Chorizo, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Avocados...Oh My!

Well, it is officially tomato and new potato season! Every day, we're bringing a bag, half-full with tomatoes and new potatoes up from The Backyard Market to our kitchen to be used for immediate eating. Soon, both will be overwhelming and we'll be living in the kitchen, canning and drying. Can't wait!

Two evenings ago, we had a lovely evening of Chardonnay, grilled potatoes for me and grilled potatoes with chorizo sausage for Andy, and an avocado-tomato salad! Delicious! Enjoy our recipes!

Chorizo Sausage and Potato Grilled Salad
5 medium new potatoes (approx.)
1/2 lb. of local chorizo sausage
3 large cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely
1 medium onion, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno or similar pepper, if in season
1 Tbs. of spice blend, containing ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper
1 Tbs. of olive oil or more to taste

Prepare grill to medium to medium-high heat.
Cube potatoes, making sure they are large enough that they will not fall through the holes of a grill pan. Put into the grill pan. Chop garlic, jalapeno, and onion; layer on top of the potatoes. Cut chorizo into 1-inch segments and layer on top of garlic and pepper. Once grill is ready, put on grill. Let heat for three to five minutes. Slowly drizzle olive oil and shake grill pan over fire to distribute oil. Periodically, shake the grill pan, adding spice and/or oil to desired taste. Continue process until potatoes are tender.

A real treat to the chorizo dinner is a splash of Mexican crema and/or a sprinkling of queso fresco on top! Scrumptious!

Avocado and Tomato Salad
We discovered this simple yet elegant salad while studying in the Dominican Republic. The plate comes layered with raw avocados, tomatoes, and onions. Customers add vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. We loved the simplicity of the salad and how crisp and fresh it tasted. Since we've been home, we've encountered several versions of the salad, but this easy, fresh version remains our favorite.

2 ripe avocados
3 medium tomatoes (We used fresh Nyagous tomatoes from our garden!)
1 small onion
olive oil to taste
cider vinegar to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Pit avocados and slice them into 1/4-inch strips. Slice tomatoes similar to avocados. Extra-thinly slice the onion. Layer the three on a plate. Drizzle olive oil and cider vinegar to taste. (Careful: Too much cider vinegar can overpower the dish. Be sure to taste test before serving!) Add salt and pepper to taste! Goes really well with Chardonnay!