Picnic fare By Marialisa Calta I love the idea of a picnic. It's the reality that I hate. The idea of a picnic is indeed lovely: dining al fresco, in a casual yet naturally beautiful setting, convivially sharing tasty morsels with friends or (in the case of a romantic picnic) a single loved one. The reality? Damp ground, dirt (or sand) in the food, tipped wine glasses, a host of uninvited guests in the form of ants and yellow jackets, and the smell of bug spray. I am, in fact, a picnic wimp. I prefer to eat my picnic fare on a screened-in porch, where the table is level, the dirt is outside and the bugs are kept at bay. But I do indeed like picnic fare, those aforementioned "tasty morsels" designed for easy transport, hassle- free eating (utensils are often optional), and maximum fun. A picnic meal needn't be organized in courses; all the food can be jumbled together in a smorgasbord-ish sort of way. It can be caviar-and-truffle-fancy or peanut- butter-and-jelly-down-to-earth. A picnic can consist entirely of take-out (cheese, bread, olives, fruit), or you can spend all day preparing. Picnics can be served on good china or paper plates. Here is a menu of recipes for a great picnic, from a cheerful, summery new book called "Picnics," by Barbara Scott-Goodman. These dishes are suitable for packing into a hamper and taking to the beach or the park, if you must. But I'll be on the porch. CONTEST ALERT: Godiva Ice Cream offers a year of free ice cream -- plus a chauffeured car service, catered meals and massages -- as the three Grand Prizes in their current contest. To enter, write 150 words, or create a two-minute VHS video, describing "Why I Deserve a Heavenly Indulgence." Send to "Why I Deserve a Heavenly Indulgence Contest," P.O. Box 5132, Unionville, CT 06087-5132. Include your name, address, phone and e-mail (if applicable) and postmark no later than Sept. 7, 1999. Or enter online by Sept. 6 at www.godiva.com. Entries will not be returned. Other prizes include gift certificates redeemable for Godiva ice cream. GRILLED STEAK AND ROASTED RED ONION RING SANDWICHES For the steak: 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 2-1/2 pounds sirloin, 1 inch thick For the onion rings: 4 medium red onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings 2 tablespoons olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste For the sandwiches: 12 slices pumpernickel or rye bread mayonnaise or mustard Boston or Bibb lettuce, rinsed, drained and coarsely shredded Combine the vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Place the steak in a large glass or ceramic baking dish and pour the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours, or overnight. Turn the steak occasionally. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill. Grill the steak over medium-hot coals, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for rare meat, 6 to 7 minutes on each side for medium. Baste with the marinade several times during grilling. Remove the steak to a cutting board and carve on the diagonal into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Cover the meat slices with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill. To prepare the onion rings: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sliced onions in a roasting pan. Toss with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast the onions until fork-tender, about 1 hour. To assemble the sandwiches: Generously spread the bread with the mayonnaise or mustard. Divide the sliced steak between 6 of the bread slices and cover the meat with the roasted onion rings. Top with the shredded lettuce and the remaining bread, and cut the sandwich in half. Yield: 6 sandwiches. -- Recipe from "Picnics," by Barbara Scott-Goodman (Chronicle Books, 1999) RED CABBAGE, PEPPER AND ONION COLESLAW WITH ORANGE-CUMIN VINAIGRETTE 1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups) 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 1 medium red onion, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced 1/2 cup golden raisins 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Put the cabbage, red and yellow bell peppers, onion and raisins in a very large bowl. Toss together until well-combined. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, orange juice and lime juice together. Gently stir in the mayonnaise and cumin until well-combined. Whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is creamy and thickened and all of the oil has been incorporated. Pour the vinaigrette over the cabbage mixture and toss well. Add the salt and pepper to taste and mix well again. Cover the coleslaw and chill until ready to serve. Yield: 8 to 12 servings. -- Recipe from "Picnics," by Barbara Scott-Goodman (Chronicle Books, 1999) LEMON WAFERS Butter or other shortening for greasing baking sheets 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg, at room temperature 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring fingers 4 ounces almonds, ground 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Center a rack in the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in the flour, almonds and lemon juice and mix until well-combined. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets and press the dough into 2-1/2-inch rounds with floured fingers. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove the cookies with a spatula and let cool on racks. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Serve alone; or with ice cream or sorbet; or with iced espresso, for dipping. Yield: 2 dozen wafers. -- Recipe from "Picnics," by Barbara Scott-Goodman (Chronicle Books, 1999) Copyright1999 NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN.