picnic tips

It's a beautiful day in NYC albeit a bit hot.  If you can find a shady spot for a picnic, here are some tips and a yummy sandwich to take along courtesy of bon appetit


10 Tips for taking food outside

1/  Choose recipes that can be served at room temperature and don't require a knife and fork. Wait to dress salads until you reach your destination and are ready to eat.

2/  For salads and dips, use square or rectangular storage containers. They take up less space than round containers when packed into a cooler.

3/  Before sealing lids on containers, use a layer of plastic wrap to help minimize leakage. Pack dressings and sauces in containers with a layer or two of plastic wrap under the lid and then sealed inside one or two resealable plastic bags.

4/  Don't forget serving utensils and sharp knives.

5/  Remember to pack a corkscrew, bring boxed wine, or bring wine in a screw-cap bottle.

6/  Pack cloth napkins and tablecloths. They're great for wrapping sharp knives, serving utensils, flatware, and glassware; they're nicer than paper; and they will minimize waste.

7/  If you're bringing pots and pans to a campsite, use them for packing and toting utensils, flatware, glassware, napkins, and tablecloths.

8/  Pack trash bags, extra resealable plastic bags, baby wipes, and a roll of paper towels for easy cleanup. Include a few wet washcloths in resealable plastic bags.

9/  Use plenty of ice packs and keep the cooler in the car, rather than in the trunk (so that it stays cooler). For more on picnic food safety, visit the USDA Web site.

10/  Bring extra bottled water.

Mozzerella and Prosciutto sandwich with Tapenade

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped anchovy fillet
• 1 teaspoon capers (preferably salt-packed), rinsed, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
• 1 1/4 cups Niçoise olives, pitted, divided
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing and drizzling
• 1 tablespoon (packed) chopped fresh basil plus 24 whole leaves for garnish
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 6 6-inch-long pieces ficelle or narrow baguette, split horizontally in half
• 6 thin prosciutto slices
• 2 8-ounce balls fresh mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in mortar; mash with pestle to paste. Add 1 cup olives and mash to coarse paste. Chop remaining 1/4 cup olives and stir into mixture. Mix in 1/4 cup olive oil, chopped basil, and lemon juice. Season tapenade with pepper. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Brush cut sides of ficelle with additional olive oil. Place 1 prosciutto slice on bottom half of each ficelle, then top with mozzarella slices, dividing equally. Spoon tapenade over each. Sprinkle with pepper; drizzle lightly with olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves. Cover with top halves of ficelle.

Stay Cool!