Part 2 of our Saturday "Pick Your Own" Strawberries at C.N. Smith Farm.
After picking 10 pounds of strawberries and starting the evening with a Strawberry Limonada, it was time to get serious on adding strawberries to our dinner menu. I decided to work the strawberries in as a condiment to the grilled chicken we would be serving. This past year, we have taken advantage of a few great summer salsas that contain a combination of tasty fruits, peppers, red onions and a flavorful dressings that complement the ingredients.
I found a strawberry summer salsa which they suggested be served with grilled chicken. It comes from a little recipe book called "The Best 50 Salsas" by Christie and Thomas Katona. We have found some great quick salsa recipes whether combining fruits, vegetables or both!
We are having people over tomorrow and I am already eyeing a peach salsa to use with our Killer Guacamole.
I found an easy Tequila-Lime Marinade, which was to be used on flank steak, butfigured it would be fine for chicken. The marinade came together in 5 minutes and since the tequila was out we might as well use it. I found the recipe on the Food & Wine website as Tequila-Lime Marinated Flank Steak. I've still got my eye on using it the next time we serve steak.
The chicken was delicious and the strawberry salsa was amazing as a dressing. We ended up serving it with white jasmine rice which was perfect. We kept dipping our chicken and rice in the fruity salsa. It was light and perfect for a warm Saturday evening dinner with our fresh, locally picked strawberries and some homegrown mint and cilantro.
This is nice as a side dish for chicken or white fish. Get out there while you can still pick your own strawberries, at least in New England, and enjoy the taste of locally grown produce!
Strawberry Summer Salsa
Ingredients:
2 cups of diced strawberries
1/2 cup of chopped red onion
1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 japeleno chile, finely chopped
1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.
Tequila Lime Marinade
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Spanish olive oil
3 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 small Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 pounds of boneless chicken breast, sliced thinly, approximately eight pieces.
Preparation:
In a large bowl or 1 gallon resealable bag, combine the ingredients.
Add the chicken and toss to coat completely with the marinade.
Cover (or seal) and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.
Grill chicken to desired wellness. We usually go 3-4 minutes each side, depending on the heat intensity of the grill.
Serve chicken with salsa on the top or side. White jasmine rice is a great side dish for this meal.