Ceviche ( a perfect appetizer) and Margaritas To Enjoy On The Pavillion Lawn

Serves about 4 -1 ½ Cups Each

Yes indeed the Sun Valley Summer Symphony is in full swing and I am loving it.  What fun to see everyone on the lawn relaxing, munching, imbibing and listening to the wonderful notes floating through the air! It’s a perfect time for family, loved ones and friends to gather together along with a sumptuous something on which to dine.  So, here are two easy something’s (which I borrowed) for you to make and treat your group.

Ceviche:

Ingredients:

1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces (I used the $1 frozen packaged variety from Albertsons)

1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, minced

1/2 C. lime juice

1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tsp. chopped fresh oregano

1/4 Tsp. salt

1 bell pepper green, red, or yellow or mixed, halved crosswise and thinly sliced

1 large tomato, chopped (make sure it’s tasty)

1/2 C. very thinly SLICED white onion

1/4 C. quartered green olives (yes, even if you don’t like olives)

1 avocado, chopped

Directions:

Place tilapia in a medium skillet.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, remove from the heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. (I slightly unfroze my Albertsons packaged tilapia first.)

In a medium sized bowl, place jalapeno, lime juice, 2 Tblsp. cilantro, oregano and salt. Whisk the mixture. Gently fold in the bell pepper, tomato, sliced onion, and olives. Finally, gently fold in the tilapia which has now cooled a bit and been cut into pieces into the mixture. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes—several hours is even better, so make this in the morning of your picnic.

When taking to the picnic put the ceviche in a pretty dish topped with the remaining cilantro and avocado that has been sprinkled with some lemon to keep it from turning brown, and put a good spill proof cover on the dish. Serve this with warm corn tortillas. Warm the tortillas in some paper towels which have been moistened in your micro—just a minute (mas o menos), and then put them in aluminum foil to keep warm for later.  To serve, let everyone scoop a generous portion of ceviche in their corn tortilla. Or if you wish, you can make your own fat free tortilla chips (350 oven-place tortillas on rack-after 3 minutes or so see if crisp enough to break into chips) or buy some. Make sure you have some sturdy plates and good napkins as well.

Margaritas:

Buy some Lime or Lemon Sorbet, put in a freezer bag along with a baggie of ice cubes from your freezer; take a bottle of gold tequila; a bottle of club soda; some fun glasses; 3 plastic containers (large enough that your glass rim can fit in it), one filled with some lemon or lime juice, and the second with salt and the third with sugar for glass rimming,; straws and spoons for sipping, stirring, and perhaps just eating; and a small baggie with thinly sliced limes. (Hint: For glass rimming, dip your glass in the lime or lemon juice container first and then dip into the sugar or salt containers.)When you are ready for your Margarita, place a generous scoop of the sorbet in the glass and pour a jigger or so of tequila over it.  Stir just a bit with your straw————-and there you are. Add some ice cubes and club soda if it’s too vigorous for your palate. YUM but of course as always, remember, have a designated driver if you are driving.  For the DD, try the sorbet and a bit of sparkling water with some sprits/slices of lemon or lime or just let the DD enjoy spooning the sorbet directly in the mouth.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.