A DIY Fourth of July with Constellation Culinary Group

As we all adjust to a “new normal,” this summer will be a different experience, to say the least. Instead of summer kick-off soirees, family BBQs, and Fourth of July parades, we will be getting creative at home and celebrating all those occasions in-house—DIY style! Lilian Rojas, director of catering at Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) through our partner Constellation Culinary Group, will show you just how to do it yourself.

I spend my professional life planning and executing parties, and never shy away from entertaining myself. To take the pressure off you, I have compiled some of the best trends and recipes from our Constellation Culinary Group kitchens to yours to make your summer holidays some of the best to remember.

With Fourth of July around the corner and summer heat in full swing, I’ve gone with light and refreshing theme—even for the grill—that won’t disappoint.

Herb Grilled Florida Red Snapper Kebabs with Spicy Chimichurri

We love fish on the grill—it’s summery and doesn’t feel heavy in the heat and humidity. The best part is that you can make this dish as mild or as spicy as you’d like.

Recipe | The Fish

  • 2 lbs. Florida Snapper cut into 1-2” pieces (roughly all the same shape/size for even cooking).
  • Marinade: Mix all of the following ingredients in large lidded food storage container and add the fish. Toss to combine and marinate at least 60 minutes but no longer than 3 hours.
    • 2 lemons cut into thin wheels
    • 2 TB fresh oregano- chopped finely
    • Cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • To cook: Thread the fish and lemon slices on soaked wooden or metal skewers and season with salt and pepper.
  • Light your grill (we love charcoal, but propane works too) and arrange the kebabs on a hot grill over a hot fire until fish is browned and cooked through (2-3 minutes per side).

Recipe | The Sauce

  • Combine all ingredients below in your food processor or blender and pulse until they are roughly combined but still have great texture (not pureed).
    • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, stemmed
    • ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
    • ¼ cup fresh mint, stemmed
    • 1 TB fresh thyme leaves
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 4 TB sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
    • 2 TB fresh lemon juice
    • ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Serve cooked fish with sauce and enjoy!

Make Your Own Guac

We love a “MYO” situation at any house party. It allows your family and guests to participate, creates less prep work for you, and get in on the fun.

Recipe | Ingredients

  • Lots of Ripe Avocados
  • Chopped Jalapenos
  • Lots of Limes & Lemons
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Chopped Red Onion
  • A big bunch of fresh cilantro
  • Peeled garlic cloves
  • Your favorite selection of bottled hot sauces
  • Salt & Pepper
  • A large chopping board
  • A paring knife
  • A lime reamer or juicer
  • A big wooden spoon
  • A chalkboard and chalk to write instructions out for a fun DIY sign
  • Tortilla Chips, Plantain Chips and your Favorite Crudités

How to

  • Display all of the items above and have fun! Use your favorite bowls, platters, linens, etc.
  • Write your sign:
    • Choose your favorite guac ingredients!
    • Chop and Mix to Combine!
    • Our favorite “go to” combination:
      • 3 avocados, seeded and flesh scooped into the bowl
      • Juice of ½ lime
      • 2 TB chopped red onion
      • 1 TB chopped jalapeno
      • 2 TB chopped cilantro
      • Generous pinch of sea salt
      • Mix all together and enjoy!

Want to make it competitive? Have a “guac off” and encourage your guests to compete for the best version!

Boozy Pops

Everyone loves a frozen treat in the summer, so we’ve created a grown-up version of a nostalgic classic—perfect for pool parties and sprinkler days.

We sourced fun disposable popsicle bags on Etsy, but you can find them on Amazon too. There are lots of different style and sizes—you can get them branded too if you want to add fun sayings or summer quotes!

Recipe

  • You will need a funnel—it’s not easy to fill the little baggies, so this will make your efforts so much easier.
  • Mix your favorite cocktail, but keep the liquor ratio to 4:1—since liquor doesn’t freeze well. This will ensure you pop freezes.
  • Caipirinha Pop
    • 1 1/12 cups fresh lime
    • 1/3 cup cachaca
    • ¾ cup super fine sugar
    • ¾ cup water
    • ½ cup fresh mint leaves
    • Mix all above items in a blender to fully combine.
    • Fill each pop sleeve (leaving 1.5” at the top for liquid to expand as it freezes)
    • Freeze for at least 4 hours or until fully set and frozen

You can really make any of your favorite cocktails into popsicles as long are you follow the liquor to non-alcoholic liquid ratio above!

With these recipes, your red, white, and blue holiday at home is sure to be one to remember.

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