juices

Kumquat Pineapple Chutney

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Kumquat Pineapple Chutney! Nowadays there’s always a use for something as unique as chutney. Don’t believe me? Check out charcuterie boards filled with meats, cheeses, breads, nuts, and pickles. There always seems to be a nice little bowl of spreadable chunky fruit to balance out the briny flavors. I also added a dollop to roasted pork loin and grilled chicken breasts. Someone even told me they slathered it on a grilled cheese sandwich. Who knew chutney would be your new best friend?!

KUMQUAT PINEAPPLE CHUTNEY 

Ingredients:

5 ounces kumquats 

1 cup crushed pineapple 

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons orange liqueur 

Instructions:

In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch the kumquats for one minute. Drain and repeat three more times. Halve each kumquat. Squeeze the juice into a bowl. Discard the pulp and seeds before finely dicing the skin.  In the same saucepan, combine the diced kumquats, crushed pineapple, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange juice, kumquat juice, and orange liqueur. Bring to a boil. Simmer the chutney over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken in approximately eight minutes. Allow mixture to cool before transferring to a jar. Store covered in the refrigerator. 

Autumn Plum Galette

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Enjoyable Eats: Autumn Plum Galette! Rustic pies are so forgiving, which is one of the reasons I gravitate to them more. Forget perfection. It just isn’t necessary. A galette is made without a pie plate. Same dough, but no primping and crimping needed. You honestly don’t really need as many fillings either, because there’s no need to pile ‘em high. In fact, you’ll know you’ve overfilled the galette when you see the juices running onto the baking sheet. No fun. And when you taste the galette, the crust may be mushy. So remember, stop yourself and it’ll turn out fine.

AUTUMN PLUM GALETTE

Ingredients:

1 prepared refrigerated pie crust

5 ripe plums, pit removed and sliced

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch ginger

1 pinch cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Ingredients for Almond Filling:

1/2 cup almond flour

5 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 egg, beaten

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°. Fit parchment paper on a baking sheet. Unroll pie crust onto baking sheet. Place galette dough in the refrigerator to chill. Meanwhile, combine almond flour, sugar, flour, butter, and egg in a food processor. Mix until smooth and spreadable. Remove chilled galette from the refrigerator. Spread the almond filling onto the dough*, but stop short of the edges. Arrange plum slices in an overlapping design on top of the almond filling. Sprinkle plums with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Roll the plain edges of the dough over the fruit. Brush the crust with melted butter. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve warm.

*I only used half the almond filling and reserved the remaining portion for second galette.

Red Fish Blue Fish in Key West, Florida

Dining Outside the Home: Red Fish Blue Fish in Key West, Florida! When you’re wandering around Mallory Square, step off the beaten path a block or so to discover a hidden gem where seafood is prime and the drinks go down easy. Order one of the signature cocktails from Red Fish Blue Fish, made with real fruit and fresh juices. Stay awhile, and without a doubt, you’ll be smitten by the most breathtaking sunset in the Florida Keys. This is cause for celebration. The sheer beauty and passion of the residents is enough to make anyone feel at home once they cross the threshold of this popular seafood joint.

Dining Outside the Home: Garden Table on Mass Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana

Dining Outside the Home: Garden Table on Mass Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana! More and more restaurants are meeting the demand for healthy and natural foods. Garden Table is no exception. In fact, they pride themselves in offering locally grown and harvested ingredients from sustainable farms. Believe me, your taste buds will notice. Take, for instance, the October Sky crafted espresso latte, laced with butternut squash and aromatic spices. It goes down so smooth you’ll find yourself savoring the aftertaste of cardamom and spice. Take it easy for Sunday brunch. The menu thrills with a Garden Benedict smothered in herbed hollandaise over sourdough toast. Be good to yourself. Experience Garden Table on Mass Avenue. We’re all in this together.