grilled

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. 

Naked Lobster Tails

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Naked Lobster Tails! No doubt you’ve heard the expression, “Presentation is everything”. I’m here to say I wholeheartedly agree. The next time you serve lobster, try something different and elevate these tasty morsels to new heights by removing the shells first. The delicate meat smothered in lemon butter can be a rewarding culinary experience. It’s less messy if you do the work beforehand. The lobster tastes just as sweet and succulent for all who partake. Look and see. 

NAKED LOBSTER TAILS

Ingredients:

3 4-ounce lobster tails

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Dill, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat the gas grill to 400°. Using a kitchen shears, cut straight down the top of the shell, stopping just before the fins. Slightly release the lobster meat from the shell. Gently pull the lobster up through the top so it rests puffed out on top of the shell. Melt unsalted butter in a microwave-safe dish. Add Cajun seasoning. Stir well. Generously coat the tails with half the butter mixture. Set aside remaining butter to use as a dipping sauce. Place the lobster tails on the grill, meat side down. Close the cover. Grill the lobster for 5 minutes, or until slightly charred with grill marks. Using tongs, gently flip them over and grill for 3 minutes longer until the flesh turns opaque. Internal temperature must reach 140°. Once the lobsters are finished cooking, remove meat from shells. Serve on a platter with remaining butter mixture, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh dill weed. Enjoy!

Tripletail Fish Fillet

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Tripletail Fish Fillet! No, this fish species does not actually have three tails, like its name implies. It does, however, have three rounded fins on the back end of its body that make it appear that way. Pretty cool, huh? It tends to swim in tropical waters, or float on top of the water giving it an appearance of a dry leaf drifting along on a wave. Perhaps the tripletail’s ancestors were the original hippies of the sea, back in the day. You know, hanging out with aquatic mermaids and other interesting water nymphs. But I digress. If you’re wondering how tripletail taste, it’s kinda like grouper or snapper: naturally firm, flaky, and sweet. You should try it.

TRIPLETAIL FISH FILLET

Ingredients:

12-ounce triple tail fish fillet

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Green Onions, chopped

Instructions:

Wash the fish fillet; pat dry. Place in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, garlic powder, and chopped green onion. Mix well. Pour the marinade over the fish; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Preheat the gas grill to 400°. Transfer triple tail fish directly to the grill grates. Close lid and cook for 4 minutes. Discard marinade. Turn fish and cook 4 minutes longer, with lid closed. Serve over a bed of Chinese fried rice.

Mildly Sweet Red Grouper

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Mildly Sweet Red Grouper! Trust your local source for fresh fish. I do. Since the fishermen often eat what they catch, it’s natural to ask them questions about the type of fish they sell. Oftentimes it seems to be different from what is common in the supermarkets. Does that make sense? I can relate to species that “taste like” sea bass, halibut, mahi mahi, swordfish, ahi, or tilapia. Beyond that, I really need some guidance for porgy, grouper, snapper, and hogfish. I tend to lean more toward mildly flavored and subtly sweet flavors. That way I can always default to melted butter and lemon. As they say, “There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”

MILDLY SWEET RED GROUPER

Ingredients:

4 red grouper fish fillets

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions:

In a shallow dish, arrange red grouper in a single layer. Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, ground ginger, and brown sugar. Pour marinade over red grouper fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat the grill to 400°. Remove fish from marinade and place directly on the grill grates. Close lid and cook for 4 minutes until sides are slightly opaque. Discard marinade. Flip the fish and cook 4 minutes longer. Fish will appear charred with grill marks and flake easily. Transfer to a platter. Squeeze fresh lime juice over top. Serve immediately.

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.

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.