For many, Labor Day represents a symbolic end to the summer cookout season. Fall is well underway in many places, kids have headed back to school, and the year is winding down. A cookout on Labor Day is a chance to enjoy the sunshine and the mellow evening weather of early fall. Of course, it’s also a good time to get together and enjoy food off the grill. End your summer in Roanoke, VA, with these three Labor Day cookout recipes everyone will love.
Elote
Elevate your corn on the cob with rich, buttery toppings and delicious flavors. Grill your corn until it is tender and there is some sear. You can prep the toppings before you put your corn on the grill. That way, impatient eaters can fix their elote right away. Some people use plain mayonnaise, while others mix mayo, sour cream, and lime juice to make a dressing. In addition, try to get cotija cheese if you can. Parmesan is not the same but will do in a pinch. Don’t forget the butter, chili powder, and lime wedges.
First, use a brush to spread butter and mayo on the corn. Then, roll the corn in the cheese or sprinkle it on with the chili powder. Finally, squeeze a lime wedge or two over the whole thing and dig in. You can make a similar version of this treat, called esquites. You shuck the kernels off the cob and add the ingredients to them in a bowl.
Grilled Garlic Lemon Shrimp
Simple recipes can also be flavor-packed and elegant. To make grilled garlic lemon shrimp, you won’t need to do much prep or wait long to eat them. Start by peeling and deveining about two pounds of medium or large shrimp. You can also skip this step and buy them already prepped. Skewer the shrimp and grill just a few moments on each side. For the dressing you’ll baste onto the shrimp, mix melted butter, lemon juice, zest, and chopped garlic in a saucepan. Heat until the garlic begins to brown, then use a brush to baste the shrimp with the butter mixture. Do this on both sides. Finally, top the shrimp with a pinch of Italian seasoning.
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Herbed Potato Salad
A delicious herbed potato salad delivers summer flavors and is easy to put together. First, scrub and slice several pounds of small red potatoes to make the cooking and prep process faster. Then blend olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, green onions, garlic, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. You may want to add a quarter of a cup of the potato cooking water to smooth out the dressing. Add the mixture to the potatoes and gently toss, then add chopped celery, parsley, and green onions and mix again. Finally, you can add salt and pepper to taste, then chill the potato salad until it’s time to serve.
Enjoy summer flavors while the weather is still lovely, and celebrate a delicious Labor Day!
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