habanero

You Are What You Eat

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: You Are What You Eat! I’ve been hearing this phrase my entire life, and it wasn’t until recently I actually began paying attention to it again. Oh sure, I knew moderation was key, exercise important, and water essential. I tried to maintain a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, meats, and even fats because it made a difference in how well I felt. Plus it reflected in my energy level as well. So, as I was collecting all this produce, it seemed like a no-brainer to share the snapshot with everyone. Bon Appétit.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

Ingredients:

Tomatoes

Green Beans

Assorted Peppers

Corn on the Cob

Zucchini 

Onion

Garlic

Squash

Instructions:

Wash the vegetables. Eat them raw, cooked, puréed, chopped, minced, buttered, grilled, roasted, par-boiled, or baked. 

“Make food simple

and let things taste

of what they are.”

~ Curnonsky (Maurice Edmond Sailland)

French Writer (1872-1956)

Xnipec Salsa

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Xnipec Salsa, which translates to “smoking HOT” because it’s made with habanero chile peppers popular in the Yucatan region. I was pretty cautious in making this by first roasting the habaneros in the oven and then scraping out all the seeds. (Warning: Be sure to wear gloves when handling habanero peppers!) I served this salsa with the Zesty Fish Tacos coming up in Letter Z. 

XNIPEC SALSA

1/3 cup Vidalia onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

4-6 plum tomatoes, cut-up with juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons lime juice 

Salt to taste 

2 Habanero peppers

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Mix together onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt, lime juice, and orange juice. Set aside. The salt will make the tomatoes very juicy, which releases the flavor, in my opinion. If you prefer a thicker, chunkier sauce, do not add salt until ready to serve. 

Roast the habaneros in the oven at 400° until charred. Broil if necessary. Watch! Slice in half and remove stems.  Scrape out all the seeds. Then dice the peppers. Combine with the onion/tomato mixture. Add chopped cilantro. Toss gently. Marinate salsa for one hour prior to serving. 

Hot Honey Cheese Snack

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Hot Honey Cheese Snack! I think by now you can see I have an addiction to spicy foods. Close your eyes and imagine me jumping for joy when I discovered my favorite source of natural honey infused with scotch bonnet and habanero peppers. Talk about fiery and sweet! The cheese actually acts as a coolant so no one goes running from the room with their mouth on fire. Trust me. Would I lead you down the orchard path to simply get stung?!?

HOT HONEY CHEESE SNACK

Ingredients:

8 ounces Brie cheese

2 ounces hot honey

Red pepper flakes, for garnish

Dried oregano, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap Brie and place in a small ovenproof crock or baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey. Drizzle with hot honey, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Serve immediately with baguette slices and nut mixture. 

Xnipec Habanero Salsa

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Xnipec Habanero Salsa! Anyone who craves the jolt of hot tropical salsa can read on. Others who don’t….No judgement, we’ll catch you tomorrow. For those who are up to the challenge, let me give you a little background before you dive in. The word “Xnipec” translates in Mayan to “dog’s nose”, which implies you may sweat droplets like a dog’s wet nose the more bites you take. If so, wipe your forehead and walk away. You’re done. I’ve been known to ask for the “muy caliente” salsa in a Mexican restaurant. At which time, the server brings me my own special bowl usually reserved for the kitchen staff. The hubs typically laughs and tells them I can practically drink it with a straw. What can I say? I’m hopelessly addicted to habaneros. 

XNIPEC HABANERO SALSA

Ingredients:

3 habanero peppers 

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 

2 tablespoons lime juice 

2 tablespoons orange juice

Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

Using disposable gloves, halve habaneros. Remove stem, pith, and seeds. Dice peppers; place in a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and orange juice. Add a pinch of sea salt. Toss well. Refrigerate one hour before serving. 

Xnipec Habanero Salsa

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Xnipec Habanero Salsa! Anyone who craves the jolt of hot tropical salsa can read on. Others who don’t….No judgement, we’ll catch you tomorrow. For those who are up to the challenge, let me give you a little background before you dive in. The word “Xnipec” translates in Mayan to “dog’s nose”, which implies you may sweat droplets like a dog’s wet nose the more bites you take. If so, wipe your forehead and walk away. You’re done. I’ve been known to ask for the “muy caliente” salsa in a Mexican restaurant. At which time, the server brings me my own special bowl usually reserved for the kitchen staff. The hubs typically laughs and tells them I can practically drink it with a straw. What can I say? I’m hopelessly addicted to habaneros.

XNIPEC HABANERO SALSA

Ingredients:

3 habanero peppers

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons orange juice

Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:

Using disposable gloves, halve habaneros. Remove stem, pith, and seeds. Dice peppers; place in a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes, finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and orange juice. Add a pinch of sea salt. Toss well. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

Kumquat Lollipops

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Kumquat Lollipops! I must admit discovering kumquats at the Farmers Market in Kauai was a thrill beyond imagination. My mind was spinning with all the possibilities. Don’t get me wrong, eating them out of my hand brought instant gratification. Yet, I wanted more. After making a batch of salsa*, I wanted to try something for dessert. That’s when I came up with my version of Kumquat Lollipops. It’s sugar and spice and citrusy nice. I hope you like it, too.

