Salsa of the Tropics

This is a great time of year.  Gardens are pumping out tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and spicy jalapenos just to name a few garden favorites.  I've got a favorite recipe for you.  It calls for mangos, but today I used peaches.   You can mix it up and use both if you have them.   It's SO easy!  All you have to do is chop. Peaches will be the theme for the next week of so.   We made a road trip to North Carolina last week and picked up 12 boxes.  We were in Asheville last year at this time and discovered the farmers' market, and the rows and rows of peaches.  This year we made the journey to fill the car.  I guess it kind of makes them local... to someone!   I can happily report that all the boxes found homes.

Ready for the Heat
Ready for the Heat

With the peaches that were a little bumped and bruised, I made the salsa.  Feel free to adjust the heat with the jalapeno.   I like to serve this with tortilla chips, but it's also great on pork tenderloin... hot off the grill.

Ingredients for perfect salsa
Ingredients for perfect salsa

To print this recipe, click HERE

Salsa of the Tropics

  Based on recipe from Great Good Food

1-2  mangos, chopped (or 2 peaches)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup chopped green, red  or yellow bell pepper 1/2  teaspoon salt- or to taste 5-6  cup plum tomatoes, chopped

1 TBSP cumin 1 medium red onion, chopped

1 chopped jalapeno pepper

1-2 tsp. Sugar

1 TBSP vinegar

Stir together all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Cover and chill  a few hours before serving.

 

Peach Salsa and Chips
Peach Salsa and Chips

Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

simple pleasures are the best.  

Don't you love finding a little cash in the coat hanging in the closet for months?  A bouquet of garden zinneas?  Someone holding the door open for you with a smile.    I've got a short, sweet simple pleasure of a  recipe for you.   Cherry tomatoes are popping everywhere.   We  eat them like candy around here.  I didn't think they could get any better.  Here's how--   Pick up a pint or two at your market and you're half way there.   No, you're more than half way there.

img_7115-2
img_7115-2

Slice them in half, then toss with just a litte bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast at 200 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours.  Your house will smell great, and you'll have rich gems to toss in pasta, on a pizza, or chill for the top of a salad.

img_7120-5
img_7120-5

It's so easy, and the results are SO good!

finished-tomatoes-6
finished-tomatoes-6

To print this recipe, click HERE

Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1-2 T olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Slice tomatoes and toss with oil, and scatter in a single later on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours or until tomatoes are wrinkled and fragrant.   Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

 

Grilled Corn Salad

What an exciting weekend!  I'm back from  San Francisco.   I went for a class on food styling and tips on food photography.   It was really fun and very interesting.   Joy Wilson from Joy the Baker sand Tracy from Shutterbean were the teachers.   They were full of ideas and great information.  Now the trick is to put it to good use.   Tracy and Joy prepared two recipes, and we got to style and shoot using our new props and tips.  Here are some oat bars, and my best shot of the day.

Walnut Oat Bars
Walnut Oat Bars

It's been awhile since I was in San Francisco.  What a gorgeous city!    The hotel's driver/maintenance man invited Gary and I to the roof top to see the view on our last morning there.   Amazing!

Here's my postcard to all of you!

Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge

Upon arrving home, I found our CSA box brimming with lots of fresh vegetables.   I wanted to make something crunchy, tasty and cool.  My version of a grilled corn salad - minus the grill.

The best part about this recipe is that you can use anything you like and leave out the things you don't like.   I had little baby eggplants, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes and fresh sweet corn.

Beautiful Produce!
Beautiful Produce!

To start, shuck the corn and carefully slice off the cob.  Then,heat a grill pan or skillet and place the corn in a single layer ith just a little olive oil.  I used about 2 1/2 cups of corn and about 2 tsp. oil.  Let the pan get hot, really hot.  The corn will sizzle and snap.  Get it quick stir and your should see searing on the corn.  Move to corn to a heat proof bowl.  Add eggplant (I didn't peel mine), and zucchini to the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes, just to heat through.  Add these vegetables to the corn and toss.

grilled corn
grilled corn

Now for the fun part.   Add other chopped vegetables, feta, black bean, cilantro/parsley... anything you like.

My salad included parsley, red onion, cilantro and a small piece of feta I had left over from another meal.

To finish the salad, mix in 1 T lime juice or vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder.

You can eat the salad warm, or cover, chill and enjoylater.   This salad is great with any grilled meat, or by itself for a light supper.

To print this recipe, click HERE

Grilled Corn Salad

2 1/2 cups corn (kernels)

1/2 -1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped eggplant

1 small red onion or scallions, chopped finely

1 can black beans (optional) rinsed

1/4 cup chopped parsley, cilantro or both

1/4 cup feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup cherry tomoates, or 1 large tomato, chopped

1 T olive oil

1 T red or white wine vinegar (or a squeeze of 1/2 lime)

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

salt/pepper to taste

Shuck corn and remove from the cob.  Heat a skillet or grill pan with 1-2 tsp olive oil.  Add corn in a single layer and sear until light brown marks appear on some of the kernels.  Remove from pan to bowl.   Add zucchin and egglant to pan and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Transfer vegetables to the bowl with the corn.  Add the chopped onion, and black beans.  Add remaining olive oi, vinegar and spices.  Toss in tomato, feta and mix gently.   Remember, you can add any other vegetables or spices to make it your own!

Happy Summer!

corn-salad
corn-salad