - 1:30 PM
Start the lemon-vanilla panna cotta first. Bloom the gelatin, heat the cream mixture, and stir to dissolve.
While the cream heats, boil 1 cup of water and steep the hibiscus flowers for the Firecracker Press.
Add the gelatin and lemon juice to the cream, let it cool slightly (use an ice bath if you want to keep vanilla specks suspended), pour into molds, and pop them in the fridge. Strain the hibiscus tea, mix in the simple syrup, and refrigerate.
1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Prep the corn, cucumber, yellow pepper, shallot, and garlic. Throw them into the blender with the oil, vinegar, lime juice, and spices. Blend for 2 minutes, strain into a bowl, and place it in the fridge to chill thoroughly for the next 4 hours.
4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Whisk the lemon-herb marinade together and toss the chicken in a bag to marinate in the fridge.
Quickly toss the lump crab meat with the lime zest, herbs, and a pinch of salt. Put it right back into the fridge.
Simmer the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice for 5 to 7 minutes on the stove. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, let it thicken for 1 minute, then remove from heat to cool completely.
4:45 PM – 5:15 PM
Put the baby potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender, drain, and let them steam dry.
While the potatoes boil, slice the room-temperature heirloom tomatoes and arrange them on the serving platter with the mozzarella, blueberries, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Do not add oil or balsamic yet. Leave the platter on the counter.
Turn the oven to 425°F and pull the chicken out of the fridge to take the chill off before grilling.
5:15 PM – 6:00 PM
Smash the potatoes on a baking sheet, toss with oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Pop them into the hot oven to roast for 25 to 30 minutes.
Fire up your grill to medium-high. At around 5:30 PM, put the chicken on. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side until it hits 165°F. Move to a cutting board to rest.
5:45 PM – 6:00 PM
Pack glasses with crushed ice, build the clear base, and float the cooled hibiscus tea on top. Garnish with mint.
Ladle the ice-cold gazpacho into bowls, top with a mound of the seasoned crab meat, and drizzle with olive oil.
Right before sitting down, add the olive oil and aged balsamic glaze zigzags to the Caprese salad.
The Beverage
Sparkling hibiscus and lime “Firecracker” Press
Ingredients
3-4 oz brewed hibiscus tea, completely cooled
1 oz lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
3 oz sparkling water
3 oz lemon-lime soda or ginger ale
Fresh lime wheels and mint sprigs for garnish
Plenty of crushed ice
Directions
Steep 2 tablespoons of dried hibiscus flowers (or 2 tea bags) in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain, stir in your sweetener while it's warm so it dissolves seamlessly, and chill completely.
Fill a tall highball glass to the brim with crushed ice. Pour in the fresh lime juice, sparkling water, and citrus soda/ginger ale. Give just the bottom a quick stir to combine the fizzy elements.
Slowly pour 3 to 4 ounces of the sweetened, chilled hibiscus tea directly over the top of the ice.
Garnish with a fresh lime wheel on the rim and a slapped sprig of mint to release the aromatic oils. Serve immediately with a straw.
By pouring the dense, sweetened hibiscus tea carefully over the crushed ice at the very end, it will slowly cascade and bleed down into the clear, bubbly lime base, creating a beautiful, fiery gradient right before you stir and sip.
The Starter
Chilled crab and sweet corn gazpacho
Ingredients
4-5 ears fresh sweet corn cut from the cob
1 large English cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small shallot, chopped)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Cold water (only if needed to thin the texture)
8 oz fresh lump crab meat
1 tbsp fresh chives or cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp lime zest
A tiny pinch of sea salt or Old Bay seasoning
Directions
In a high-powered blender, combine the raw corn kernels, chopped cucumber, yellow bell pepper, shallot, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, cumin, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Blend on high for 2 full minutes until completely smooth and emulsified.
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing with the back of a ladle to extract all the liquid. Discard the remaining fibrous solids.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (ideally 4 hours). Gazpacho needs to be ice-cold for the flavors to fully marry and for the refreshing summer qualities to shine.
