Even though it is nearly winter in many parts of the world, picnics can still be a fun way to discover and celebrate the outdoors. The following article was contributed by a fellow food lover and blogger by the name of Chen and he shares with us a few great picnic ideas that look particularly scrumptious and who doesn’t love smoke salmon any time of year?
Two Unique Picnic Ideas
by Chen
No matter what time of year it may be, a picnic is always a lovely treat for you and your family. You can prepare a large variety of dishes and have your picnic at a large variety of places, and can enjoy each others company no matter what the circumstances. A big part of a successful picnic is the food that is being served, and deciding what to prepare can be a pain – especially when you are choosing between meats. Finding picnic food ideas for meat can be tricky, but rest assured, this article will show you the way. Below are recipes for two picnic meat dishes that you can prepare that promise to be a bit less common than your typical hamburger or hotdog.
Picnic Food Ideas for Meat: Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
When we think of dishes at a picnic, salmon probably does not immediately come to mind. But believe it or not, salmon makes a great picnic food. These smoked salmon sandwiches are delicious and a welcome divergence from the usual hamburgers and hotdogs. You will need the following (serves 4):
- 8 pieces of ciabatta bread
- 8-10 ounces of smoked salmon
- ½ cup of honey
- ½ cup of balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- Cracked black pepper
- Arugula or other leafy green lettuce
- Melted butter
To make these sandwiches, first prepare the glaze. Mix the honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. Then, include a pinch of cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside briefly. Take your salmon and cover both sides in the glaze. Let sit for a few minutes. While you do this, take your ciabatta bread and spread melted butter on the insides. Then, slice the salmon into strips, place the salmon between the bread, and add the arugula.
Picnic Food Ideas for Meat: Grilled Kielbasa
Kielbasa, the delicious Polish sausage that is known for its rich and sometimes spicy taste, makes a great picnic meat, especially when grilled. This recipe gives you a great option for your kielbasa. You will need:
- 1 pound of smoked kielbasa
- 1 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of horseradish
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- Pita bread
- 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
- Melted butter
First, take the olive oil, mustard, honey, and horseradish and mix well together in a bowl to make a sauce. Lightly spread melted butter onto your pita bread and set aside. Then, take your kielbasa and cut it in half, and then lengthwise. You can cut it crosswise into four sections if you want smaller portions. Set aside. Take your bread and lightly grill it so that it is slightly crisp yet still capable of being rolled. Then, grill your kielbasa for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, turning over at around the 2 minute mark. Spread your sauce on the pita, place the kielbasa on the pita, and roll the bread. You can sear the outside on the grill for 30 seconds if you want; just make sure you get all of the bread.
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Chen has even more great picnic ideas at his blog: Picnic Food Ideas – check them out they’re great!
