Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round

By Lei Shishak

Delicious Dinner-Only Recipes that Showcase the Highly Desirable Beach Lifestyle
Dinner is the most home-cooked meal of the day. We gather in the kitchen, open up a great cookbook, and see what ingredients we have in our pantry. Our devices are off, work is done for the day, and we get ready to make and share an amazing meal. Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round celebrates these moments.

In her fourth book, chef Lei Shishak returns to her first love—good food by the beach. Whether you currently live by the beach or dream of being at one, get ready to be inspired by the evening meal recipes in Beach House Dinners. Lei has included 80 delectable recipes that she makes at her beach house in Southern California, home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. She’s captivated every day by the dazzling beauty of the beaches near her home, and she shares this through food. Each recipe in this book will inspire and transport you to beautiful places around the world, some of which you may already know and others may be new. Either way, her hope is that while making each recipe you’ll become blissfully unaware of the distractions of everyday life and in the end, you and your guests will melt into the joy of eating a great meal.

Short on time? All of the recipes are straightforward and hassle-free, leaving you plenty of time to relax, enjoy conversations on the beach, savor dips in the ocean, and bask in the warm sun. In many of the recipes, steps are broken down into those that can be done the night before or the morning of so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the beach.

Recipes include some of chef Lei’s favorites like:

• Summer Tomato Soup with Three-Cheese Panini
• Coconut Shrimp with Three Sauces
• Roasted Whole Sea Bass
• Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Hearts of Palm Salad
• Jerk Spareribs
• Salmon Burger
• Pot Roast Tagine
• Lobster Roll
• and more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Release date: May 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781510747807

Book preview

Also by Lei Shishak

Beach House Baking

Beach House Brunch

Farm-to-Table Desserts

Copyright © 2020 by Lei Shishak

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Laura Klynstra

Cover photo credit: Lei Shishak

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-4779-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-4780-7

Printed in China

Life takes you down many paths, but my favorite ones lead to the beach.

Contents

Welcome to the Beach House

Let’s Make Dinner

Beach House Pantry

Beach House Tools and Gadgets

Cooking Tips and Important Temperatures

Grilling Tips and Important Temperatures

Recipes

Poultry

Seafood

Red Meat

Pork and Ground Meats

Vegetarian

Pasta

Soups and Sandwiches

Salads

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Conversion Charts

Index

Welcome to the Beach House

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here! My guess is that you’re reading this because, like me, you love good food and the beach. Whether you currently live by the beach or dream of being at one, get ready to be inspired by the evening meal recipes in Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round. I’ve included eighty delectable recipes that I make at my beach house in Southern California, home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

I’m captivated every day by the dazzling beauty of the beaches near my home, and I want to share this with you through food. Each recipe in this book will inspire and transport you to beautiful places around the world, some of which you may already know and others that may be new. Either way, my hope is that, while making each recipe, you’ll become blissfully unaware of the distractions of everyday life and, in the end, you and your guests will melt into the joy of eating a great meal.

Short on time? All the recipes are straightforward and hassle-free, leaving you plenty of time to relax, enjoy conversations on the beach, savor dips in the ocean, and bask in the warm sun. In some recipes, I’ve indicated the steps that can be done either the night before or the morning of so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the beach.

All eighty summer-inspired meals are listed in the RECIPES section. I hope you get the chance to make each and every one, but to help you get started, I’ve marked my personal favorites with a .

See you at the beach.

Let’s Make Dinner

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, dinner is the main meal of the day. What does main imply? Well, in my mind, it means it’s the one meal that we actually make time for these days. We gather in the kitchen, open a great cookbook (wink, wink), and see what ingredients we have in our pantry. Our devices are off, work is done for the day, and we are ready to make and share an amazing meal. Beach House Dinners: Simple, Summer-Inspired Meals for Entertaining Year-Round celebrates these moments.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the physical and mental benefits of having dinner. At the end of a long day, your body is likely deficient in vitamins and nutrients. A satisfying dinner provides the necessary nutritional requirements needed by your body, which leads to healthier brain function, improved digestion, and a better night’s sleep, which we all could use more of these days. All of these lead to improved mental health and social development for all ages.

