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Italian Herb Grilled Corn

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Italian Herb Grilled Corn! Get fired up about charred corn on the cob. By closing the lid of the grill, the corn gets slightly charred with a pleasant smoky flavor. The natural sweetness becomes an invitation to bump things up with seasoned butter…because we all know, it’s about the luscious creamy butter. 

ITALIAN HERB GRILLED CORN

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Italian herbs

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature 

4 ears corn, husked

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to 400°. Whisk together Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, and 4 tablespoons butter. Set side. Rub olive oil on the four ears of corn. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the prepared corn directly on the grill grates. Close lid. Cook 10 minutes until tender and slightly charred, turning 4 times during cooking. Remove corn from grill and allow to cool slightly before slathering with Italian herb butter mixture. Serve. 

Halibut Grilled to Perfection

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Halibut Grilled to Perfection! An outdoor kitchen sure makes my life easier. I had no idea how much I would appreciate the convenience, entertainment value, and dining alfresco by the pool. What a backdrop for casual conversation and cherished memories. I’m still learning to be a seasoned “grillmaster”, but then again, that’s the fun of cooking. 

HALIBUT GRILLED TO PERFECTION 

Ingredients:

2 fresh halibut fillets 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried dill

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. While the grill is heating, squeeze lemon juice over halibut fillets. Brush with olive oil. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and dried dill. Once the grill is hot, spray the grill grates with nonstick oil. Place the fillets on the grill. Close the lid; cook for 5 minutes. Then flip fish fillets over and cook 5 minutes longer. Close lid. The internal temperature should be 145°. Remove the fillets from the grill and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges. 

Fresh Peach Mozzarella Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Fresh Peach Mozzarella Salad! Turn an ordinary fruit salad into a peachy pinwheel. It’s like offering sunshine on a plate. Think about it. Glorious peaches have a floral sweetness with a juicy delivery that satisfies any palate. The milky tenderness of the fresh mozzarella compares itself to a luscious layer of cream. Is it any wonder cheese lovers rave about it? 

FRESH PEACH MOZZARELLA SALAD

Ingredients:

16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced and cut in halves

3 peaches, pitted and sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper 

Baby spinach leaves

Instructions:

On salad plates, arrange fresh mozzarella halves, peach slices, and baby spinach leaves. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, and white pepper. Drizzle dressing over all. Serve immediately. 

Aubergine Ginger Slices

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Stir. Spread. Flip. Repeat: Aubergine Ginger Slices! When you’re looking for a meatless meal, think eggplant, or aubergine. The flesh, when cooked, magically transforms into a buttery soft, custard-like consistency that practically melts in your mouth. How to choose a ripe aubergine? Simply press your finger on the skin. Once released, the indentation will bounce back. 

AUBERGINE GINGER SLICES

Ingredients:

1 aubergine, skin on; sliced into 1/2” discs

1/4-1/3 cup cornmeal

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

2 green onions, finely sliced

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons soy sauce

Cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

Coat each aubergine disc in cornmeal; set aside. Warm vegetable oil on medium heat in an iron skillet. Fry each coated aubergine in the iron skillet for 5 minutes, without crowding. Flip and repeat discs for a golden brown color. Remove and set aside. Rinse the iron skillet and return to the heat. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, finely sliced green onions, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir occasionally. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Transfer the fried aubergines to the sauce; simmer 5 minutes longer, flipping halfway through to absorb the sauce. Remove the aubergines. Serve with steamed rice. Drizzle remaining sauce over all. 

Kohlrabi Fritters

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Kohlrabi Fritters! I stumbled onto this odd shaped vegetable at the Farmers Market and was intrigued by the green spiked bulbous shape with its long leafy shoots. It reminded me of a turnip, but had the faint aroma of cabbage. After learning its name, I just had to try it. My mind was already thinking of its seasoned taste fried crisp in olive oil. 

