Now is the time to eat outside every chance you get. Here are a few sturdy and filling salad and dessert ideas that won't turn to gross mush in the hot sun and are easy to make and pack for alfresco dining. Just bring a bottle of chilled white wine to make sure you don’t melt, either.
Quick-Pickled Cucumber-Melon Salad
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Time is the real draw here: the cucumbers in this salad only need about 15 quick minutes to pickle. Add some sweet melon and a bit of salty prosciutto, and you’ve got yourself a portable picnic side in less than 20 minutes — giving you more time to spend outside, on a blanket.
Serves 4-6
4 Kirby cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thin
3 cups sweet melon, cubed
2 tablespoons plus two teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
black pepper, to taste
2 slices high-quality prosciutto, cut into thin ribbons
In a bowl, mix together the cucumbers and melon. Sprinkle over with the sugar and salt. The salad will begin to expel liquid almost immediately. Let sit 10-20 minutes and drain well. Return to the fridge until ready to pack.
Before your picnic, drain the salad again and remove to a serving bowl. Add a grind of black pepper and sprinkle over the prosciutto. Spoon into bowls or eat straight from the serving dish with your fingers, trying to keep the cucumber-melon juice off your chin.
Summer Farro Salad
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In-season tomatoes and briny kalamatas star in this summery side. Nutty farro is sturdy enough to stand up to the heat of your summer picnic, and red onion and parsley that keep the dish from feeling heavy.