After eating dinner, the average person won’t consume more food for about ten hours. That’s a long time for your body to be lacking nutrition, so why not have a delicious well-balanced dinner to set you up for success? Keep in mind, too, that you burn more calories while sleeping at night than sitting during the day.

BEACH HOUSE PANTRY

There are certain pantry staples I always keep on hand at the beach house. I’ve listed these items as well as those that you’ll need to make the recipes in this cookbook.

SPICES

Bay leaves

Cajun seasoning

Cayenne pepper

Chili powder

Cinnamon

Cloves

Coriander

Creole seasoning

Crushed red pepper

Cumin

Curry powder

Dried basil

Dried oregano

Dried rosemary

Dried thyme

Garlic powder

Garlic salt

Ground ginger

Italian seasoning

Nutmeg

Old Bay

Onion salt

Paprika

Saffron

Sesame seeds

Sumac

Turmeric

DRY STORAGE

Bread crumbs

Beans

Broth

Canola oil

Couscous

Extra-virgin olive oil

Farro

Garlic

Ginger

Lentils

Mirin

Nuts

Olive oil

Onions

Pan spray

Pastas

Peanut oil

Potatoes

Quinoa

Rice

Sesame oil

Shallots

Stock

Tomato paste

Tomato sauce

Tomatoes

COOL STORAGE

Butter

Capers

Cheese

Eggs

Fresh herbs

Ketchup

Mango chutney

Mayonnaise

Mustards

Ponzu sauce

Soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

BEACH HOUSE TOOLS AND GADGETS

Blender

I own a 6-cup model, which is sufficient for home cooking.

Cast-iron pan

Of all my pans, I use this one the most. It retains heat and imparts great flavor to food.

Cherry pitter

An inexpensive, handheld tool that will make pitting cherries fun.

Colander

I use this for straining pastas and rinsing vegetables.

Cutting board

I recommend using solid wood boards as they are the best for your knives.

Digital scale

You’ll need a digital scale for the recipes in this book as both weight measurements are often used.

Dutch oven

This thick-walled cookware is great for long, slow cooking for tougher cuts of meats.

Food processer

A 3½-cup food processor is fine for the recipes in this book.

Garlic press

This nifty tool efficiently crushes garlic cloves. Great for dishes in which you want a pronounced garlic flavor.

Gas grill

I prefer gas grills because I can control the heat and they are environmentally friendlier

Grater

I recommend purchasing a box grater with holes of multiple sizes.

Half sheet tray

This is the same as a standard cookie sheet. I recommend investing in a commercial half sheet tray. It remains flat even after many uses at varying temperatures.

Handheld citrus juicer or reamer

You can use a motorized juicer, of course, but for the recipes in this book, a handheld one is sufficient.

Knives

To make the recipes in this book, you’ll need a chef’s knife, butcher’s knife, slicing knife, serrated knife, and a paring knife. Make sure to purchase a stone and steel to keep your knives sharp.

Mallet

Used to pound meats to even thickness.

Microplane

This is the best tool to extract zest from citrus and for finely grating cheese.

Microwave oven

Some people balk at using this piece of equipment, but I find it a useful tool when cooking—whether for warming liquid, softening butter, or getting a head start on baked potatoes.

Measuring cups

Metal measuring cups and spoons as well as glass liquid measuring cups are essential for success.

Mortar and pestle

These tools are used to crush and grind spices

Oven

The recipes in this book were tested on a home gas range. Electric range ovens, as well as commercial convection ovens, can produce very different results. Make sure to adjust cooking times accordingly.

Pan spray

Used to prevent cooked food from sticking to pans and trays. I prefer Vegalene food release spray.

