Nutritious (And Delicious!) Fourth of July Recipes From Chef Soa Davies

Happy Fourth of July! ...Almost. We're gonna go ahead and guess that store-bought red, white and blue sugar cookies might already be in your cupboard. Cheeseburger patties and hot dogs in the freezer, perhaps? Don't worry--you wouldn't be the only one.

Summer BBQs can be slippery slopes. Chef Soa Davies from New York's famed Le Bernadin restaurant passed on some recipes to help give our classic cookout menus a little variety. Impress your friends with a gourmet spread and add these to the mix. Thank you, Soa!

+ Romaine and Vegetable Salad with Toasted Sesame Vinaigrette
6 servings (Per Serving: 95 calories, 2 grams total fat)

+ Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
pinch of red chili flakes (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

In a mixing bowl, combine vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce and chili flakes; whisking constantly, drizzle in both oils until fully incorporated. Season to taste with pepper. The vinaigrette can be made the day before and kept refrigerated.

+ Salad:
1 small head romaine lettuce, washed and trimmed
6 medium red radishes, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine all of the lettuce and vegetables; toss with 6 tablespoons of sesame vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Garnish the top of salad with toasted sesame seeds.

+ Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill on Zucchini Fettuccini
6 servings (Per Serving: 230 calories, 10 grams total fat)

+ Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill:
6 (6 ounce) salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 lemons, cut in half
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare a grill.
Season the fish evenly with salt and pepper, and brush each of the salmon fillets with vegetable oil; sprinkle the dill over the salmon and let marinate while the grill is getting hot. When the grill is hot, place the salmon fillets over the coals and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn the fish and continue cooking another 3 minutes until the fish starts to look opaque. Test the doneness by inserting a metal skewer into the fish and hold for 5 seconds; remove the skewer from the salmon; the skewer should be just barely warm when touched to the bottom of your lip. Remove the salmon from the grill and serve on a bed of zucchini fettuccini (see below) and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

+ Zucchini Fettuccini:
4 medium zucchini
6 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves, torn
salt and pepper

While the salmon is marinating, wash the zucchini and with a vegetable peeler, peel long thin ribbons of zucchini.
When ready to serve, heat a large sauté pan, add olive oil and zucchini “fettuccini”; lightly sauté until tender. Season the fettuccini with salt, pepper and fresh parsley. Serve the poached fish on a bed of zucchini fettuccini.

+ Marinated Strawberries and Blueberries with Meringue Cookies
6 servings (Per Serving: 180 calories; about 2 grams of total fat, depending on cookies.)

1 pint hulled and quartered fresh strawberries
1 pint blueberries
¼ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons agave syrup or 4 tablespoons brown sugar
Meringue cookies (see recipe below or from the store)

In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest and agave syrup. Add strawberries and blueberries, and toss to combine. Cover and let refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve the marinated berries in a bowl with meringue cookies.

Meringue Cookies (If you have a standing mixer, this will be a lot easier)
Makes 3 dozen cookies

4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the egg whites and lemon juice in a standing mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat on high speed until the whites are shiny and stiff, about 7 to 10 minutes. Fit a pastry bag with a star tip. Fill the bag with egg-white mixture and pipe rosettes about an inch in diameter onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours or until the cookies are dry.

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