Category: <span>Josmo’s Cafe</span>

Marinated Cucumbers, Onions, and Tomatoes

Adapted from a cooks.com recipe

John is the chef on this one!

 

3 medium cucumbers, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 medium sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings

3 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges and extra juice removed

 

½ cup white vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 cup water

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1/8 cup olive oil

1/8 cup vegetable or canola oil

Pinch of cornstarch

 

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

 

Combine cucumbers, onion, and tomatoes in a large Ziploc bag.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients except the feta cheese. Add mixture to the Ziploc bag.

 

Refrigerate two or more hours flipping the bag occasionally to coat everything in the bag.

 

Before serving, drain and add the feta cheese. Toss well.

 

Makes 6 servings.

Roasted Broccoli and Tomatoes

6 cups broccoli florets

1/4 cup coarsely chopped shallots

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp snipped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes,  halved

2 cloves garlic, minced (I use garlic powder for a lighter garlic taste)

1/4 cup shaved Asiago cheese

Serves 6.

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 15x10x 1-inch baking pan with non-stick foil. In the pan, combine broccoli and shallots.
  2. In small bowl combine oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  3. Drizzle olive oil mixture over broccoli and shallots and toss gently to coat.
  4. Roast uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring once.
  5. Add tomatoes and garlic and stir into broccoli mixture. Roast an additional 5 minutes until broccoli is tender and tomatoes are soft.
  6. Sprinkle with Asiago cheese before serving.

Josmo’s Cafe note: We doubled this recipe for a dinner party for 7 people and we nearly finished it all!

From Better Homes and Gardens All-Time  Favorites Cookbook 2013

Strawberry and Feta Salad

Shallots, strawberries, and feta – delicious combination!

1 small diced shallot

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1 pinch kosher salt

4 large hulled and thinly slices strawberries

3 oz fresh spinach leaves (I use the organic pre-washed that comes in a plastic container with 5 oz of spinach)

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Serves 3.

Combine shallot and lemon juice in small bowl. Let sit 15 minutes.  Whisk in EVOO. Season with sugar and salt. Add strawberries. Pour that mixture over the spinach leaves. Toss very well and season to taste with freshly ground pepper and additional salt. Top with feta crumbles and toss again.

Josmo’s Cafe note: We served this topped with thinly sliced, cold steak we had leftover. Next time, we want to try it with grilled chicken.

From May 2014 dashrecipes.com

Carrots with Cumin, Ginger and Honey

Guy Fieri’s Campfire Veggies

Good Housekeeping Magazine June 2104

 

15 organic carrots, trimmed

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 tsp honey

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

Season carrots with Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste. Then toss with rest of the ingredients.

Put down one piece of non-stick foil on a baking sheet. Place 1/2 of the ingredients in the center. Cover with a second sheet of non-stick foil (non-stick sides face each other to cover vegetables). Crimp edges to form a packet. Repeat with remaining vegetable mixture.

Grill packets 17-20  minutes on medium hot grill until vegetables are tender. Be careful of  hot steam when you open!

Sensational Roasted Potatoes

I adapted this recipe from a November 2014 Family Circle magazine recipe. As soon as I saw it had brown sugar in it, I knew it was going to be sensational. It was!

2 lbs fingerling or small red-skinned potatoes – cut in half

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In large bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil.  Season with the rest of the ingredients. 

Place the mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with non-stick foil.

Roast for 40 minutes, stirring once half way through.

The potatoes will look caramelized and crunchy when done.

Grilled Garlic Lime Pork Tenderloin

Marinade

 

6 large garlic cloves, chopped (we don’t eat much garlic, so I use ½ tsp of garlic powder)

2 T soy sauce

2 T grated fresh gingerroot (I use 1/2 tsp ginger powder)

Finely grated lime zest from the fresh lime

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/3 cup lime juice (1 fresh lime and then top off with bottled lime juice)

½ cup canola oil

 

Put ingredients in a jar, cover tightly, and shake it really well.

 

2 pork tenderloins – marinate in a zip lock plastic bag for 24 hours, periodically turning. Needs all the marinade time for tenderness and flavor.

 

Grill as you like it.

