Recipes for your Summer BBQs

Let’s say you don’t have all day to prepare for your party, but you hope to enjoy time with your guests during a casual cocktail hour. Ideally, you’ll be outside, instead of in a hot kitchen. Your friends can hang out with you while you grill bread (to go with tomato salad and goat cheese) or vegetables, and help you keep an eye on the bamboo-skewered shrimp to make sure they’re not burning. That way, you don’t have to miss out on the conversation while the appetizers are flowing. These are recipes for quick grilling, so get one batch grilled at the beginning, then take a break; you can cook more when the second round of drinks is poured. After the grilled appetizers, you can take the party elsewhere for the rest of the evening—even if it’s just indoors where the mosquitoes can’t get you.

When relaxing is your ultimate goal, serving chilled appetizers is another way to achieve it. These internationally-inspired bites require a bit of planning ahead, but once you’ve done that, they’re no sweat at all. In the event that you’ll be rushing home from work, or meeting guests at the station or dock, chilled appetizers are the way to go. They allow you to prep in stages and keep the food in your refrigerator, perhaps even in serving dishes; pulling them out just as the party starts.

Of course, a little bit of “grill it” and a little bit of “chill it” together is a brilliant solution to summer entertaining; that way, while you’re busy at the grill, there are also chilled bites at the ready. No matter which route you take, remember your mantra for summer gatherings—grill it or chill it!

The Recipes:

Grilled Shrimp and Bacon with Lemons

Grilled Bread and Chiles with Burrata

Lamb Kebabs with Herbed Yogurt

Grilled Peas with Toasted Coconut

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon

Ceviche with Avocado, Tomato, and Cilantro

Lemony White-Bean Hummus