dill

Pan-Seared Tilapia

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Splurge-Worthy Goodness: Pan-Seared Tilapia! I don’t often “fry” foods, but once in awhile nothing else will do. The secret to pan-searing fish involves five key steps. First, make sure the skillet is nonstick or a trustworthy cast iron skillet. Secondly, choose a neutral-flavored oil which has a higher smoke point. You won’t need much, so it’s crucial to make sure the oil is not going to turn black from high heat. The third point, and this is just as important, make sure moisture is removed from the fish. If not, there is guaranteed to be steam-created soggy fish or dangerous grease splatters. Step Four: When the fish is placed in the pan, do not overcrowd it. The pieces should not touch each other at all. Finally, allow the fish to sear without moving it. This is how you get that beautiful crispy surface. Use a timer. Once the fillets are carefully flipped over, you’re almost done. By this time everyone in the house will be heading to the kitchen to discover what smells so incredibly good. Well Done, Grasshopper.

PAN-SEARED TILAPIA

Ingredients:

2 frozen tilapia fillets, thawed

1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 lime, juice and zest

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pat butter, divided

Fresh dill, for garnish

Instructions:

Defrost fish fillets overnight in the refrigerator. Remove from package, pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. In a shallow dish, combine brown sugar, chili powder, kosher salt, garlic powder, and lime zest. Mix well. Warm vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Rub both sides of each fillet with the spice mixture. Cook tilapia fillets for 4 minutes. Carefully flip them over. Squeeze lime juice over fish in pan. Divide a pat of butter over the top of each fillet. Cook 3 minutes longer, or until opaque and flaky. Transfer pan-seared tilapia fillets to a platter. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Wild Chilean Shrimp Stuffing

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Wild Chilean Shrimp Stuffing! You’re probably wondering what is so special about Wild Chilean Shrimp. First of all, it is a cold water shrimp, rich in nutrients, caught wild along a small band of Chile. These shrimp contain no additives, making them a simple sustainable seafood option. The quality tastes better knowing each shrimp is hand peeled. The difference, you wonder? Here again the sweet briny flavor of the sea comes out in every bite. As the shrimp is cooked, it retains its flavor, color, and texture. With any product, tasting is believing. Perhaps the next time you spot these ocean treasures, you’ll pick up a bag. Discover how shrimp-ly wonderful they are.

WILD CHILEAN SHRIMP STUFFING

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

12 ounces Wild Chilean Shrimp, fully cooked, peeled, deveined, and tail off

1/4 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon pimentos, drained and diced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon chives, minced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a one-quart casserole dish with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm butter. Add finely chopped onions, chopped celery, and chopped green pepper. Sauté until tender. Add wild Chilean shrimp; heat through. Add beef broth, diced pimentos, Worcestershire sauce, dill weed, minced chives, sea salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir occasionally to heat through. Remove from heat. Fold in soft bread crumbs. Transfer stuffing to the prepared casserole dish. Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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.

Old Bay Mayo

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Old Bay Mayo! First of all, there is no substitute for Old Bay seasoning as a core ingredient in this post. It’s a sacred concoction, invented in the 1940s and respected by Southerners, containing 18 unspecified ingredients. If you try to use Cajun, Jerk, or generic blends, don’t blame me if the results are less than phenomenal. What I can assure is that it taste ah-mazing with shrimp, crab cakes, seafood, and more. Turn Old Bay Mayo into an aioli for sandwiches, dressing for salads, or condiment for meats. I can see you coming up with a dip for french fries, too. Don’t blame me; I’m just the messenger.

OLD BAY MAYO

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped

2 teaspoons dill weed, snipped

2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Old Bay* seasoning

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, fresh chives, dill weed, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Serve as a condiment or dipping sauce for seafood.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Jumbo Shrimp Over Avocado

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Jumbo Shrimp Over Avocado! Grill marks on food are like a person’s signature tattoo. I don’t know about you, but when I see that food is slightly charred, visions of smoky goodness can cause me to drool. The creaminess of the warmed avocado filled with spicy salsa takes me down a country road to memorable experiences of Mexican favorites. The grilled shrimp is enhanced by the savory herbs, adding tangy flavors seductive to the tongue. Not only is this a quick meal or tempting appetizer, it transforms every cook into a gourmet chef. You should try it.

