Enjoy our spin on a classic spring lunch. We've replaced traditional chicken salad with tangy Lemon-Basil Shrimp Salad, nestled on a bed of greens in a crisp, savory Parmesan Basket. This festive dish has it all--color, texture, and great taste.
Surround it with your favorite finger sandwiches, or add interest by rolling a log of goat cheese in chopped parsley and serving slices on French bread rounds. Garnish cheese rounds with fresh dill sprigs, if desired. You'll find more quick ideas for creative tea sandwiches on our Web site at southernliving.com/features.
Faced with this charming selection, you and your friends will rediscover the pleasures of sharing a light repast on a glorious afternoon.
Tea Sandwiches
Tiny tea sandwiches are big on flavor, and always add a festive touch to luncheon salads. Most sandwiches can be prepared up to a day ahead, and refrigerated in an airtight container. To prevent the bread from drying out, cover the sandwiches with a sheet of wax paper and a damp paper towel. Uncover sandwiches just before serving.
Plan on three to four tea sandwiches per person when serving alongside a main dish salad. Here's a collection of some of our best recipes, along with tips from the Southern Living Test Kitchen Professionals.
Freezing bread slices until firm makes it easier to cut the sandwiches into small pieces.
To ensure neat edges, cut the crusts from the bread with a long serrated knife after the sandwiches are filled.
Use your favorite cheese spread as a sandwich filling. For easy spreading, let cheese soften at room temperature.
Colorful spinach and sun-dried tomato tortillas make a fun start to creative tea sandwiches. Spread filling evenly over one side of each tortilla. Roll up the tortilla, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap; chill.
Small prepackaged loaves of thinly sliced party breads are perfect for tea sandwiches. There's no need to trim the crust –– just spread with filling, layer, and cut in half diagonally. We like to layer slices of light-colored rye or sour dough bread with dark slices of pumpernickel bread. Look for these diminutive breads in the deli section of the supermarket.
- Lemon-Basil Shrimp Salad
- Lemon-Basil Marinade
- Fresh Lemon Vinaigrette
How To Make a Parmesan Basket
You can bake these a day ahead, and store them in individual zip-top plastic bags. You'll need to move quickly to shape them when they come out of the oven, so make them one at a time.
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- Wrap the outside of an inverted 6-inch terra-cotta pot in aluminum foil. Coat foil with vegetable cooking spray.
- Place a 12-inch square of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spread 1⁄2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese onto the parchment paper, patting it into an 81⁄2-inch circle. (Note: Don't use grated cheese in this recipe--only shredded will work.)
- Bake at 375° for 5 to 7 minutes or until pale gold in color. Remove from oven, and let cool 10 seconds.
- Carefully lift the parchment paper off the baking sheet. Working quickly, invert the Parmesan circle over the prepared pot. Carefully remove the parchment from the Parmesan circle. (Reserve the parchment to use again.)
- Gently press the cheese over inverted pot into desired bowl shape. (Tip: If the cheese circle is too hot, it will slide down the pot, causing small tears. If this happens, gently press the cheese together to seal any large gaps.) Cool basket completely (about 5 minutes), and remove from pot. Repeat to create as many baskets as you need.
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"A Fresh Twist on Spring" is from the April 2006 issue of Southern Living. |
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