capers

Holy Capers—Salmon Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Burst of Flavor: Holy Capers-Salmon Avocado Toast! Whenever I have leftover grilled salmon, this is my favorite indulgence. The first time I made it, my husband and I literally stood at the kitchen counter nibbling on it until it was completely gone. Each morsel had us licking our fingers and begging for more. The combination of lemon thyme and salty capers balance the slightly smoky texture of the salmon. It’s followed by a crunch of sesame seed artisan toast with a creamy avocado finish. If you take the time to sit down and enjoy this delightful open-face sandwich, think about pairing it with a light and fruity rosé wine. It’ll tickle your palate and have you giggling all afternoon or evening long. 

HOLY CAPERS—SALMON AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

6 ounces of grilled salmon fillet, flaked 

Sprigs of fresh lemon thyme

2 teaspoons imported capers, non-pareil 

2 slices of sesame artisan bread, toasted

1 small avocado, mashed

1 small tomatillo, diced

Pinch of garlic powder 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Make sure the grilled salmon fillet is flaked. Set aside. Combine the mashed avocado, diced tomatillos, garlic powder, and lemon juice in a bowl. Blend well. To assemble the open-face sandwich, place the toasted artisan sesame slice on a luncheon plate. Next spoon avocado mixture over top. Layer flaked salmon over all. Sprinkle with capers and garnish with lemon thyme. 

Wild Salmon Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Wild Salmon Avocado Toast! Receiving gourmet food makes for an exciting day. I mean, name a foodie who doesn’t like yummy surprises of that nature. When I received a box of Pacific Northwest Smoked Wild Salmon from dear family members living on the opposite coast, I practically jumped up and down. Everything was fully-cooked, ready to serve, smoked, and vacuumed sealed, needing absolutely no refrigeration. I couldn’t ask for more. I am so thankful we live in a very special time when gourmet and specialty foods can be ordered online and practically delivered next day. Now there’s no reason to miss out on those fabulous items that were once restricted to geographical locations. We can have it all at the click of a button. 

WILD SALMON AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

2 slices baguette, toasted

1 tablespoon sea salt butter

1 small avocado, pitted and slightly mashed

1 slice red onion, roughly chopped 

2 ounces smoked wild salmon, flaked 

1 teaspoon capers

Everything But Bagel seasoning

Instructions:

To build-a-breakfast, place warm baguette slices on a plate. Spread each with sea salt butter. Cover each piece of toast with the slightly mashed avocado. Add the red onions. Arrange the smoked wild salmon as the next layer. Top with capers. Sprinkle Everything But Bagel seasoning over all. Serve with eggs, if desired. 

Himalayan Salt Plate Lox and Bagels

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Himalayan Salt Plate Lox and Bagels! My newest kitchen “toy” is the Himalayan Salt Plate. Not only does it create a stunning presentation, it brings a subtle and unexpected flavor to foods served on it. First, chill it in the refrigerator overnight. It then becomes a serving platter on the table or buffet line. Everything lays directly on the salt plate to absorb the nutrients. I chose Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, for starters, with all the trimmings for an exquisite banquet. The lox is traditionally smoked and sliced thin. It smells divine when I break the seal. Arrange hard-boiled egg slices for essence and red onion for a blend of slightly sweet gusto. Sprinkle on imported nonpareil capers for seasoning that lingers. Slather toasted bagels with the creamy Neufchâtel cheese mixture before adding ingredients. Top with fresh dill which pulls everything together, in my opinion. Now dig in. 

HIMALAYAN SALT PLATE LOX AND BAGELS

Ingredients:

4 ounces applewood smoked salmon

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced 

1/4 red onion, sliced

2 tablespoons imported capers, nonpareil

2 sesame bagels, split and toasted

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

Fresh dill sprigs

Instructions:

Mix the Neufchâtel cheese and Greek yogurt until smooth, light, and creamy. Slather onto a toasted bagel. Top with smoked salmon pieces, hard boiled eggs, red onion slice, and imported capers. Garnish with fresh dill sprig. 

Smoked Mahi Fish Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Smoked Mahi Fish Dip! If you haven’t had the opportunity to taste Florida’s smoked fish dip, you must add it to your list of interesting foods. It has a creamy texture accented by a rich smoky flavor. Did you just wrinkle your nose at the word “Fish”? Hold on a sec, because we’re not talking about pungent canned tuna here. The fish that is used has white flesh, is pretty mild and actually sweet tasting, so it balances beautifully with a citrusy kick that will entice you to another mouthful. Try it in a restaurant or seafood diner first. Then come back for this recipe and make it yourself. Without reservations.

SMOKED MAHI FISH DIP

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce smoked fillets of mahi-mahi, skin removed

1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped

Instructions:

Flake smoked mahi-mahi fish into 1/2” chunks in a bowl. Set aside. In a larger bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and white pepper. Mix until smooth. Add sliced scallions, chopped dill, and capers. Gently stir. Fold in smoked mahi-mahi until incorporated. Do not over mix. Small chunks will keep the dip from turn mushy. Chill slightly. Spread the smoked fish dip over crackers or toasted baguettes.

