grilled

Garlic Wine Red Snapper

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Garlic Wine Red Snapper! Before I begin, Rule Number One: When marinating fish, always refrigerate. As fish sits in a marinade at room temperature, it encourages bacteria growth, which can be a bad thing. The olive oil makes a wonderful tenderizer making the fish soft and juicy. When seasonings are added at the same time, the results elevate the flavor. By grilling the fish fillets at a high temperature, the meal transforms into perfection on a plate.

GARLIC WINE RED SNAPPER

Ingredients:

1/2 cup garlic wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 6-ounce red snapper fillets

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Juice of fresh lemon

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions:

Arrange the red snapper fillets in a shallow dish. Pour the garlic wine vinegar over the fish. Allow the vinegar to surround the fish. Pour olive oil over top. Sprinkle Italian seasoning blend and black pepper over all. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to 450°. Transfer red snapper directly onto the grill grates. Close lid. Set timer for 4 minutes. Discard marinade. Using a fish spatula, flip fish and grill 4 minutes longer with lid closed. Meanwhile, melt butter and pour into individual cups. Squeeze fresh lemon juice into warm butter. Remove red snapper fillets from grill. Serve with melted lemon butter poured over top.

Foiled Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Foiled Potatoes! Have I mentioned how much I like my new outdoor kitchen? Living in Florida, the weather is so tropical it makes cooking outdoors an effortless way to prepare meals. Grilling seems to make food taste better and roasted potatoes easily become a star attraction. And the best part is dining alfresco. This is what I call a “stay-cation”.

FOILED POTATOES

Ingredients:

2 baking potatoes

1/2 sweet onion, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the grill to 400°. Wash the potatoes and pat dry. Pierce each potato with a knife. Microwave for 4 minutes on 100% power. Remove from microwave and allow to cool, slightly. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick oil. Cut the potatoes into 1/4” slices. Arrange potatoes on foil. Top with sliced onions. Add pats of butter over all. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and black pepper. Fold the packet to seal. Place the sealed foil packet directly onto the grill grates. Close lid. Cook for 10 minutes; carefully flip packet and cook 10 minutes longer. Transfer foiled potatoes to a platter. Be aware of steam when the packet is opened. Serve immediately.

Blue Plate Fish Sliders

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Blue Plate Fish Sliders! Switching from beef to fish has its rewards, especially when the fish is a fresh catch only hours ago. The fact that fish has less saturated fat is a bonus for me. I’m all about reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The delicate soft texture of fish practically melts in your mouth as it flakes off from one tasty bite to the next. The mini-version of a sandwich, in a world of super-size portions, makes sliders cute and fun as well. Whether you call it an appetizer or a meal, fish sliders are here to stay.

BLUE PLATE FISH SLIDERS

Ingredients:

4 4-ounce red grouper fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

Slider buns

Prepared Coleslaw

Mixed Greens

Instructions:

Heat outdoor gas grill to medium heat, approximately 350°. Rinse and pat each fillet with a paper towel. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Transfer to a platter. Oil the grill grates with a folded paper towel dipped in olive oil. Place each fillet directly on the grate. Close the grill cover. Cook 4 minutes. Using a flat spatula, slide under each fillet and carefully flip it over. Close the grill cover and cook 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a clean platter. Lightly toast slider buns, if desired. Assemble fish sliders with coleslaw, grilled fish, and mixed greens. Serve immediately.

Almaco Jack Skinny Fajitas

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Almaco Jack Skinny Fajitas! Since fish tacos are a popular menu item these days, it’s not a far stretch to serve fish fajitas. The buttery sweet taste of grilled Almaco Jack fillets, combined with strips of charred peppers and onions, allow us to customize our meal by choosing the stuff we like best. Some prefer the handheld tortilla, others nix the bread and go for the endless toppings. No matter what, you seldom see leftovers and everyone usually walks away feeling satisfied.

ALMACO JACK SKINNY FAJITAS

Ingredients:

4 3-ounce Almaco Jack fish fillets

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 teaspoons seafood seasoning

8 mini peppers, sliced

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

In a glass baking dish, arrange fish fillets in a single layer. Pour white wine over top. Coat each fish with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Sprinkle seafood seasoning on top. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes; turn occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the gas grill for medium heat, approximately 350°. Transfer each fish fillet to the grill rack. Discard marinade. Close the grill cover. Cook 4 minutes; carefully flip and cook 4 minutes longer. Transfer fish to a platter. The fish will flake easily when done. Cook the vegetables at the same time by using a grill pan. Allow vegetables to char. Serve fajitas with flour tortillas, side salad, and guacamole. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Swordfish on the Grill

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Swordfish on the Grill! Swordfish is called “Steak” for a reason. Forget fishy-tasting fish. (Say that 3 times really fast!) Swordfish, when grilled, looks more like a ribeye steak. It’s a dense, thick piece of fish. Now that doesn’t mean it is dry and tough. Actually the opposite is true. When you plan ahead and use a marinade, it becomes meaty and juicy, thereby satisfying both meat lovers and fish lovers. You can tell it is cooked because it actually changes color. One more thing, when setting the table…don’t forget the steak knife.