KUMQUAT LOLLIPOPS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup filtered water

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 drops habanero pepper sauce

1 cup kumquats, washed and blemish-free skins

Bamboo party picks

1/4 cup sugar for rolling the lollipops

Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, water, ground cinnamon, and habanero pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Add kumquats. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 15-20 minutes. The skins will be knife tender. Remove saucepan from heat. Set aside until the simple syrup and kumquats are room temperature. This will take 2-4 hours. Remove the kumquats; set aside. Pierce each kumquat with a bamboo party pick. Roll each lollipop in sugar. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate kumquat lollipops in an airtight container until ready to serve. The reserve simple syrup can be used to enhance beverages.

*Click the link below for Kumquat Cilantro Salsa.

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2020/05/11

X-tra Cheese, Please Appetizer

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: X-Tra Cheese, Please Appetizer! Ever since I visited a popular Las Vegas restaurant, I’ve been looking for a cheese appetizer like this one. It’s not the traditional gooey soupy cheese dip you swipe tortilla chips through before gobbling down. The waiter set the iron skillet in front of us and said, “This is a cheese you need to use a knife and fork with. It’s not going to jump onto the chip.” Come to find out it was flambéed over an open fire in the kitchen. Wow! And they used tequila to ignite it. I wish I could tell you that’s what I did here, but sorry, “no comprendo”. Instead I baked it at a high temperature and dredged it through a spicy honey. Show compassion. I tried.

X-TRA CHEESE, PLEASE APPETIZER

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1 yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup raw Tupelo honey

1 teaspoon sriracha

1 teaspoon garlic habanero sauce

2 tablespoons ranch dressing

Chives, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 475°. Using a 10” iron skillet, warm butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and kosher salt. Sauté for 5-8 minutes, or until onions are soft and golden brown. Add Monterey Jack cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix thoroughly with onions. To make the spicy honey, in a microwave-safe dish combine raw Tupelo honey, sriracha, and garlic habanero sauce. Stir well. Microwave on High for 30 seconds. Stir again. Set aside. Transfer cheese-filled iron skillet to the oven. Bake 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Turn oven setting to High on Broil. Allow dark spots to appear on the surface, about 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully as this happens very quickly. Remove skillet from oven. Drizzle with spicy honey and ranch dressing. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve with tortilla chips.

Knee-Jerk Chicken Wings

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: Knee-Jerk Chicken Wings! Look ahead for a weekend meal that is Mmm Mmm Good. It takes a minute of advanced planning, but is, oh, so worth it. As with any marinade, its main purpose is to tenderize the chicken while bathing it with flavor and moisture. In the end you have chicken wings so juicy you won’t be able to put them down. As always, store the marinated chicken in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend reusing the marinade once you transfer the meat to a baking pan. As a general rule, any sauces that come into contact with uncooked meat should be disposed of properly to prevent harmful bacteria exposure. I’m good with that. In most cases an extra sauce or dressing can be offered instead.

KNEE-JERK CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 habanero peppers, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons allspice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon molasses

2 pounds chicken wings

1/4 cup lime juice

1/2 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon spicy honey

Chives, for garnish

Instructions:

To make the jerk paste marinade, combine vinegar, dark rum, habanero peppers, red onion, green onions, thyme, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and molasses in a blender. Pulse to mix until smooth. Place the chicken in a baking dish. Pour lime juice over chicken to coat on both sides. Wearing gloves, rub the jerk paste over both sides of the chicken wings, covering well. Transfer chicken to a gallon freezer bag. Use a rubber spatula to transfer all the marinade to the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°. Spray a rimmed baking pan with nonstick oil. Place chicken wings in a single layer, skin side up. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then flip to bake for another 20 minutes. Combine ketchup, soy sauce, and spicy honey in a small bowl. Mix well. Turn the chicken back over so the skin side is up. Brush with ketchup sauce. Bake 10 minutes longer. When chicken is done, transfer to a platter. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve with celery sticks and bleu cheese dressing.

Havarti Habanero Handful

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Food Whisperer: Havarti Habanero Handful! You’re probably thinking, “Not another grilled cheese sandwich!” Anyone who knows me understands I can’t leave well enough alone. So…when I came across this “heated” rich, semi-soft version of havarti cheese, I knew I had to have it. Habaneros, as you may recall, are like dynamite in your mouth. The cheese itself is creamy and mild which makes it a perfect match for the testy habanero pepper, or orange lantern as some people call them. When layered with cherrywood smoked ham and grilled artisan bread, the end result is nothing short of Fire and Ice. Are you up for the challenge?

HAVARTI HABANERO HANDFUL

Ingredients:

4 thick slices of artisan bread

3 tablespoons butter

8 ounces cherrywood smoked ham, deli sliced

4 ounces havarti habanero cheese, sliced

Instructions:

Preheat an iron skillet over medium low heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place two slices in skillet, buttered side down. Divide cherrywood smoked ham between them. Replace tops, buttered side up. Heat sandwiches until bread is lightly browned, then carefully flip over. Layer havarti habanero cheese over toasted tops of sandwiches. Reduce heat to low setting. Place a glass lid over the pan so the cheese will melt as the bottoms turn golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.