This recipe is a family favorite anytime of the year, but especially during the hot summer months. We've been making this for years and although the name might indicate otherwise, it's all non alcoholic! I like to serve it on a bed of rice alongside a fresh green salad. If you have a rice cooker all the better, otherwise this recipe keeps the kitchen and house cool since the cooking is done outside.
Ingredients:
1
cup margarita drink mix or 1 cup lime juice, 4 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt
1
teaspoon ground coriander
1
clove garlic, minced
1
pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2
tablespoons butter, melted
1
tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2
teaspoons lime juice
1/8
teaspoon sugar
1
large green or red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
2
ears corn, cut into 8 pieces
For marinade, combine margarita mix, coriander and garlic in small bowl. Place pork cubes in large resealable plastic food storage bag; pour marinade over pork. Close bag securely; turn to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. Combine butter, parsley, lime juice and sugar in small bowl; set aside. Thread pork cubes onto four skewers, alternating with pieces of bell pepper and corn. (If using bamboo skewers, soak in water 20 to 30 minutes before using to prevent them from burning.) Grill over hot coals for 15 to 20 minutes or until barely pink in center, basting with margarine mixture and turning frequently.
Optional: we like to add the small cooking onions to the kabobs.. try it some time, you will love it I'm sure.
Image and recipe compliments the National Pork Board.
Welcome to dining alfresco Bennett style. We tend to spend a lot of time outside in the spring, summer and fall. Well, mainly spring and fall because the summer evenings are just too hot around here. And sometimes, I even set a special table for just the two of us. Does it look like seafood is on the menu?
I was in TJ Maxx the other day and saw these scrumptiously cute starfish plates. I was enthralled and knew that they would match the place mats, glasses and votive I already had. And seeing them, I knew what was for dinner. Seafood. We were going to eat outside and husband was fixing seafood. So off to the supermarket I went whilst visions of the perfect table danced in my head.
The dinner plates came from TJ Maxx several years ago. I love the scallops and the shells on the rim.
And these are what prompted our dinner plans for the evening. I think they are just too cute. Perfect as bread and butter plates, or salad plates or even for a delectable dessert.
The silverware is by WMF, a German company, and were a gift from my mother a decade or two ago.
A fish knife does not have a serrated blade. The blade is curved so that it helps separate the fish from the skin or to separate a smaller piece from the entire piece.
The goblets came from United Market Street a couple of years ago. They have the faintest blue tint to them. They remind me of the beautiful blues you see in the waters in the Caribbean. When I found the goblets, Stein Mart graciously offered the placemats for sale! They were just meant to be - don't you think?
I surrounded the matching large votive with shells that were purchased at a craft store.
Of course if you live by the beach you can simply pick them up on your walk on the beach. Just be sure to bring them home and place them in gently boiling water to kill any micro-organisms that might inhabit them. I love to use the unexpected. These fingertip towels from Martha Pullen Company make great napkins. If you have an embroidery machine, a simple monogram makes a beautiful addition.
I love mixing the patterns. This one has several rows of beautiful hemstitching. Buying it ready made turns this into instant gratification.
This towel/napkin has raised dots in between two rows of hemstitching. Quite delectable.
The napkins were tied with a bit of raffia to play off the light wooden beads on the edge of the place mats and the wicker on both the goblets and votive.
So what did the starfish plates inspire for dinner? Copper River Salmon! Click the link to find out what all the hype is about. It's available at United Market Street and the price ranges from very expensive at the beginning of the mid-May season to less expensive at the end of the Mid-June run. We love to eat it fresh at the beginning of the season, start freezing it by the middle of the season so that we can enjoy this delicacy a few more times throughout the year. Keep in mind that a serving size is the size of a deck of cards, keeps the price down! Husband fashions a tray from tin foil, sprays it with a non-stick coating and then during the cooking (over moderate heat and only for a few minutes) sprinkles the juice of a Tangelo over the meat. Awesome.
A green salad of butter lettuce, radishes, avocados and green onions lightly doused with a French vinaigrette; Haricot vert and parslied new, red potatoes are the simple touches that let the Copper River Salmon take center stage, as so it should.
I hope you enjoyed joining us for dinner. Come back soon and we can do it again some time! And to see more cool tablescapes, click on the picture below..
We practically live on the patio in the spring, cool summer mornings and evenings, and in the fall. Sunday was no different. After cleaning up a bit, shopping a bit, it was time for eating a bit! I married a man who, bless his heart, grew up on chicken fried steak , mashed potatoes with paste gravy, green beans and iceberg lettuce. So in the 35 years we've been married, I've taken his taste buds on a never ending journey.
