Fried Lavash Triangles

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Fried Lavash Triangles! Lavash, like anything else these days, can often be purchased in the Deli Department of your local supermarket without having to make it at home. Lavash slightly resembles pita bread or flatbread, but much thinner. Different varieties are available including flax, oat bran, and whole wheat. The package I bought contained 4 sheets. Obviously, you can make triangular snack chips or square crispy crackers. Once you try it, you’ll see how versatile lavash really is. Crunch-time is back to Munch-time. 

FRIED LAVASH TRIANGLES

Ingredients:

2 sheets of lavash bread

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon tajin seasoning

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200°. Set aside a baking sheet. Warm vegetable oil in an iron skillet over medium-low heat. Brush the top of each sheet of lavash bread with olive oil. Sprinkle with tajin seasoning and sea salt. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper powder, to taste. Using a kitchen shears, cut lavash bread into triangles of desired size for snack chips. Place a single layer of triangles in the iron skillet. Watch closely. Using a tongs, flip over to fry both sides. When slightly golden, transfer the fried lavash triangles to the baking sheet, still forming a single layer. Repeat frying process until all chips are fried. Place baking sheet in the oven for about 5-6 minutes. Remove and let cool. This turns the chips crispier and adds more crunch. Serve with tzatziki dip.

European Baguette Sandwich

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: European Baguette Sandwich! WYKYK. My all-time favorite lunchtime sandwich begins with a bakery fresh French baguette. It has become the starting point for what I consider a staple in France and Europe. Perfect for picnics, compact enough for lunch, and elegant enough to eat with your fingers. Of course, it’s all about the ingredients. You may recall, my husband and I order French sea salt butter online after visiting the country years ago. I can’t buy it in America. But that’s okay because it freezes well. Personally, I love Emmental cheese and can buy that locally, along with prosciutto sold without added preservatives. Choose your ingredients wisely. One bite and you’ll practically feel your eyes roll back in heavenly bliss. 

EUROPEAN BAGUETTE SANDWICH

Ingredients: 

1 French baguette, halved and split lengthwise (makes two servings)

4 tablespoons French sea salt butter, room temperature

1 cup mixed greens

2-3 Swiss cheese slices

4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced 

2-4 sweet gherkins, sliced lengthwise 

Instructions:

To build your sandwich, place all four halves on the counter, open-faced. Slather each cut side with French sea salt butter. On the baguette that will be the top, divide the micro greens between the two portions. For the bottoms, layer the Swiss cheese onto the buttered side, followed by the paper-thin prosciutto. Finally, arrange the sweet gherkins over the prosciutto. Carefully place the tops of the sandwich onto the bottoms. Wrap each baguette sandwich in waxed paper. 

Deviled Eggs With Relish

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Deviled Eggs with Relish! When I was younger, there was only one way to make deviled eggs: mustard, mayo, and paprika. The recipe never changed and the eggs always got eaten first. Fast forward to today, just try “Googling” deviled eggs. Nowadays there must be dozens of unique ways to make them including flavorful spices, fresh herbs, tangy pickles, crumbled toppings, and pretty much anything your mind can imagine. Be creative. Test them out on your friends and family. There’s no better way to get egg-cellent results. 

DEVILED EGGS WITH RELISH

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled eggs

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

Sprinkling of paprika

Micro greens, for garnish

Instructions:

Peel the hard boiled eggs. Cut each egg in half horizontally. Remove yolks and place in a mixing bowl. Transfer egg white halves to a serving dish. To make the filling, mash the yolks with a fork. Add sea salt, black pepper, and mayonnaise. Mix well. Fold in the sweet pickle relish. Fill each halved egg white with the egg yolk mixture. Dust with a sprinkling of paprika. Garnish with micro greens. Chill for one hour before serving. 

Copycat 1905 Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Copycat 1905 Salad! If you’ve ever traveled to St. Augustine, Florida, located in the heart of historic downtown is a place that’s been in business for a while now. It’s called the Columbia Restaurant offering Spanish/Cuban cuisine. You can always expect a long line of people that trails around the corner toward the Spanish-style fountain. Once inside, most customers insist on their signature 1905 tossed salad and then work their way through the menu. Now you can enjoy this specialty at home without the cost of a plane ticket. 

COPYCAT 1905 SALAD

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Salad:

I head iceberg lettuce, shredded or gently torn

1/2 pound deli ham slices, julienned 

1/3 pound Swiss cheese, julienned

10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

5 ounces green olives, sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

5 ounces garlic croutons

2 ounces parmesano reggiano cheese, grated

Instructions:

In an extra large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic cloves, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine ice berg lettuce, ham slices, Swiss cheese, cherry tomatoes, green olives, red onion, garlic croutons, and parmesano reggiano cheese. Gently toss. Add prepped salad contents to the dressing. Toss to thoroughly coat the salad with the dressing. Serve in individual salad bowls. 

Basil Tomato Pesto

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Basil Tomato Pesto! With a vibrant basil plant that thrives in the Florida sunshine, I get to reap the benefit of having this fresh herb as often as I crave it. The hubs doesn’t care for the taste or aroma of basil, but when I add a heaping tablespoon of pesto to spaghetti sauce, he knows he likes the taste. He just can’t figure out why it seems better than usual. True confessions? I think not! My lips are sealed. I simply respond, “I’ve got the magic touch.” And leave it at that. 

BASIL TOMATO PESTO

Ingredients:

1 cup cherry tomatoes

10-15 basil leaves

1/3 cup roasted pistachios, slightly chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, roasted pistachios, garlic powder, and kosher salt in a food processor. Pulse to blend into a fine purée. Scrape the sides down and turn the processor to Low setting. As it is running, pour the olive oil into the mixture in a continuous stream. The tomato pesto will thicken nicely. Transfer to a serving bowl; garnish with fresh basil leaves. 

Asparagus Guacamole

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Asparagus Guacamole! Before you panic, this recipe still contains avocados. I say that because the end result is as creamy as the original guac, just elevated. With the addition of asparagus and tomatoes, it becomes savory with earthy undertones. By keeping it chunky, each dollop clings to the tortilla chip creating a rewarding mouthful. Still curious? Make a batch yourself. 

ASPARAGUS GUACAMOLE

Ingredients:

1/2 pound asparagus, lightly steamed and chopped

2 small avocados, skin and pit removed

2 teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 clove garlic, minced

I large tomato, chopped

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a food processor, combine steamed asparagus, avocados, lime juice, sea salt, and minced garlic. Blend until almost smooth, leaving the mixture slightly chunky. Fold in chopped tomatoes. Transfer asparagus guacamole to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro.