I decided to make use of all the good stuff I got at the farmers market this weekend. So I went with Jamaican Jerk Chicken with mango salsa, an old standby that is super easy to cook. For sides, I went with another old standby of mine, roasted red potatoes with a special seasoning, and a new endeavor, Tomato and Green Pepper Salad. I got to use tons of stuff I got at the farmers market, including green onions, shallots, red potatoes, tomatoes, and green peppers. I hope you enjoy!
Note: The recipes are out of order from the order above. I'm listing them in the order I cooked them because it is the most efficient way to prepare this entire meal... aka I'm super lazy and also hungry, so this was the quickest way to get dinner on the table.
First, prepare the potatoes
Ingredients:
3-4 red potatoes (bought these from the farmers market, this is enough to feed 3 people)
Olive oil
Chili powder
Oregano
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Cube the red potatoes. Gold yukon potatoes also work well with this dish. To cube them, I cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut each half lengthwise down the middle. Then cut widthwise in about 3 or 4 cuts to create the cubes.
3. Line a baking sheet or pie tin with aluminum foil. I love lining everything with foil because it minimizes the mess, and you can also recycle the foil. Place the potatoes in the tin and drizzle with olive oil. Spoon the potatoes around so they get completely covered in oil, but be careful not to poke a hole in the foil!
4. Sprinkle the seasonings on top; use lots of chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper, but be careful with the onion and garlic powder. The amount of cayenne pepper is up to how spicy you want it; I sprinkle 2 dashes into my palm and then sprinkle it over the potatoes. Note: This spice mix is also delicious on corn on the cob, just rub some butter on the corn and then sprinkle the spices all around it!
5. Spoon the potatoes around again so all sides are coated with the spices. Cook for 45 minutes.
Second, prepare the chicken while potatoes are roasting
This meal is particularly quick if you create the spice mix in advance. I always have lots leftover so I save it in a spice jar for the next time I need it. You can put it on chicken or fish, or even pork.
Spice mix:
2 TBL coriander
2 TBL ground ginger
2 TBL brown sugar
1 TBL onion powder
1 TBL garlic powder
1 TBL salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
cayenne pepper
Mix these spices together in a bowl. Again, the amount of cayenne pepper depends on how spicy you want it; I usually do about 2 dashes.
Line a baking sheet with foil, and place chicken thighs on top. I usually do 2 chicken thighs per person. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning, making sure it is thoroughly coated. For a stronger flavor, flip the chicken over and coat the bottoms as well. Place in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes.
Note: You may want to prep the spice mix beforehand. I always have some on hand so I don't have to worry about it, but if you put the chicken in too late after the potatoes, you'll end up overcooking the potatoes.
Third, prepare the salad while the potatoes and chicken are cooking.
I got this recipe from Rachael Ray, but I tweaked it a bit for my ingredients on hand. The original recipe asks for an onion, but I used a shallot since they were available at the farmers market, and it also asks for red vinegar, but I used balsamic since I was able to purchase some from a local store in San Luis Obispo. It still turned out great.
Ingredients:
2 green peppers, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 shallot/onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Lemon juice (fresh if you can, but I always have some in a bottle for a standby)
Balsamic vinegar/red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Ground cumin
1. In a salad bowl, mix together the green peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and parsley.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Drizzle a small amount of vinegar over the top, and then the olive oil. It's always important to do olive oil as the last liquid to anything; otherwise it will prevent all the other liquids from reaching the vegetables.
3. Add the salt, pepper, and cumin.
4. Toss the salad and set aside so the vegetables can marinate.
And last but not least, the mango salsa
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
1/2 red pepper, roughly chopped
A small bunch of green onions, chopped from the white part to halfway up the green part
3/4 of a shallot, roughly chopped
Lime juice (maybe a 2 second squeeze)
Lemon juice (3 second squeeze, you want more lemon than lime)
Add all ingredients to the food processor. Pulse until it is the consistency of your liking.
When the chicken and potatoes are done cooking, place the chicken onto each plate and cover with the mango salsa, and serve the potatoes and salad.
The finished product!
The tastes of all the fresh produce was amazing. There is nothing better than a fresh tomato, especially when it's mixed with fresh green peppers and shallots! We couldn't help ourselves; with all these great flavors and the island livin mon, we had to wash down this tasty dinner with our favorite Jamaican beer, Red Stripe mon!!!
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