Panini press

Known mostly for making Italian pressed sandwiches, this tool can also be used to grill vegetables, fruits, and meats. You’ll need it to make my Three-Cheese Panini recipe.

Parchment paper/Aluminum foil/Wax paper

It’s good to have all three of these items on hand, as they have various uses for cooking and storing food.

Pastry brush

Great for applying butter and oil to food.

Peeler

An essential tool for removing vegetable skins.

Pizza stone

Essential if you want to achieve a crisp pizza crust.

Potato masher or ricer

Both will produce delicious mashed potatoes, but the ricer’s final product will be smoother, lighter and fluffier.

Pots and pans

It’s worth investing in a variety of heavy-duty pots and pans. They’ll last for years and make cooking a much more enjoyable experience.

Roasting pan with rack

As the name implies, this cookware is used for roasting food and is handy for big holiday meals.

Round pastry cutter set

If you’re a baker, then these will come in handy year-round. In this book, you’ll need them to make Momma’s Biscuits.

Rubber spatula

I recommend purchasing a few of these in varying sizes. Make sure they are commercial grade and heat resistant.

Shot glass measuring cup

This little tool is great for measuring small amounts of liquids.

Skewers

One of these days, I’m going to buy metal skewers, but until then, I use wooden ones, which require soaking in water before use.

Slow cooker

This wonderful cookware frees up a lot of time that I would normally spend in the kitchen. Use a slow cooker when low heat is desired.

Spider strainer/Slotted spoon

You’ll need these tools to make the Puri and Crispy Fries recipes in this book.

Stainless-steel bowls

I own a number of stainless-steel bowls of varying sizes. They are lightweight yet durable.

Steamer

Most pan sets these days come with a steamer basket. You’ll need a steamer to make the Cauliflower Puree recipes in this book.

Stockpot

It’s worth investing in a large stockpot that holds at least 6 quarts. They’re great for making large batches of stock, and you’ll need one to make the Shrimp Boil in this book.

Strainer

I recommend purchasing a set of strainers of varying sizes.

Thermometer

There are two types of thermometers you should have: an oven and a handheld digital. Over time, your oven’s temperature may vary. A handheld thermometer is essential for proper cooking.

Tongs

This is quickly becoming my favorite cooking utensil in the kitchen. Tongs are great for cooking as well as serving food. There are many types out there with varying uses.

Twine

Used when forming meats, trussing, and holding stuffing. Make sure to use 100 percent cotton, otherwise it will melt at high temperatures.

Waffle press

You will need a waffle press to make the Buckwheat Waffles in this book. I own a Proctor Silex, but there are many suitable brands out there to choose from.

Whisks

Essential for making the salad dressings in this book.

Wire Baking/Cooling Rack

This rack is primarily used for cooling baked items, but it’s also great for roasting meats, as they allow heat to circulate 360 degrees. You’ll need this tool

Reviews for Beach House Dinners

[amyghilton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the prettiest cookbooks you will ever see! From the first page the book just exudes a feeling of relaxation and you can almost smell that salty beach air.The book is very helpful to the reader at the beginning as it lists ingredients you should have on hand in your pantry, like olive oil and sesame seeds, as well as beach house tools and gadgets you might need, such as a steamer basket and a panini press. The author also gives some very useful tips when grilling.The book is broken down into poultry, seafood (my favorite chapter), red meat, pork and other meat, vegetarian, pasta, soups and sandwiches, and salads.What I love about this cookbook is that Lei gives you the whole dinner in the recipe. You don't have to worry about what sides go with what meat. For example, the grilled halibut recipe. She includes instructions for making potato wedges and sauteed spinach to go along with it. So your whole meal is in one recipe. She also includes a picture (very important), and a little "notes" section at the end in case you decide you want to customize something to your liking.My personal favorite, since I'm on a low carb diet, is the summer cobb salad recipe with the mustard vinaigrette. So delicious and light!I highly recommend this book to get you in the beach mood, even if you aren't at the beach! I am excited to try her other books now! Thanks Lei!