As we commemorate Independence Day this Fourth of July, let’s also celebrate this special day with independence from complicated foods. The Jersey Bites writers have compiled some of their favorite recipes featuring 5 ingredients or less to keep your holiday menu simple and delicious.
Grilled Mexican Corn on the Cob, Veronique Deblois, Morris County
Mexican Spread Ingredients:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 stick softened butter
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup Mexican Queso Fresco, crumbled
Directions:
- In a bowl, combine sour cream, butter, cilantro and Queso Fresco.
- Drizzle 8 cobs with vegetable oil, salt and pepper.
- Grill on medium heat for eight minutes (rotate cobs for even grilling).
- Slather corn with Mexican Spread and enjoy!
Mom’s Red Potato Salad – Michele Errichetti, Atlantic County
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. bag of unpeeled small red potatoes
- 1 ½ cups of lite mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
Directions:
- Boil potatoes till fork tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain potatoes then return to pot and add vinegar, then add mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Turn gently to coat.
- Add potato salad to a glass bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours. Optional: Sprinkle with paprika and fresh parsley and serve.
Earl Grey Sorbet – Jennifer Malme, Cumberland County
Ingredients:
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 12 Earl Grey tea bags
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and let cook until sugar is dissolved – do not stir.
2. Add the tea bags and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove, squeeze and discard tea bags. Allow liquid to come to room temperature; stir in lemon juice. Chill for at least 6 hours.
3. Follow instructions for your ice cream maker to freeze tea mixture. After mixing, the sorbet will have a soft texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and place in the freezer for two hours. Remove from freezer ten minutes before serving.
Serve Earl Grey Sorbet with Jersey Fresh blueberries or peaches. Make ten ½ cup servings.
White Bean Salad – Christine Van Arsdalen, Somerset County
Ingredients:
- 2 cans cannellini beans
- 1 small red onion
- 4 tbsp fresh basil
- Olive Oil/ White Vinegar
- ½ a lemon
Directions:
- Rinse and drain cannellini beans and place in a medium sized bowl.
- Dice red onion into small to medium sized pieces
- Cut basil into thin strips
- Combine ingredients and dress lemon juice and with oil and vinegar to taste
- Season salad if desired (with salt pepper and garlic powder) and mix together
Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms-Beth Christian, Burlington County
Ingredients:
- 2-3 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar or Rachel Ray’s Balsamic reduction
Directions:
- Add olive oil, garlic, mushrooms to a medium frying pan. Saute 5 minutes.
- Add sea salt and pepper. Saute 2 more minutes.
- Add balsamic vinegar and saute 1 minute more.
Great as a side with strip or Porterhouse steaks!
Grilled Pineapple Salsa – Melissa Beveridge, Monmouth County
Ingredients:
- 1 Pineapple
- 1 handful cilantro
- ½ red onion
- 1 jalapeño (ribs and seeds taken out)
- 1 lime
Directions:
- Trim the outsides of the pineapple off and cut into thick slices. Lay the slices of the pineapple on the grill for 3 minutes on each side until caramelized.
- Chop the cilantro, red onion, and jalapeño into small pieces.
- Once cool, chop the pineapple slices into smaller than bite size chunks. Place in the bowl with the cilantro, red onion, and Jalapeño.
- Zest the lime into the bowl and then squeeze its juices onto the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy with some chips or on top of some grilled fish or pork chops!
Lemon Linguine – Kerry Brown, Burlington County
I make this at least once a week all summer long. The basic recipe is only five ingredients and tastes fantastic as is. But it’s extremely adaptable, so feel free to add whatever you love or have on hand: asparagus, shrimp, chicken, tomatoes, basil, pine nuts…whatever!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Linguine – cooked according to directions on package
- ⅓ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Juice from 2 Lemons (add zest, too, if you like extra lemon flavor)
- ¼ Cup Chopped Parsley
- 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and parsley.
- Pour over pasta and toss with parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- That’s it! Serve warm, at room temperature or even chilled.
Pimento Cheese – Colleen Wood, Camden County
This might be more southern than South Jerseyan but it’s a great dip/condiment for any state celebrating the 4th of July. Try scoop it up with crackers, pretzels, or celery, or slather it on a burger hot off the grill!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup mayonaise
- 1 7-oz. jar pimento peppers, drained and diced
Directions:
1. Combine and enjoy! Couldn’t be simpler!
Roasted Mustard Potatoes – Sheila Hill, Monmouth County
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and 1-1/2 inch cubed
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine mustard, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to blend.
- Add potatoes to the mixture and toss to coat evenly.
- Spread potatoes on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until browned and tender.
Serves 4-6 guests.
Have a safe and happy 4th of July and please share your favorite simple recipes with us!
