Barbecue season beckons with tasty meals

Regardless what you feature on your grill — be it fish, chicken, ribs or simple burgers , barbecuing veggies along with the entrée is both practical and delectable. Our illustration offers onion, eggplant, yellow squash and surprise bacon for a savory fillip. Veggies of your choice can be substituted, dipped in batter or simply brushed with butter or oil, offering full meal satisfaction.

The usual go-with is a crispy tossed salad for probably the most satisfying eating of the year. Today we offer several salad choices, beginning with a simple platter of fresh tomatoes (hit the Farmer’s Market for big ripe beauties) — perhaps layered with mozzarella slices. Drizzle with lemon-olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar, or opt for a tangy vinaigrette. Here’s how.

Mixed Tomato Platter

6-8 large, perfectly ripe beefsteak-type tomatoes — red, purple, yellow, etc.

Slices of fresh mozzarella (optional)

Garnish: Your choice of fresh basil leaves, rosemary or thyme sprigs, parsley, snipped chives and blossoms

Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil or mint

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a bowl whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, wine and basil or mint to combine. Slowly whisk in the oil, whisking continuously till dressing is thoroughly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste, refrigerate.

At serving time, wash and slice room temperature tomatoes fairly thickly, about 1/3-inch. Arrange attractively to show off colors and drizzle vinaigrette over all. Garnish with fresh herbs.

The vinaigrette also works well with our following fruit and spinach salad.

Fresh fruit is a welcome addition to green salads, and while the next recipe spotlights strawberries, you can consider a handful of blackberries, huckleberries, peaches and even watermelon cubes as substitutions.

Fruity Spinach Salad

In large bowl combine 1 pound spinach leaves, stemmed, well-washed, cut to your preference

3 or 4 green onions w/tops, chopped

2 cups (1 pint) perfect strawberries, rinsed, halved or quartered

1 orange, peeled, sectioned, cut into bite-size pieces

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or cashews

Cover and chill in refrigerator; drizzle with dressing at serving time.

Heavenly Strawberry Torte

1 yellow or white cake mix or your own recipe for 2-layer cake

3 cups ripe strawberries, cleaned

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup cane sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon real butter

1 pint real whipping cream

Bake two layers of cake and allow to cool. Process or mash 2 cups of the strawberries for filling. Slice remaining cup attractively lengthwise, cover and refrigerate.

Prepare filling: Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt in pan, then add 1 cup of mashed strawberries and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring and cooking till thickened and clear. Remove from heat, stir to cool slightly then stir in the butter and 1 cup of the remaining mashed strawberries. Fold and stir till well mixed and chill for 1 hour. When berry mixture is chilled through, stir in the lemon juice. Return to fridge till well thickened.

Whip the entire pint of cream in a large, deep, chilled bowl till fairly stiff. Do not add sugar or vanilla. Stir in mashed strawberry mixture, folding with a large spoon to mix completely.

Using a good cake or bread knife, slice each cooled cake layer through horizontally to give you four layers. Place one piece on a cake plate, smooth side down (crumb side up) and top with 1/4 of the whipped mixture. Repeat with second and third layers. Place final fourth layer with smooth side up.

Spread with remaining topping and arrange last cup of sliced fresh strawberries atop in rows or circles as you desire. Serve with pride.

This beautiful dessert is a dazzler — tasting as lovely as it looks.

Strawberries With Meringue Cloud

2 Tbs. finely chopped walnuts*

6 cups full-ripe strawberries, hulled, halved

1/4 cup orange liqueur OR pure orange juice

8 Tbs. pure cane granulated sugar (or to taste)

3 large egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 Tb. powdered sugar

Lightly toast chopped nuts in oven. Remove and set oven to 500F. Meanwhile, place strawberries in a large bowl and mix with liqueur and 2 Tbs. granulated sugar (or to taste). Pour into a 10-inch shallow non-stick frypan or 2-quart oval casserole dish.

In a large bowl combine egg whites and cream of tartar, beating with an electric hand-held mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 Tbs. granulated sugar; continue to beat until whites hold stiff moist peaks. Mound meringue evenly over center of strawberries as shown, sprinkle with nuts*; sift powdered sugar evenly over meringue, Bake in center of oven until meringue is golden — about 4 minutes . Serve at once to gasps of disbelief.

• You may use toasted pine-nuts or slivered almonds, and feature other berries as you desire. Pass a dish of ground candied ginger for optional sprinkling if you wish.

Have a safe and Happy Fourth!

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com. or by phone at 208-265-4688 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.