While the soup chills, gently toss the lump crab meat in a small bowl with the lime zest, chopped herbs, and a tiny pinch of salt or seasoning. Keep this chilled until the moment of serving.
Ladle the ice-cold corn soup into shallow bowls. Mound a generous spoonful of the seasoned crab meat right in the center. Garnish with the reserved raw corn kernels, a few thin slices of jalapeño if you like a little kick, and a final drizzle of good olive oil.
The Salad
Heirloom tomato, blueberry, and basil caprese salad
Ingredients
3 large Heirloom tomatoes (sliced into wedges or thick rounds—use a mix of colors like Cherokee Purple, yellow, and red for contrast)
1 cup blueberries
8 oz mozzarella cheese (either a large ball sliced, or mini bocconcini / perline balls cut in half)
1 large bunch fresh basil leaves, kept whole if small, or torn
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tbsp aged balsamic glaze
Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
Slice your heirloom tomatoes into bite-sized wedges or rounds and arrange them across a wide, shallow serving platter. Tuck the fresh mozzarella slices or halves evenly between the tomato pieces.
Tip: Never refrigerate your tomatoes before making this; room temperature preserves their texture and aromatic flavor.
Generously scatter the fresh blueberries into the gaps over the platter. Tuck a plentiful amount of fresh basil leaves throughout the salad so every bite gets a hint of herb.
Sprinkle a good pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper across the entire platter. The salt will draw out the rich juices of the tomatoes.
Right before taking the platter to the table, zigzag your finest extra virgin olive oil over the top, followed by a beautiful drizzle of the sweet aged balsamic glaze.
The Main Course
Grilled lemon-herb chicken breasts with rosemary smashed potatoes
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to an even 1/2-inch thickness)
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1.5 lbs small baby potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil (or melted butter)
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp coarse sea salt& fresh black pepper
Directions
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl or zip-top bag. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temp for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the fridge.
Place the baby potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a fork easily slides all the way through them. Drain thoroughly and let them steam-dry for 5 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Arrange the dry potatoes on a large, oiled baking sheet. Use the flat bottom of a glass, a mug, or a potato masher to gently press down on each potato until it flattens but stays mostly in one piece. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then scatter the minced garlic, fresh rosemary, coarse sea salt, and pepper evenly over the tops.
Pop the potatoes into the oven. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the edges are incredibly crispy and deep golden brown. While they roast, preheat your outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat.
Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, turning only once. They are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to keep the juices locked in. Serve the juicy chicken alongside a pile of the hot, crispy rosemary smashed potatoes.
Dessert
Chilled lemon-vanilla panna cotta with fresh blueberry compote
Ingredients
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbsp Unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp lemon zest (finely grated)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups blueberries
2 Tbsp Sugar or honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water (optional, for a thicker syrup)
Directions
Pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder evenly over the top. Let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. It will absorb the water and become a thick, spongy paste.
In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, lemon zest, and the vanilla bean seeds and pod (or paste). Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is hot and steaming—but do not let it boil.
Remove the pan from the heat. Fish out and discard the vanilla bean pod. Add the bloomed gelatin and the 1 tbsp of lemon juice, whisking vigorously for a full minute until the gelatin completely dissolves into the warm cream.
Divide the liquid evenly among 4 to 6 ramekins, wine glasses, or small dessert molds. If you plan to unmold them later, lightly oil the ramekins first with a neutral oil. Place them on a tray, cover loosely, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until completely set with a slight wiggle.
While the panna cotta sets, make the compote. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar/honey, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the berries burst and release their juices. Stir in the cornstarch slurry if you prefer a glossy, thicker sauce, simmer for 1 more minute, then remove from heat to cool.
Vanilla bean specks and lemon zest love to sink to the bottom of the molds while chilling. To get an even distribution throughout your panna cotta, let the warm cream mixture cool down to room temperature in an ice bath (stirring occasionally) until it thickens just slightly before pouring it into your serving dishes.