Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Simple, salty, savoury snacks you can nibble with your fingers have always paired well with cold drinks, encouraging barstool socializing. The same is true when friends pop over at home, the cottage or a campground.
A bag of potato chips – opened up and loaded with creamy, briny and umami-rich toppings so that it resembles a cross between nachos and a charcuterie board – has become one of the snack trends of the summer, perfect for packing and assembling at parks, beaches and campsites.
Beets and eggs can be pickled together for a bright, cold, sweet-salty-briny snack you can stash in the fridge or cooler. And ultra thin-crust bar-style pizzas are quick to pull together using flour tortillas – they take just a few minutes on the stovetop, in a cast iron skillet on the barbecue, or over an open fire.
Chip Charcuterie
Start with sturdy chips and top them any way you like, aiming for a variety of contrasting flavours and textures. Below are some common accoutrements.
- 1 bag sturdy kettle-style chips (plain won’t overwhelm the toppings)
- thinly sliced prosciutto
- soft cheese, such as Brie or goat
- chopped roasted peppers or peperoncini
- freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese or crumbled blue cheese
- honey, hot honey or warmed fig jam or other cheese-friendly jelly
- chopped fresh chives, parsley, cilantro or other fresh herbs
Slice the chip bag lengthwise along the front to open it up. Spread out the chips and drape with prosciutto, drop over pieces of soft Brie or goat cheese and roasted peppers or peperoncini, grate or shave some Parmesan overtop and drizzle with honey or warmed jelly. Scatter with fresh herbs, if you like.
Pickled Beets and Eggs
There’s no need to stick to specific quantities; pickle as many or as few eggs and beets as you like, sticking to a 1:2:4 ratio of sugar: water: vinegar for the brine, plus some salt and pickling spice. The bright pink pickled eggs are also divine for devilling.
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled
- 2-3 beets, trimmed and roasted or boiled
Brine:
- 1 cup white or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water (or beet cooking water)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pickling spice or a handful of fresh dill (optional)
- 1/4 purple onion, thinly sliced (optional)
In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the pickling spice, if you like. Peel the eggs and place them in a large jar (or a few jars), layering with beets and onion, add a handful of dill, if you like, and pour the brine overtop. Let them pickle for at least a few hours, or refrigerate overnight. Cut the eggs in half to serve.
Bar-style Pizza
These thin-crust pizzas cook quickly, without the mess of fresh dough. For something different, try assembling them on frozen parathas, flipping them once golden on the bottom before topping.
- canola, olive or other vegetable oil, for cooking
- flour tortillas (as many as you want pizzas)
- tomato sauce or pesto
- grated mozzarella
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- toppings of your choice – sliced mushrooms, pepperoni, peppers, olives, etc.
Have all your ingredients ready before you start – these cook quickly.
Set a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop, and turn on the broiler. (Alternatively, heat up your skillet on the barbecue or over an open fire.) Drizzle with oil and lay in a flour tortilla. Spread with sauce, going right to the edges. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and Parmesan and whatever toppings you like.
By now the bottom should be golden and crisp; slide the pan into the oven, under the broiler, for a minute or two, just to melt the cheese. Alternatively, close the lid of the barbecue or move the skillet away from the hottest part of the fire and cover with a piece of foil until the cheese melts. Slide out onto a cutting board and slice into wedges to serve.