 

Serve with Onion Marmalade

 

4 Cups of red and sweet onions, chopped fine

3 T olive oil

2 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced – wear rubber gloves

2 T honey

3-4 T red-wine vinegar

¼ Cup water

 

Can make a day before. In large heavy skillet, cook onions in oil with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring until softened. Add jalapenos and cook stirring one minute. Add honey and cook stirring one minute. Add vinegar and simmer stirring until almost all liquid is evaporated. Add water and simmer stirring until mixture is slightly thickened and onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

 

 

* (adapted from an epicurious.com recipe)

Dill Marinated Shrimp

2 # shrimp – cooked (boil it as if it were for shrimp cocktail)

3 T fresh dill

½ cup rice vinegar

3 T Dijon mustard

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

1 T minced garlic – 2 cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Combine dill, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Wisk together. Slowly pour the olive oil and canola oil in a thin stream into the mixture while briskly wisking to form an emulsion. Wisk in garlic. Add salt and pepper. Add shrimp.

 

Cover and marinate 8 hours and as long as 24 hours stirring occasionally to coat all the shrimp.

 

It always tastes very tangy to me at first, but settles out to yummy after it all melds together for 24 hours.

 

We serve it over a big romaine lettuce salad and use the marinade as extra dressing. It can also be served as an appetizer with crackers.

 

Enjoy!

 

*Adapted from a Harris Teeter grocery store recipe

Salmon Pesto Packets

6 salmon fillets, about 6 oz. each

1 lemon, cut into 6 slices

3 carrots, thinly sliced

2 sweet onions thinly sliced, then cut in half – use Vidalia onions, if possible

1 cup sliced black olives

½ cup or more pesto sauce

 

Heat oven or grill to 425.  Cut six 12 inch squares of Reynolds non-stick foil; set aside. Season salmon with salt and pepper; set aside.

 

On each foil square, place one slice lemon and evenly divide and layer carrots, onions, olives. Spread pesto on salmon about ¼” thick. Place the salmon that’s been spread with pesto face down on the veggies so the skin is side up. Fold into packets crimping edges. Bake or place on grill using indirect heat until salmon is cooked about 20-30 minutes.

 

To serve, prepare plates in kitchen. Remove skin from salmon and flip onto plate – salmon on bottom and veggies on top. Discard lemon slices.

 

Serve with lemon wedges and couscous.

 

*For easy entertaining, prepare the salmon packets early in the day and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.

Easy Baked Tilapia

4 tilapia filets

½ cup bread crumbs or Panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 T dried Italian seasoning

¼ tsp garlic powder

2-3 T mayonnaise

 

Mix together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, and seasonings.

 

Place 4 tilapia fillets on a baking sheet lined with no-stick foil.

 

Spread the tilapia with a light coating of mayonnaise. Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.

 

Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes or until fish flakes with fork.

 

For a healthy meal, serve with steamed broccoli and brown rice.

Braised Mahimahi Puttanesca

Recipe created by Curtis Stone, O Magazine Food Columnist (September 2013 issue)

Curtis Stone says, “Try my take on classic puttanesca—a Mediterranean tomato sauce in which capers and olives provide an added punch of flavor—by using it to braise mahimahi or bass. You make your sauce, pop in your fish, cover the pan for a few minutes, and come back to a beautiful dish. The heat of the sauce does the cooking for you.”

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 2 Tbsp. capers, drained
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 skinless mahimahi or sea bass fillets (6 ounces each)**  see note below
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

In a large, heavy skillet, heat 3 Tbsp. oil over low heat. Add garlic and anchovies and cook, stirring frequently and mashing anchovies, about 2 minutes, or until garlic is soft but not browned. Stir in red pepper flakes. Add tomatoes, wine, olives, and capers. Increase heat to medium and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes, or until tomatoes have broken down. Season to taste with salt.

Season fish with salt, and lay gently in the sauce. Drizzle fillets with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Cover and simmer gently over low heat 7 to 10 minutes, or until fish is just cooked through and still moist. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Our friends who introduced us to this fragrant and delicious Mediterranean dish substituted Tilapia for the Mahimahi. What a great trade!!   Emily