balsamic

Uptown Burrata Masterpiece Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Uptown Burrata Masterpiece Salad! I stumbled onto this decadent cheese with the soft creamy center at first bite when my husband and I visited Little Italy in Boston. Hearing the excitement in the voice of our waiter piqued my interest. Oh my, this has to be the best cheese ever! The easiest way to describe it is to say that it’s a type of fresh mozzarella cheese with a hollow center filled with thick cream that boasts of a rich buttery taste. Make sense? It’s meant to be eaten at room temperature, so don’t waste your money melting it on a pizza.

UPTOWN BURRATA MASTERPIECE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh arugula leaves

3-4 Campari tomatoes, quartered

6-ounces artichoke hearts, marinated

6-ounces Burrata mozzarella cheese

Balsamic Reduction 

Cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Arrange arugula leaves in a shallow bowl. Place tomatoes and artichokes around decoratively. Place a portion of the Burrata mozzarella at center stage. Drizzle balsamic reduction sauce over all. Garnish with cracked peppercorns to taste. Yes, please!

Caprese Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Caprese Salad!  Here’s a refreshingly healthy salad alternative to the traditional Cobb Salad. This little number boasts an international flavor with an Italian influence.  Right now fresh tomatoes-on-the-vine are available at the market. Hand-pick them in any size cluster you desire.  All natural mozzarella makes all the difference, especially when surrounded by this season’s basil leaves. Pluck the basil from your window herb garden or go straight to the organic produce section of your favorite grocers.  As you dive in to this crispy salad, notice the colors of the flag of Italy.  Grazie, grazie molto!

CAPRESE SALAD

Ingredients:

4-6 Roma Tomatoes 

16 oz. Marinated Mozzarella*

24 Fresh Basil Leaves

2 T Red Onion, slivered

Herbed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Garlic Wine Vinegar 

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes into wedges.  Add the mozzarella cheese, onion, and basil. Gently toss with drizzled olive oil and vinegar to taste. 

***May Substitute Herbed Goat Cheese. Watch for this recipe in Letter G.

 

Fire-Roasted Strawberries

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Fire-Roasted Strawberries! Try something different with those exceptionally large strawberries you couldn’t resist buying (or picking). You want to choose berries which are firm to the touch, have an appealing aroma, are bright red in color, and taste naturally sweet. Some may elect to use stainless steel skewers to keep the fruit from tipping over or simply to have the appearance of charred grill marks. Kabobs have a charming finish as well. They’re all Strawberrylicious! 

FIRE-ROASTED STRAWBERRIES 

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed whole

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon natural honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to 300°. Grease a grill pan with unsalted butter. Set aside. Arrange strawberries in a single layer of a baking dish. Whisk together lemon olive oil, natural honey, and balsamic vinegar. Brush onto strawberries, turning to coat. Transfer the strawberries to the prepared grill pan. Place the pan over the direct heat; close lid, and cook 5 minutes. Turn and repeat until the strawberries are bubbly and beginning to slump. Remove from grill and transfer strawberries to a serving platter. 

Xinjiang Tiger Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Xinjiang Tiger Salad! As suggested by its name, this dish challenges you to imagine the stripes of a tiger when arranging it on a salad plate. Not only that, its intensity can surprise you like the whip of a tail when the heat of the chili pepper attacks the palate. I find chewing on cilantro tames that fiery beast. Now the question remains. Are you brave enough to try it?!?

XINJIANG TIGER SALAD

Ingredients:

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 red onion, sliced thin

3 green chilies, sliced

1 handful cilantro, leaves

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 pinch sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

Arrange tomato slices and red onion slices on a salad plate. Too with green chilies. Place cilantro leaves onto plate. Combine balsamic vinegar, sugar, and sea salt. Mix well. Pour into a condiment cup. Drizzle over vegetables, gently toss, and serve. 

Strawberry Basil Spread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Strawberry Basil Spread! Is it a dessert….or an appetizer?!?!  Strawberries are such a versatile fruit. They may often be added to a garden salad featured on restaurant menus or as a topping on waffles, pancakes, and ice cream. Everyone seems to find favor in their sweet and tangy flavor. After all, strawberries are candy-like, naturally juicy, and sometimes creamy…..especially when slathered onto a cracker topped with Neufchâtel cheese. You seriously cannot go wrong with this tantalizing recipe. Plus, it looks good enough to eat. Wouldn’t you agree?

STRAWBERRY BASIL SPREAD

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries 

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8-ounce block Neufchâtel cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Fresh strawberries, for garnish

Instructions:

Place the frozen strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a mixing bowl. Allow the strawberries to thaw for 30 minutes. Mash the ingredients together using a fork. Leave small chunks for texture. Place the block of Neufchâtel cheese on a serving platter. Slowly spoon the strawberry sauce over the block of cheese. Chop fresh strawberries; arrange over top and around sides where the sauce has spilled over. Sprinkle with thinly sliced basil leaves. Serve with sea salt pita crackers. 

