We had the best laid intentions, delicious intentions.
We worked a week in advance to menu plan, recipe test, gather ingredients + well sometimes, life gets the better of us.
No matter how freaking hard we try, sometimes the follow thru just slips right on thru so cheers to the 4th of July post that never was + cheers to to this week.
Why?
Cause this week, we’re turning 3.
Yeah, you heard me: THE BIG 3.
We’ve come a long way in 3 years:
We’re officially killer at growing tomatoes as we’ll harvest 30 to 40 lbs out of one 4x4 square foot gardening box. Let’s put it this way, it’s enough tomatoes to make the neighbors say, “No. No, thank you.” or “Not this week, baby.” or my personal favorite, “ I mean, if I have to see a another tomato, let alone eat one…"
Yeah, we’re sorry about that.
No, not really.
Another accomplishment can be seen by making a quick glance at the archives. It will certainly show that we’ve grown as photographers. In fact, it has become an obsession + sometimes we get paid gigs for it.
It’s a just the beginning of what were doing + where we’re going.
Keeping the dream the alive.
We’ve learned a lot about ourselves + a lot about food budgeting.
It’s mostly about how we don’t like to stick our budgeting but hell, who does?
We’re also finding our voice in this little corner of the internet: simple, straightforward + fresh southern to the core.
And that’s how we roll.
Cheers to the BIG 3!
Let’s get down to business…
Starting with the simple sides first:
Corn with Garlic Herb Cream Cheese + Bacon
Prep: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serve: 8 ear corn
It’s always a good idea to soak the ears first, that way they don’t burn on the grill. They can be soaked anywhere from 10 mins up to overnight in a large stock pot. Some folks will add spices, sugar + salt when soaking overnight.
Garlic cream cheese spread
8 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp whole milk
a small handful of each: parsley, mint, basil + cilantro; chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Add 2 tsp milk to 8 oz cream cheese, mash together. This is just to make the cream cheese easier to spread. Next add in chopped herbs + garlic and then it’s C'est fini until corn is ready to go onto the grill.
Cook corn, in the husk for about 15 mins or until tender.
Once it is ready, peel back those husks + slather with spread + bacon bits.
Roasted Tomatoes
Prep time: nil
Cook time: 45 mins to 1 hour
1 ½ lbs tomatoes, preferably cherry but smaller slicer work too.
4 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ cup California Olive Ranch’s Arbequina extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 325.
Toss the tomatoes + garlic into a shallow baking dish.
Whisk together olive oil, vinegar + salt then drizzle over top of tomatoes.
Bake until tomatoes are soft + start to caramelize about an hour.
Serve warm or at room temp.
Making good use of the pre-heated oven, I cranked the heat up to 400 after 45 mins + then slid the salmon in during the last 15 mins of cooking off the tomatoes that way they’d both be ready + warm at serving.
Done!
Salmon, Red onion + Herbs in Parchment
Prep time: nil
Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 4 to 6
2 ½ lb king salmon fillet
1 small to medium purple onion, sliced ¼” thick rings
small handful of parsley, leaves only chopped
small handful mint, leaves only chopped
small handful basil, leaves only chopped
2 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 400.
Break out your 9x13" baking dish + parchment paper.
Line the baking dish with a good size piece of parchment paper; enough to fold over top of the fish. Place salmon fillet in parchment line baking dish, seasoning with 2 tsp kosher salt, herbs + purple onion rings.
Cover with parchment paper + slide onto into the oven.
We almost forgot!
What’s a good summer ‘que without a damn fine cocktail?
It ain’t.
Here’s one so dang smooth + delicious, it is trouble waiting to happen.
Pineapple Mango Mint Mojitos
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 large pineapples, peeled, cored + cut into chunks
1/3 cup sugar
3 mangos, peeled + cut into chunks
1 cup orange juice
4 to 6 sprigs mint
2 cups Tito’s vodka
2 cups key lime seltzer water
Squeeze about 6 limes to get a ¼ cup juice.
Next in a medium to large stockpot bring 2 cups water, sugar, pineapple + mango chunks to a boil. Cover then simmer until fruit is tender about 5 to 10 mins. Let cool for 10 mins then puree mixture. Once the fruit has been pureed let strain into a bowl for a hour or two.
Pour stained juice into pitcher with lime juice + toss in mint sprigs, let sit overnight. Next morning, remove mint sprigs.
Before serving add vodka + seltzer water.
Fill glass with ice, pour into the cocktail + garnish with mint.
Et Volia, now that’s a Summer 'que!