Recipes for July 4! 🇺🇸

I have you covered for the weekend.

Happy 4th of July!

Ahead of the weekend, I wanted to share some new recipes for the holiday. So whether you’re hosting a celebration or are laying low, I hope you’ll find some fun (and tasty) ideas here.

Enjoy!

Banh Mi-Inspired Hot Dogs

Nothing screams summer more than a hot dog. Whether it's one of those zhuzhed up dogs at a fancy restaurant or an original classic from the New York City street carts, a hot dog always hits the spot. I remember when I lived in Manhattan there was a restaurant walk-up window in Soho that I would go to that only served hot dogs. The entire menu was hot dogs with different interesting toppings. I recall my favorite one to order had kimchi and potato chips on it! Here’s my take on dressing up a hot dog and I took inspiration from one of my favorite sandwiches: The banh mi.

Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich typically found and served in casual settings: Food courts, stalls, and streets corners. Between two pieces of crunchy baguette, banh mi combines flavorful protein with crisp pickled vegetables and creamy spicy mayo. Yum!

This banh mi-inspired hot dog has pickled carrots, cilantro, mint, fresh red onions, and sliced jalapeños. A crispy, crackly crust on the hot dog is a must, too, whether it's done on a grill, cast iron skill, or nonstick pan. I hope you can share my joy of this sandwich at your next summer party!

Ingredients:

• Pickled carrots (use this recipe but with carrots)

• 4 hot dog buns

• 4 all-beef organic hot dogs

• 1 tsp oil

• ¼ red onion, sliced thinly

• 1 jalapeño, sliced

• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped

• ¼ bunch mint, chopped

• Mayonnaise to taste

• Sweet mustard to taste

Method:

1. Spread an even layer of butter on each side of the hot dog bun and toast over a low flame or in a toaster.

2. Slice hot dog down the middle, leaving it intact length-wise.

3. In another large nonstick skillet over medium heat, place the hot dogs slice-face down and cook until crispy with 1 tsp oil until crispy, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Assemble your hot dog: Spread a thin layer of spicy mayonnaise or sweet mustard on the bun. Layer pickled carrots over the crispy dog followed by red onion and jalapeño slices. Add cilantro and mint. Enjoy!

Esquite-Inspired Corn Salad

I look forward to corn every summer. Its flavor is simultaneously sweet and subtle, and its texture is creamy and crunchy. Unadulterated corn is a dream: I typically go by the “less is more” adage for summer produce. But every once in a while, it’s important to dress up ingredients and give them new life.

A couple of summers ago, I shared my Greener Goddess Corn Avocado Salad, which used a delicious dressing to marry creamy avocado with sweet corn. This time, I’m giving corn a Mexican-inspired twist: Esquite! Esquites are a popular Mexican street food. Imagine charred, golden corn kernels studded with salty cotija cheese bits, spicy chili-flecked sour cream (or mayonnaise or even Greek yogurt), and sour lime juice. Whenever I see esquites on the menu, I instinctively go for them because it is such a wonderful palette popper.

Here, I cut the kernels off the cob and toss them with some olive oil in a pan until nutty and charred . I take them out of the pan then mix in the cheese, scallions, chili flakes, and lime juice. You can serve this warm or chilled, whatever works with your meal prep. If you have an outdoor grill, you can char the ears first before cutting the kernels off. A wonderfully versatile salad that highlights summer’s bounty!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds corn (about 3-4 ears of corn)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• ½ cup sour cream or mayonnaise

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• ½ red onion, diced

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 oz cotija cheese, crumbled

• 1 jalapeño, sliced

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 bunches of scallions, sliced on a bias

Method:

1. In a big mixing bowl, cut the corn kernels off.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over a medium flame until shimmering. Add minced garlic and corn, letting the corn sit for 6-8 minutes undisturbed so it can char. Stir and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the other side is slightly charred. Remove from heat.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix the sour cream or mayonnaise with cayenne. Add warm corn mixture and half of red onions and cherry tomatoes. Mix until just combined.

4. Add the remaining onions and tomatoes. This ensures that their fresh flavor is intact.

5. Sprinkle cotija cheese and jalapeño slices. Add lime juice. Garnish with scallions. Enjoy!

What are you cooking (or eating) this weekend?

Live, Learn, Lovewell

✌️Emma