SWORDFISH ON THE GRILL

Ingredients:

4 6-ounce swordfish steaks

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic red-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Rinse swordfish; pat dry. Set aside. To make the marinade, combine olive oil, soy sauce, garlic red-wine vinegar, dried rosemary, minced garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin, grated lemon rind, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to blend. Place swordfish steaks in a single layer of a shallow dish. Pour marinade over all. Coat both sides of fish. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours. Remove dish from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature while preheating the gas grill to 400°. Place swordfish steaks on the preheated grill. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes. Turn, close lid, and cook 5 minutes longer. Fish will be charred on the edges. Serve immediately.

Haricot Vert Hot Off the Grill

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Haricot Vert Hot Off the Grill! I’m not trying to go all fancy shmancy with you. I just like the French language and use some terminology whenever I can. Cooking seems to be the logical place to do that. I bet you do, too. Ever hear the words aioli, béchamel sauce, baguette, charcuterie, julienne, pâté, roux, or soufflé? I’m sure you can come up with a few words yourself. We live in that kind of a world. Check out any list of restaurants in your area and you’ll see what I mean. Well, that being said, “haricot vert” translates into “green beans”. And this recipe may transport you to a place you’ve never been.

HARICOT VERT HOT OFF THE GRILL

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh green beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup French fried onions, for garnish

Instructions:

Place a grill pan on the grill. Close the lid and preheat to 400°. Rinse the fresh green beans and pat dry. Trim the ends off the green beans and discard. In a large bowl, toss the green beans and olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic herb seasoning and sea salt. Gently toss. Using grill tongs, transfer the green beans to the grill pan. Close the grill cover and cook for 3 minutes. Open the lid, and toss the green beans. Cook 1-2 minutes longer. They should blister and slightly char. Transfer green beans to a serving dish and garnish with French fried onions before serving.

Filet Mignon, Medium-Rare

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Filet Mignon, Medium-Rare! Chocolate isn’t the only thing that should melt in your mouth. A really nice fine-grained cut of filet mignon, that is small, tender, and very lean, can have the same effect. You won’t need a knife if you cook it correctly. In other words, it’s fork tender. The hubs thinks it’s a sin to use a marinade, dry rub, or steak seasoning because he appreciates the true taste. I’d have to agree.

FILET MIGNON, MEDIUM-RARE

Ingredients:

2 9-ounce filet mignon steaks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 pats of sea salt butter

Instructions:

Allow steaks to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Lightly brush olive oil on the clean grill grates before preheating to 450°. Right before placing steaks on the grill, season them with sea salt and pepper. Close the lid and sear for 5 minutes. Open the grill lid and flip the filets over. Close the lid and sear 5 minutes longer. Transfer steaks to a platter to rest. Tent with aluminum foil for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to flow back into the meat, making it tender and juicy. The center of the filet mignon should read 125°. Before serving, top each filet mignon with a pat of sea salt butter.

Easy Red Snapper and Tomatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Easy Red Snapper and Tomatoes! When I was a kid, I couldn’t stand the “fishy” taste of Midwestern fish fillets. The fact that I practically choked on a bone really didn’t make it enjoyable either. But fast forward to the fresh catch from the salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Red snapper is quite delicious, I must say. Because they thrive on mostly shrimp and crab, it intensifies their flavor, making red snapper mild and slightly sweet. The local fishermen have me spoiled, especially Dilly’s Fish Company. They catch the fish, transfer it on ice to a central location, clean it, debone it, remove the scales, fins, and head. Then they fillet the fish, package it, and identify it, since I’m usually buying more than one variety. Fish is sold by weight as caught out of the water. Once I know what I want, I simply need to decide how I’m going to cook it. As you can guess….for me that’s the best part….until I eat it.

EASY RED SNAPPER AND TOMATOES

Ingredients:

1 pound red snapper fillets, fresh

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 Roma tomatoes, quartered

Instructions:

Wash red snapper fillets and pat dry. Line a grill pan with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick oil. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Brush both sides of red snapper with mixture. Transfer fish to the grill pan. Arrange quartered tomatoes around fish. Drizzle remaining olive oil mixture over tomatoes. Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat, approximately 450°. Cook fish dinner for 4 minutes with the lid closed. Then carefully flip fish, close lid, and cook 4 minutes longer. Remove and serve immediately.

White Chicken Flatbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: White Chicken Flatbread! Nowadays I look for any excuse to have pizza, or a close second. All I have to do is go to my freezer to decide what ingredients to use. In there is often naan flatbread, precooked grilled chicken strips, and previously oven-baked bacon. In lieu of marinara sauce, creamy ranch dressing makes a tasty sauce. People know cheese is always my friend, along with fresh veggies, herbs, and spices. Throw it all together and boom; 20 minutes later it’s ready to eat. I think I deserve a star for that.

WHITE CHICKEN FLATBREAD

Ingredients:

1 Naan flatbread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 cup precooked, grilled chicken chunks

1/4 cup precooked bacon, crumbled

2 tablespoons sweet onions, chopped

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush the bottom side of the naan flatbread with olive oil; dust with cornmeal. Transfer to a pizza stone. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven and assemble the ingredients. Spread the ranch dressing onto the top crust. Layer, in order, the fresh mozzarella slices, grilled chicken chunks, bacon crumbles, and sweet onions. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve immediately.