lemon

Zoodle Zalad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Zoodle Zalad! Did you know zucchini can be eaten raw the same way carrot sticks became a popular snack? It’s true. To make it interesting and fun, I used the spiralizer attachment to my stand mixer to make curly-cues of color with the fresh zucchini and carrots. Be sure to wash the vegetables to remove dirt beforehand if you plan to leave the skins on. In this case, I peeled the carrots, but left the zucchini skin on. Granted, removing the skins can reduce the nutritional value, so it’s a personal choice left up to you. The spiralizer is a unique tool because some say by making the food attractive and unique, they eat more veggies. I’d have to agree. Many vegetables are high in water content and fiber, so by making a meal of this nature definitely satisfies the body with a full feeling without the sluggish drop in energy. 

ZOODLE ZALAD

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini’s, spiralized

2 medium carrots, spiralized 

1 pound frozen shrimp, precooked with tails removed

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

Lemon Vinaigrette, for serving

Instructions:

Place spiralized zucchini and carrots in a bowl. Gently toss. Arrange shrimp over all. Sprinkle with dill weed. Serve with a lemon vinaigrette. Enjoy! 

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!

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. 

Alex’s Porgy Fish Favorite

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Alex’s Porgy Fish Favorite! Just because a fish species is plentiful and easy to catch by local fishermen is no reason to ignore its flaky sweet flavor when cooked. In fact, you can herald porgy’s role in sustainable seafood. The more porgy that is caught, the better chance other wild-caught fish can multiply. Porgy is smaller, too, so one person can often eat an entire serving. Leave the fillet method to the skilled cutters. They can clean, skin, and fillet porgy to eliminate all those tiny bones. Alex is a member of a crew of local fishermen who work together to make each their fresh catch affordable and ready-to-cook when purchased. What more could anyone ask?

ALEX’S PORGY FISH FAVORITE 

Ingredients:

2-6 ounce porgy fillets, skinned and deboned

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Melted butter, for garnish

Fresh Lemon, for garnish

Instructions:

Spray an enameled cast iron grill pan with nonstick oil. Warm olive oil and butter in the grill pan over medium high heat. Add porgy fillets to prepared cookware. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Cook two minutes; flip over and cook two minutes longer. Transfer to a platter. Serve with grilled asparagus and fresh tomatoes. Drizzle melted butter over all. Garnish with lemon slices. 

Yearly Cranberry Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Yearly Cranberry Sauce! When you are the only one who likes cranberries, one recipe can seem like a lot to consume. Go ahead and make the sauce anyway. Here’s why. It can be a special treat for other meals, besides Thanksgiving. Plus it freezes well. For example, swirl it into your morning yogurt, then top with crunchy granola. Or add a little maple syrup and slather it onto a stack of pancakes. Turn your morning fruit smoothie into a delicious beverage-on-the-go. As an appetizer or late night snack, toast baguette slices, smear on softened goat cheese, and add a dollop of cranberry sauce sprinkled with orange zest. Are you getting the idea? When the family asks what you’re eating, just smile and say, “Oh, don’t worry….you wouldn’t like it.”

YEARLY CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, optional

Instructions:

Rinse cranberries thoroughly. Drain; set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries. Return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cranberries will soften as the skins begin to pop. Cook 10 minutes longer. Add Grand Marnier. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Sauce will thicken. Remove cinnamon sticks; discard. Transfer cranberry sauce to a covered storage container. Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.

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.

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.

Yellow Squash Panko

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Yellow Squash Panko! Many of you already know this particular vegetable is a second cousin to zucchini. The skin is tender, glossy smooth, and edible which makes it a no-fuss dinner companion. Although its flavor is mild, when cooked it actually becomes buttery sweet with a slightly nutty nuance. Try to buy yellow squash that is 6”-8” in size. You’ll know because the larger it is, the more likely the skin will appear bumpy and less tender. You’ll also notice a lot of seeds, once you cut into it. By then you’ll need to rethink dinner and purée it for soup. Hindsight is 20/20 after all.

YELLOW SQUASH PANKO

Ingredients:

2 yellow squash

1-2 tablespoons olive oil, for sauté

Ingredients for Herbed Oil:

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Ingredients for Crumb Topping:

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Wash and pat dry yellow squash. Slice into 1/4” rounds; set aside. To make the herbed oil, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, dried parsley, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Set aside. To make the crumb topping, toss panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, dried parsley, sea salt, and red pepper flakes into a bowl. Mix well; set aside. To prepare yellow squash, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the yellow squash and sauté for 8 minutes. Turn occasionally to cook both sides. Squash should be soft, but not mushy. Remove from heat. Drizzle herbed oil over yellow squash. Transfer to a platter. Top with panko crumb topping mixture. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.