Grapefruit & Jalapeño Paloma

Zipping up and down the dusty desert hills of western Colorado this weekend, I would occasionally remember – I have a blog post to write (two, actually). It was a passing thought, there one minute and gone the next as several rocks on the trail would steal my focus back. So, I didn’t write, not even back at camp. I was unplugged and it was glorious. What I did do, was think—between burms and turns- how refreshing a Paloma would be after a long day of mountain biking in the sun. Of course, I hadn’t planned that well, and there were no grapefruits, or ice cubes, and certainly no jalapeño infused tequila back at our campsite. (Maybe I’ll pack better next time?)

This version of the classic drink has a few twists and turns, the largest of which is infusing the tequila with jalapeño. This adds a savory and spicy note to the drink, making it a bit more complex and, if you ask me, more delicious. I first found this combo in the book, Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails (I recommended this one!), and have made a few tweaks over the last year, landing on my go-to mix.

Grapefruit & Jalapeño Paloma

Published April 15, 2021 by Caitlin Sherwood

   Print This Recipe

Serves: 1   |    Active Time: 5 minutes

---

Ingredients:

For the jalapeño tequila

1 jalapeño

2 cups blanco/silver tequila

For the simple syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

For the cocktail (quantities here are for a single cocktail, multiply by number of drinks to make a larger batch)

Salt, for rim of glass

Ice, for serving

2 ounces grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed

Juice from 1/2 lime

2 ounces jalapeño tequila (recipe above)

1/2 ounce Cointreau (Palomas typically just call for tequila, but I like the citrusy sweetness this adds)

1 tablespoon simple syrup (recipe above)

Dash of bitters (Optional, adds another layer of flavor)

2 ounces club soda (or grapefruit La Croix)

Garnish: lime wedges, jalapeño slices

Directions:

1. Infused tequila: Start infusing the the tequila at least 20 minutes before mixing your drinks: slice jalapeño, and place in a 16 ounce jar. Pour tequila over top. Place lid on jar, and allow tequila to sit for 20 minutes before straining out the jalapeño pieces. Save the infused tequila in an airtight jar until you’re ready to prepare your cocktails. This can be done several days in advance. You can also easily divide this recipe to make less (I often make just a few ounces, using just half a jalapeño)
2. Simple Syrup: Next, prepare the simple syrup: combine sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. This can be made several days in advance. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
3. Now, mix the cocktail: Start by rimming your glass with salt (tip: to get salt to stick, rub a slice of lime on the edge of the glass before dipping it into the salt). Fill the glass halfway with ice.
4. In a shaker, combine: grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, cointreau, simple syrup, and bitters to combine. Shake, and then pour into prepared glass. Top with club soda to taste, and garnish with a lime wedge and/or a slice of jalapeño.

Citrus Butter Sweet Potatoes

Sunshine has been all I crave lately. After a very snowy Thanksgiving week and a few weeks of fighting a cold, I feel like I’ve barely spent anytime outside over the last month. It’s getting to me. Staying home to cook all day is one of my favorite activities—but only if I’ve gotten enough fresh air, too. Otherwise, I just feel stir crazy. Next week, my office closed for the whole week (!!), so I am hoping to flip-flop my outside time issue. Miraculously, it’s suppose to be a sunny week… so sunshine, here I come!

Here is a holiday/winter side dish with a little sunshine built in, in the form of bright citrus juice: Citrus Butter Sweet Potatoes. They are slow roasted with a bit of butter, maple syrup (just a touch!) and orange juice. Each bite is a mix of sweet, salty, starchy and acidic.

Happy holidays!

P.S., If I know anything about you all, it’s that you love sweet potatoes. This roasted sweet potato salad is the most popular recipe on Foraged Dish! (Or is it the goat cheese?)

Citrus Butter Sweet Potatoes

Published December 19, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

   Print This Recipe

Serves: 4-6   |    Active Time: 70 minutes

---

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Zest and juice of 1/2 an orange

1-2 generous pinches of salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1-2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. While the oven preheats, place a baking dish (about 9x9 inches) in the oven with the 2 tablespoons of butter in it—this will melt the butter. When butter is melted (just a few minutes) remove from oven and set aside.
2. Wash the sweet potatoes, and then optionally, peel them. I like to roughly peel them, leaving a bit of skin on. Chop sweet potatoes into about 1-inch thick by 2-inch long pieces.
3. Add maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice, and salt to the baking mix and stir everything together. Add sweet potatoes, and use a rubber spatula to mix them in the maple-butter mixture until coated.
4. Cover top of pan with foil, and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove foil from pan and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Sweet potatoes should be browning on the edges, and extremely soft when done. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
5. Season with black pepper to your preferences, and garnish with minced parsley.

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Herbs, herbs on everything. That’s been the mantra lately, out of necessity (but also appetite for fresh, bold flavors). Last night it was something like this pork noodle salad from NYT Cooking. The night before it was magic green chicken Nom Nom Paleo-style. But even before that—when the weekend was still young—it was this grilled swordfish with fresh herb sauce.

Need a side? Slice zucchini lengthwise (I know you have plenty of zucchini!), brush with EVOO, salt, and toss on the grill. The herb sauce in this recipe (which you will have plenty of) goes great with grilled veggies, too. Simple white rice adds bulk but also soaks up extra juices—a welcome addition!

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Published August 20, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

   Print This Recipe

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

---

Ingredients:

1 pound sword fish fillet

10-12 Shishito peppers (optional)

Large pinch of salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Sprinkle of cracked black pepper

Herb sauce:

1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (I use a mix of equal parts parsley, thai basil, mint, and oregano)

1 shallot

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Light a grill and set to high. Close lid and allow grill to heat.
2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut the fish cubes (about 1-2 inches each).
3. Skewer fish pieces, along with shishito peppers if using. Sprinkle with salt, and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
4. Use a brush to coat fish with olive oil, covering both sides. Then, zest lemon over fish, and sprinkle with pepper.
5. Place fish on hot grill, and cook for 3 minutes on each side, with the grill lid closed.
6. While fish cooks, make the fresh herb sauce: mince the shallot, and place in a small bowl with lemon juice. Mince herbs, and add to bowl, along with salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Pour enough olive oil into the bowl to coat all of the herbs. Stir.
7. When fish is done cooking, remove from heat and set on serving plates. Spoon herb sauce over top, and serve hot.