JUMBO SHRIMP OVER AVOCADO

Ingredients:

1 large ripe avocado, halved with pit removed

Fresh lime juice

6 frozen precooked jumbo shrimp, tail on and thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup prepared salsa

Dill sprig, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat grill to 400°. In a small dish, combine olive oil, Italian seasoning blend, sea salt, and garlic powder. Mix well; set aside. Squeeze lime juice onto both halves of avocado. Brush each avocado, as well as both sides of the shrimp, with the seasoned olive oil. Place directly onto the grill grates. Close lid. Cook the avocados for 4 minutes, or until slightly charred. Cook the jumbo shrimp for 2 minutes. Then flip the shrimp, close the lid, and cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer all to a platter. Spoon the salsa into the avocados. Arrange 3 jumbo shrimp over each portion. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Smoked Salmon Dill Spread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Delicious Holiday Foods: Smoked Salmon Dill Spread with Crudités! For those who appreciate a healthy choice while socializing, this one is for the books! Munch on crisp vegetable crudités. Add an assortment of baked bagel chips for a salty crunchy finish. Party On!


SMOKED SALMON DILL SPREAD


Ingredients:

8 ounces of Neufchâtel cheese 

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 

2 tablespoons fresh Dill, chopped 

Dash of White Pepper 

1/4 pound Smoked Salmon, chopped


Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together, form into a log, and refrigerate at least one hour. Serve with your favorite raw vegetables cut into bite-size pieces to create a crudité platter.

Lettuce Cup Shrimp Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Lettuce Cup Shrimp Salad! When you need a boost from the usual lunch menu, treat yourself to an outstanding salad that feels gourmet-worthy. As a shrimp-lover, I already had ideas about serving this to my husband. In my opinion, the bigger the shrimp you can find, the better. Because I saw for myself the seafood deli offered humongous jumbo shrimp (yeah, I know), I couldn’t resist getting a pound to take home. Here’s the secret: oftentimes the market gets specific seafood brought in frozen. Frozen shrimp is usually same-day fresh. They thaw it for the customers and sell it individually or by the pound. I asked the seafood specialist if I could buy a frozen quantity from him. He was more than happy to oblige. Now you know.

LETTUCE CUP SHRIMP SALAD

Ingredients:

1 pound jumbo shrimp, precooked and tails removed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

2-3 lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

Red onion, finely sliced, for garnish

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and fresh dill. Gently fold in the precooked shrimp and celery slices. Place a lettuce leaf onto a plate. Scoop shrimp salad on top. Garnish with red onion. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Serve.

Zesty Butter-Baked Crackers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Zesty Butter-Baked Crackers! When you are looking for a crunchy snack and really have no interest in leaving the house, fancy crackers satisfy. More than likely, you have all the ingredients on hand. I think you’ll be surprised. In a few minutes, the kitchen will draw curiosity-seekers who put down their electronic devices to see what smells so good. Then go one step further, serve them with a slather of cream cheese, cocktail sauce, and baby shrimp. It can transform these buttery snacks into a culinary appetizer your family will remember. Better make more and hide them in the freezer.

ZESTY BUTTER-BAKED CRACKERS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

1 sleeve saltine crackers

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly mist a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, warm butter on Low setting for 20 seconds. Add olive oil, onion powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, and dill weed. Stir to mix thoroughly. Take one cracker at a time, dip into the butter mixture to coat both sides, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until all crackers and butter are used. Arrange the crackers in a single layer by rows. Bake 10 minutes; turn over and bake 10 minutes longer. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Dill-Sprinkled Cocktail Shrimp

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Dill-Sprinkled Cocktail Shrimp! When you live where seafood is easily accessible, the natural thing to do is buy it and eat it as often as possible. Especially if you like it. And I’m crazy about shrimp. Thus, “Seafood Thursday” came into being at our house. It doesn’t hurt that a seafood vendor makes a scheduled stop, like clockwork, in our community every Wednesday afternoon. Taking advantage of specials at your doorstep not only helps us to expand our palate, but it also keeps me engaged by identifying new ways to prepare things at home. Luckily, I have a husband who doesn’t mind being a taste-tester for me. Granted, sometimes I’m the one finishing the portions in the days that follow, but it does keep meals interesting. This appetizer is pretty basic. Please note: adding wasabi definitely adds a spicy kick to the cocktail sauce. Go easy.

DILL-SPRINKLED COCKTAIL SHRIMP

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cocktail sauce

1 teaspoon prepared Japanese wasabi, in a tube (optional)

Romaine Lettuce, shredded

1 pound frozen jumbo shrimp, tail on; precooked and thawed

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Lemon wedge, for garnish

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine cocktail sauce and Japanese wasabi. Mix well; set aside. Divide shredded romaine lettuce between individual serving dishes. Arrange 3-4 cocktail shrimp over lettuce. Add a dollop of cocktail sauce. Sprinkle with freshly chopped dill. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Refrigerate until ready to serve.