As the temperatures continue to climb, the last thing anyone wants to do is turn on the oven. Instead, we’re opting for cold, no-bake recipes this season that are light, full of flavor, and easy to assemble and share. Below, three recipes from local restaurants that are sure to be the answer to any of your summer cravings.
Tuna Bundles
Summer calls for cool, light options, and these bright and colorful bites from Meril (424 Girod Street) are sure to satisfy and impress!
Courtesy of Meril
Yields 16 bundles
Ingredients
16 (½ ounce, ¼” thick) slices of sushi-grade yellowfin tuna
16 large butter lettuce leaves (washed gently)
12 wonton wrappers (cut into threads and fried until crispy)
16 paper-thin slices of fresh jalapeño
16 small sprigs of cilantro
3 tbsp olive oil
Fresh ponzu
Fresh Ponzu Ingredients
½ cup of soy sauce
2 tbsp Mirin (you can substitute sugar if unavailable)
1 lemon, juiced
½ an orange, juiced
1 tbsp yuzu juice (optional)
1 pinch Korean chili flake (optional)
Instructions
In a small stainless steel mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the fresh ponzu sauce and whisk together well (if substituting sugar, be sure it is fully dissolved). Add the tuna to the bowl of ponzu and gently stir to coat.
Pat the butter lettuce leaves dry with a clean paper towel and neatly arrange four leaves per dinner plate using four plates in total. Place a small amount of the crispy wontons in the center of each leaf. Carefully place a slice of dressed tuna on top of the crispy wontons of each lettuce leaf.
Garnish the top of each piece of tuna with a slice of jalapeño and a small sprig of cilantro. Drizzle each plate with olive oil and the remaining fresh ponzu. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Shrimp Remoulade
For a deliciously chilled appetizer, look no further than this local favorite! Tujague’s Restaurant (429 Decatur Street) provided their take on the iconic New Orleans dish.
SAM HANNA
Yields 6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp horseradish
2 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 raw eggs, beaten
1 gallon water
1 package crab boil
3 tbsp salt
36 large raw shrimp
Shredded lettuce
Instructions
Mix the first seven ingredients in a glass bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for four hours. In a large pot, bring the water, crab boil, and salt to a full boil. Add shrimp. When the water returns to the boil, turn off the heat and let the shrimp sit for 5 minutes to absorb the seasonings. Drain the shrimp, cool, and then peel them. Place 6 shrimp on a plate lined with shredded lettuce and top with 4 tablespoons of the sauce. Repeat 5 more times.
Cacio e Pepe Deviled Eggs
The classic hors d’oeuvres gets a chic upgrade courtesy of Fredo Nogueira, the Executive Chef of Cure (4905 Freret Street). Fun fact: deviled eggs originally hailed from ancient Rome, so it makes sense that these flavors would play well.
RANDY SCHMIDT
Yields 12 servings
Ingredients
1 dozen eggs
½ cup Duke’s Mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves roasted garlic
4 dashes Tabasco
Grated Pecorino cheese
Freshly grated black pepper
Instructions
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, drop eggs in and cook for exactly 11 minutes. Make sure the water remains at a gentle simmer and not too rapid of a boil. This ensures that the eggs won’t turn green.
Plunge cooked eggs into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cooled, peel and slice eggs in half. Separate yolks from the whites and reserve both.
Place yolks, mayo, mustard, and roasted garlic in a food processor and process until the contents are fully incorporated. Once combined, transfer contents to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Fill egg whites with egg mixture. Generously grate Pecorino over the eggs and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
This article appeared in the July 2025 issue of The Pearl