Smoked Salmon Bagel

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Time To Eat: Smoked Salmon Bagel! Energize your morning with the natural protein of smoked salmon. When adding cheese, choose wisely because it doesn’t always have to be cream cheese. Goat cheese, Camembert, and Brie are nice alternatives, especially since they’re spreadable and you may already have them on hand. If you’re not very excited about tomatoes, switch them out for thinly sliced radishes or chilled cucumbers. Onions and capers add the zing that wows any family member or overnight guest. Put it all together and watch harmony reign.

SMOKED SALMON BAGEL

Ingredients:

1 bakery plain bagel, split and toasted

2 ounces smoked wild salmon, flaked

1 ounce cream cheese, softened

1 small tomato, sliced

1 slice red onion, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon capers

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced

Everything But Bagel seasoning

Dill weed, for garnish

Instructions:

To assemble ingredients, place toasted bagel split side up on a plate. In a small bowl, combine smoked salmon and cream cheese. Spread over the bagel. Top with a slice or two of tomato. Arrange red onion strips over tomato. Sprinkle capers over all. Either add a layer of hard-boiled eggs or eat them separately as you go. Spice it up with Everything But Bagel seasoning and dill weed. Enjoy.

Avocado Onion Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Avocado Onion Dip! Nowadays I look for any reason to eat avocados. Once I’ve have my fill of guacamole, I turn to other creative ways to produce a nutritional boost to the menu. Although stuffed avocados can be baked or grilled, sometimes it’s a real treat to prepare them this way. Some might call it a light lunch, simply because it satisfies the appetite as a filling meal.

AVOCADO ONION DIP

Ingredients:

8 ounce Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons capers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup crispy-fried onions, slightly crushed

2-3 ripe avocados, halved and pits removed

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Green onion snips, for garnish

Whole celery seed, for garnish

Instructions:

Using an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, chopped capers, and cayenne pepper until blended. Fold in crushed crispy-fried onions until combined. Transfer to a covered bowl. Refrigerate for one hour. Prepare avocado halves. Brush with lime juice; sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder. When ready to serve, scoop onion dip into each avocado half. Garnish with green onion snips, chopped capers, and a sprinkling of whole celery seed. Serve immediately.

Wild Salmon Avocado Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Wild Salmon Avocado Toast! Receiving gourmet food makes for an exciting day. I mean, name a foodie who doesn’t like yummy surprises of that nature. When I received a box of Pacific Northwest Smoked Wild Salmon from dear family members living on the opposite coast, I practically jumped up and down. Everything was fully-cooked, ready to serve, smoked, and vacuumed sealed, needing absolutely no refrigeration. I couldn’t ask for more. I am so thankful we live in a very special time when gourmet and specialty foods can be ordered online and practically delivered next day. Now there’s no reason to miss out on those fabulous items that were once restricted to geographical locations. We can have it all at the click of a button.

WILD SALMON AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

2 slices baguette, toasted

1 tablespoon sea salt butter

1 small avocado, pitted and slightly mashed

1 slice red onion, roughly chopped

2 ounces smoked wild salmon, flaked

1 teaspoon capers

Everything But Bagel seasoning

Instructions:

To build-a-breakfast, place warm baguette slices on a plate. Spread each with sea salt butter. Cover each piece of toast with the slightly mashed avocado. Add the red onions. Arrange the smoked wild salmon as the next layer. Top with capers. Sprinkle Everything But Bagel seasoning over all. Serve with eggs, if desired.

Smoked Mahi Fish Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Smoked Mahi Fish Dip! If you haven’t had the opportunity to taste Florida’s smoked fish dip, you must add it to your list of interesting foods. It has a creamy texture accented by a rich smoky flavor. Did you just wrinkle your nose at the word “Fish”? Hold on a sec, because we’re not talking about pungent canned tuna here. The fish that is used has white flesh, is pretty mild and actually sweet tasting, so it balances beautifully with a citrusy kick that will entice you to another mouthful. Try it in a restaurant or seafood diner first. Then come back for this recipe and make it yourself. Without reservations.

SMOKED MAHI FISH DIP

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce smoked fillets of mahi-mahi, skin removed

1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped

Instructions:

Flake smoked mahi-mahi fish into 1/2” chunks in a bowl. Set aside. In a larger bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and white pepper. Mix until smooth. Add sliced scallions, chopped dill, and capers. Gently stir. Fold in smoked mahi-mahi until incorporated. Do not over mix. Small chunks will keep the dip from turn mushy. Chill slightly. Spread the smoked fish dip over crackers or toasted baguettes.

Avocado Onion Dip

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Country Casual Cravings: Avocado Onion Dip! Nowadays I look for any reason to eat avocados. Once I’ve have my fill of guacamole, I turn to other creative ways to produce a nutritional boost to the menu. Although stuffed avocados can be baked or grilled, sometimes it’s a real treat to prepare them this way. Some might call it a light lunch, simply because it satisfies the appetite as a filling meal.

AVOCADO ONION DIP

Ingredients:

8 ounce Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons capers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup crispy-fried onions, slightly crushed

2-3 ripe avocados, halved and pits removed

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Green onion snips, for garnish

Whole celery seed, for garnish

Instructions:

Using an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, chopped capers, and cayenne pepper until blended. Fold in crushed crispy-fried onions until combined. Transfer to a covered bowl. Refrigerate for one hour. Prepare avocado halves. Brush with lime juice; sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder. When ready to serve, scoop onion dip into each avocado half. Garnish with green onion snips, chopped capers, and a sprinkling of whole celery seed. Serve immediately.