My sister leaves tonight-- we've had a nice visit. Friends came over for a casual dinner last night, bringing boudin that we put on the grill, I made a loaf of my good Italian bread, and we feasted. I made the chilled tomato platter linked below, except I added come sliced cucumbers to the mix, and we grilled some corn, then finished up with a ripe cantaloup. My idea of a perfect light supper for a hot summer day-- and Monday is the first day of summer, so appropriate.

The colossal grilled shrimp would make *any* dad happy this weekend; the bonus on the recipe, the crabmeat stuffing works great as a standalone for crab cakes. Serve with your favorite rémoulade dressing; they'll go fast. And the final recipe, the chicken with corn maque choux, is one of those back pocket recipes I turn to when the markets are full of corn and ripe tomatoes, and I don't want to fool around with anything complicated. Serve it with good crusty bread, or fluffy white rice, for soaking up the sauce.

Enjoy the recipes below, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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In the Mail:

Chilled Tomato Platter

I like to serve this chilled tomato salad all summer, particularly when the days are hot. I'll put the platter in the refrigerator or freezer for an hour before I start, then let the assembled platter chill and flavors meld for a while before serving it. It's great with any grilled meats.

Chicken and Corn Maque Choux

This is another dish I like to put together when the sweet corn is at its peak, and tomatoes are bursting with flavor; it's quite simple to make, but really delivers on flavor.

Colossal BBQ Shrimp with Crab Cake Stuffing

The crab cake stuffing can be made and kept, refrigerated, for several hours; if you brine the shrimp while you prep and make the stuffing, you can go ahead and assemble the stuffed shrimp and refrigerate everything until you're ready to put things on the grill. (Almost) instant delicious appetizers!