Jalapeño Lime Dressing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Cheerful Choices: Jalapeño Lime Dressing! I’m telling you, flavored vinegars and olive oils make my life a breeze. Think about it. If you could open a bottle of zesty lime balsamic vinegar with spicy jalapeños, would you be tempted to splash it into a pitcher of margaritas? Don’t laugh. What if you turned it into a marinade with lime olive oil for a plate of grilled shrimp tacos? It’s sweet, slightly tart, and adds a zing of jalapeño heat to get the blood flowing. Whether you plan a garden salad, steamed rice, or roasted vegetables on the menu tonight, think outside the box with exotic pairings.

JALAPEÑO LIME DRESSING

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon jalapeño lime balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup lime olive oil

1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño pepper slices

Instructions:

In a blender, combine fresh parsley, cilantro leaves, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, jalapeño lime balsamic vinegar, and lime olive oil. Pulse until all ingredients are finely minced and dressing has emulsified. Transfer to a jar. Add sliced jalapeños. Cover. Refrigerate one hour.

Xtra Tender Crockpot Carrots

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Here Come the Holidays: Xtra Tender Crockpot Carrots! Take advantage of a favorite workhorse at your disposal for men and women alike. Some call it a crockpot (from the 1970s) while others refer to it as a modern-day slow cooker. It basically became popular because it was a handy appliance that could be filled with traditional stew ingredients left to cook slowly all day long. People plugged it in and trotted off to work. When they returned home, the entire house was filled with savory aromas that could make a macho man weep. The only thing missing was the synthesized beat of the disco hit by the Village People. Now I’m really dating myself.

XTRA TENDER CROCKPOT CARROTS

Instructions:

2 pounds whole carrots, washed and peeled

1/3 cup apricot jam

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons raw honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Trim carrots, as needed, to fit lengthwise in a crockpot or slow cooker. Remove all but an inch of the carrot tops. In a bowl, combine apricot jam, melted butter, raw honey, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, kosher salt, dried thyme, dry mustard, and black pepper. Stir until thoroughly mixed. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch and water. Pour into the apricot sauce. Stir well. Drizzle apricot sauce over carrots. Cover crockpot. Cook on LOW setting for 5-6 hours, or until tender. Carrots are done when pierced easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

Versatile Fig-Glazed Cornish Hen

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Here Come the Holidays: Versatile Fig-Glazed Cornish Hen! When an evening meal becomes a dinner date for two, make it extra-special by choosing something out of the ordinary. A luxury, so to speak. Cornish hens are an individual serving, which makes them that much more appealing on the dinner plate. Typically they run in size around 1 1/2 pounds, which is perfect. The meat is quite tender and moist with a subtle chicken flavor. Whether it’s a romantic celebration or just because, turn on some music, open a bottle of wine, gaze into each other’s eyes, and enjoy the ambiance. Candlelight is purely optional.

VERSATILE FIG-GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Ingredients for Cornish Hens:

20-ounce each Cornish hens, twin pack, frozen and thawed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Ingredients for Fig Glaze:

1/4 cup chili-fig jam

1/4 cup port wine

1/4 cup balsamic reduction

1/4 cup unsalted butter

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, quarter lemon

Pinch of kosher salt

Cracked black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a dutch oven with nonstick oil. Set aside. Wash the Cornish hens; pat dry. Season the cavities with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Place a rosemary sprig inside. Secure the legs and wings with cooking twine. Transfer birds to the dutch oven. Dot the top of each Cornish hen with butter. Bake 45 minutes. While the hens are roasting, make the fig glaze. Place a small pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add chili-fig jam, port wine, balsamic reduction, butter, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. Allow mixture to reduce to a syrupy consistency, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Baste the birds with the fig sauce during the last 10 minutes of roasting. The Cornish hens are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°, and juices run clear. The skin should be golden brown and crispy. Remove pan from oven. Tent the pan with aluminum foil to keep warm. Allow the birds to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Fire-Roasted Strawberries

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Fire-Roasted Strawberries! Try something different with those exceptionally large strawberries you couldn’t resist buying (or picking). You want to choose berries which are firm to the touch, have an appealing aroma, are bright red in color, and taste naturally sweet. Some may elect to use stainless steel skewers to keep the fruit from tipping over or simply to have the appearance of charred grill marks. Kabobs have a charming finish as well. They’re all Strawberrylicious!

FIRE-ROASTED STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed whole

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon natural honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to 300°. Grease a grill pan with unsalted butter. Set aside. Arrange strawberries in a single layer of a baking dish. Whisk together lemon olive oil, natural honey, and balsamic vinegar. Brush onto strawberries, turning to coat. Transfer the strawberries to the prepared grill pan. Place the pan over the direct heat; close lid, and cook 5 minutes. Turn and repeat until the strawberries are bubbly and beginning to slump. Remove from grill and transfer strawberries to a serving platter.