Easy and Elegant Summer Supper plus Birthday Wishes!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Sometime you have to entertain, even in hot weather. You want to impress your friends, but the last thing you need is to slave away for hours (or when it's really hot, minutes) in the kitchen. You could get take-away, but that's the culinary equivalent of giving someone a gift still in the bag from the store, with receipt attached.

Recently, my friends Celia and Victor Wakefield had me over for a pre-concert dinner - we were going to see the second performance of the Portland Chamber Music Festival. We had shrimp, a green salad with vinaigrette, bread, and a perfect dessert of marinated strawberries with whipped cream and shortbread cookies. It felt very posh, and when Celia - who comments here! - told me she the whole thing took about 20 minutes of oven-free preparation, I was sold. You will be, too.

Celia Wakefield's Simple Shrimp for 4

1 1/2 lb pre-cooked frozen shrimp (yes, this actually works better with the less-expensive shrimp!)

Marinade:

Large clove of garlic, chopped

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp + Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning, or chili to taste 

Salt to taste 

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil.

Four hours or so before serving, place the frozen shrimp on the cookie sheet and spread out as much as possible.

Pour the dressing over the shrimp and mix, then cover with plastic wrap.

The shrimp can sit out if the weather isn’t too hot, or place in fridge.

Before serving put shrimp briefly under a broiler to warm.

Celia served the shrimp with bottled tartar sauce she had thinned with a dribble of water and cream (she's English...) and to which she added a shake of the Trader Joe's chili-lime mix.

Celia's Easier-Than-Strawberry-Shortcake

Strawberries

Brown sugar

Grand Marnier

Whipped cream (let's face it, homemade is best, and doesn't take too long)

Shortbread fingers straight out of the box

This is also best if started about 3-4 hours before the meal.  Sprinkle enough brown sugar to make a fine layer on a rimmed plate, then add enough Grand Marnier to create a shallow pool. 

 Slice the strawberries lengthwise and lay them cut-side down in the liquid. Cover and let rest out of the way on the counter. (If you need to keep them in the fridge, bring them up to room temperature before serving.)

You can serve it in individual bowls, or bring out the plate, the whipped cream, and the shortbread and let guests assemble for themselves.

I know many readers have been following along as I write about my kids growing, heading off to college, joining the navy and otherwise getting their start in the world. Today is a big day, because Youngest - Virginia - turns 18 and will be off to university in two weeks. Please join me in wishing her a Happy Birthday, and remind her that even though she's technically an adult, she should probably still listen to her mom.