USA’s 242nd birthday falls right in the middle of the week. Some of you will have a few days off, some will have just the holiday. Either way, you should be spending time enjoying your company, not sweating in the kitchen or over your grill for hours on end. We’ve created an easy, 4th worthy menu that’s perfect for carrying from your kitchen to your outdoor table or packing along with you to your favorite firework viewing spot. Make your salad and condiment options a few days in advance for the smoothest, most delicious 4th yet. This year, we’re outsourcing for dessert. We have plenty of ideas to help create a tasty treat of your own, but we have the ice cream queen herself right here in SLC. If you don’t know Alexa Norlin and Normal Ice Cream, get thee to their truck asap, it’s parked right inside Trolley Square on the east side (or you can buy here treats at our Downtown and 15th locations, too!).

Fourth of July Menu

• Grilled Olympia Provisions sausages and sauerkraut with caramelized onions
• Pok Pok and pancetta potato salad
• Watermelon and Feta salad with mint and Viola olive oil
• Normal Ice Cream’s choco-tacos

Pok Pok & Pancetta Potato Salad
Serves 6 as a side dish

• 2 pounds red potatoes, diced
• 1/2 pound pancetta, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• ¼ cup Pok Pok honey vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• salt & pepper, to taste
• chives, chopped, for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in diced potatoes and boil until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl.
While the potatoes are boiling, add pancetta to a cold large skillet. Heat over medium heat and cook until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.

Add onion to same skillet and cook 5 minutes until onions are soft. Whisk in Pok Pok vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour sauce over cooked potatoes. Stir in pancetta and chives. Serve hot immediately, or chill overnight to serve cold. Make up to 3 days in advance.

Watermelon and Feta salad
Serves 8 as a side

• one medium watermelon
• 1/2 pound feta, crumbled
• 1 handful mint, leaves picked
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• condiment grade olive oil (we love Viola, always)

Trim the rind from the watermelon and cut into bite size cubes and chill (can be done up to 5 days in advance). When ready to serve, coarsely chop mint and toss with melon, feta, and salt. Drizzle with olive oil and serve chilled.

Caramelized Onions

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large sweet yellow onions, thinly sliced
• kosher salt

Heat one or two handfuls of your sliced onions and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. As onions begin to soften, add another handful and stir. Repeat until all your onion is added. Continue to cook over medium heat until the onions reach a soft yellow gold. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 20-25 minutes until dark in color. If onions begin to stick or the bottom of your pan starts to burn, add a tablespoon or two of water. This will absorb the color and flavor and cook back into your onions. Once the onions have reached your desired color and flavor, stir in a pinch of salt. Use immediately or store for up to two weeks.