When I was a young girl living in France, I was lucky enough to get to go with friends to the Atlantic coast where we picked Moules off the rocks early in the mornings while the tide was still out. I can remember wearing heavy, thick gloves because those rascals were stuck "real good" on those rocks. Then we would cook them on the beach, eat them and then drain down the liquid in which they were cooked. Yummy. So Sunday we had Moules for lunch. I am so thankful for United Market Street and their knowledgeable fish mongers who pay careful attention when selecting mussels. When you purchase them, they must be closed! Bring them home, place them in a bowl of either salted, cold water or water into which you've added some cornmeal. Both the cornmeal and the salt agitate the mussels to cleanse themselves. Remove any barbs and leave them in the water until you are ready for the cooking step. Then drain well before adding to the pot.
Mussels Steamed in White Wine Moules Marinière 4 tbs butter 1 cup minced onions 1 large clove of garlic, pureed, optional a large handful of chopped fresh parsley 4 quarts fine fresh mussels 2 cups dry white wine or dry white French Vermouth
Melt the butter in a kettle, stir in the onions and optional garlic, and cook slowly for several minutes until limp. Then add the parsley and the mussels, cover the kettle and shake once to mix all the ingredients. Pour in the vermouth or wine and shake once again. Turn heat to high, cover tightly, and let steam for 3 to 4 minutes (without shaking), just until the mussels have opened.
Dip the mussels out, shells and all, into the soup bowls. Tip the kettle and ladle the fragrant cooking liquor into each serving bowl. Serve with a fresh baguette, real butter, and a bottle of wine.
As the movie starts, Julie is in the middle of a work crisis. Julie’s mate challenges her to cook since that is what makes her happy. Blog and cook. Time limit 1 year. Cook all the items in the Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. More items to cook than days in the year. I loved the movie. All of it. And for the last several days have been dreaming in French, talking to myself in French. And cooking.
Several years ago in a time of high stress and major upheaval in my life, I decided it would be a good thing to put all the family recipes into a cookbook. I had already lost recipes handwritten by my grandmother and my aunt and did not want a repeat of this misfortune for my sons. Since my younger child was the root of the upheaval in my life, I dedicated the cookbook to him.So I relate to this movie on a very personal level. Food, cooking and stress! I must confess, I am a stress eater. I also confess that cooking makes me feel better. It’s cathartic. Had I not had the cookbook and a goal in mind, I probably would have collapsed totally and thatwould have been a disaster as I needed to be the support person during our crisis. I formulated a page layout in Photoshop(TM) and once that was accomplished, the process was fairly easy. Type the recipe onto the page layout and print. But I didn't stop there. I added lots of family pictures, all involving food. Hence the cookbook grew to very large, time consuming, all-encompassing proportions. Cheaper than a shrink for sure. But now that it's complete, it's a handy reference and I no longer have to figure out where I stuck a recipe, was it in a cookbook or is it handwritten, all those problems were neatly addressed with this one publication.
So back to my mutterings and musings; I’ve been cooking French. Earlier this week it was Salade Niçoise (clicking this link will take you to Julia's version). Served with a fresh baguette and a glass of wine, it’s a delightful meal and not too unhealthy either. Today I share the recipe with you. Bon Appetit!
Williams Sonoma Mediterranean Tuna Salad ~~~~~although this is not Julia's, I actually like this one better because it has fresh dill 1/2 lb young green beans, trimmed and cut in half crosswise ice water to cover salt 1 lb small, ripe tomatoes 1 cucumber 1 small green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and cut into 1/2-inch squares 4 small green onions, including some green tops, chopped 3-4 red potatoes, quartered, boiled until done, cooled. 3-4 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill 13 or so ounces of solid pack tuna in olive/safflower oil, drained and flaked apart
Dressing: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar salt and fresh ground black pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/s lb mesclun or other small lettuces, carefully rinsed and dried 4 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and quartered lengthwise 8 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and cut in half crosswise 20 tiny Niçoise olives or 12 small Italian or Spanish black olives
Place the green beans in a bowl. Add ice water to cover and set aside for 10-15 minutes. fill a saucepan three fourths full of water and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Transfer the beans to the pan, reserving ice water. Boil until bright green, but still crisp, 3-4 minutes. Return the beans to the ice water. When cool, drain and set aside.
Core the tomatoes, cut into wedges and put in a bowl. Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, and, using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut crosswise into slices 1/2" thick and add to the tomatoes. Add the bell pepper, green onions, potatoes, dill, tuna and green beans.
To make the dressing in a small jar with lid, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the olive oil. Close the lid, Shake vigorously until all is blended. Spoon half the dressing over the vegetables and toss. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.
Divide the lettuces among 4 pasta bowls or plates. spoon the vegetables and tuna mixture on top. Place 4 egg quarters on each plate and top each quarter with 1 anchovy fillet half. Divide the olives among the salads. Serve with sliced french baguette. Do you have a recommendation for a wine??