KOHLRABI FRITTERS

Ingredients:

1 medium kohlrabi 

1 small sweet potato

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 green onion

Olive oil for frying

Instructions:

Peel kohlrabi and sweet potato. Using a food processor, grate the kohlrabi, sweet potato, and yellow onion. It should equal 3 1/2 cups of shredded vegetables. Transfer to a bowl. Add seasonings, baking powder, and flour. Fold in the beaten eggs to coat well. Snip the green onion with kitchen shears and gently mix in. The fritters should stick together. Pour enough olive oil in a skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat on medium high. Drop kohlrabi mixture by heaping spoonfuls into the oil. Pan fry 2 minutes without burning. Turn over and fry another 2 minutes. Watch! Remove and drain on paper towels. Continue making fritters until all mixture is used. Serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt and garnish with green onion snips. 

Fried Green Tomatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Fried Green Tomatoes! The key to success is using solid, firm green tomatoes. Ripe ones will turn mushy and very disappointing.  Even if you don’t live in the South, everyone can enjoy these crisp and juicy medallions. The seasoned cornmeal crust will have you resurrecting a southern drawl that sounds as authentic as a waitress in a country café. Try the first one with a fork and then have seconds as a sandwich. 

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES 

Ingredients:

2 green tomatoes, sliced with skin on

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs 

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions:

On a sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, cheese, seasoned salt, and pepper. Blend with a fork. In a shallow bowl, mix egg and milk. Dip a green tomato slice in the egg mixture then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Repeat. Set aside. Continue until all slices have been coated. In a deep skillet on medium-high heat add vegetable oil for frying. Place tomatoes in a single layer. Do not crowd. Fry each side 3 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and fry the other side. Remove and place on a wire rack to remove excess oil. Repeat until all green tomato slices are used. Serve hot. Garnish with a dollop of wasabi aioli. 

Red Pepper Spicy Olives

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Red Pepper Spicy Olives! Here’s a little addition to your charcuterie board. Not everyone is a fan of olives, so by placing them in a decorative bowl, such as olive wood, it draws the eye away from everything which entertains the mind that a taste could be a possibility. (You never know, if you don’t try it.) Scoop a little onto a slice of crusty artisan bread, for starters. Then proceed to elevate the combo with a creamy burrata cheese. That tiny tickle at the back of your throat is the kick of pepper. Now you’re getting the picture. 

RED PEPPER SPICY OLIVES 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces assorted olives, pitted

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, chopped

1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley leaves

Instructions: 

Place assorted olives in a sieve to drain excess water; rinse. Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add roasted red peppers, cracked black peppercorns, sea salt, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley leaves. Stir briskly. Add the assorted olives; stir gently to coat. Allow the mixture to cook for 2-3 minutes; reduce heat. Pour contents into a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies! Who doesn’t love soft, chewy, citrusy cookies?!?! Call me lazy or even quirky. Sometimes I keep ingredients on hand to create a bakery-like product in a pinch. Thus, these thumbprint cookies can be made in a snap. After all, cake mixes and lemon curd spreads are known for their consistency in perfection. The lemon curd is silky smooth while the lemon cake mix creates chewy cookies by lessening the baking time. Never over-mix the batter. Stirring too long actually makes cookies tough. When ingredients are room temperature beforehand, baked cookies are less apt to flatten out and harden, too. Make sense? Something tells me you are going to love these thumbprint cookies. 

LEMON CURD THUMBPRINT COOKIES 

Ingredients: 

15.25 Lemon Cake Mix

2 eggs, room temperature 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup prepared lemon curd

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Place silicone baking mats on two baking sheets. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the lemon cake mix, two eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix well until batter is smooth. Scoop cookie dough, by teaspoons, onto a prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a round ball and place two inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, place on a cooling rack, and immediately press down the middle of each cookie to create an indentation for the curd to be placed. Allow cookies to cool before adding a dollop of lemon curd. Once the cookies have cooled, spoon a small amount of lemon curd into the middle of each cookie. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Vidalia Grilled Onions

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Vidalia Grilled Onions! Even if you don’t appreciate the taste of raw onions, by grilling them they turn into a totally different animal, so to speak. In raw form, onions can have a bite that is as raw, sharp, and bitter as a gator’s mouth. Grilling them releases the natural sugars to magically transform these bulbs into a sweeter, savory, delicious side dish that goes well with other grilled foods. Once you’ve tasted grilled onions at home, think variety for your next cookout. Combine potatoes, green peppers, and vidalia onions together in the foil packet and expect another flavorful explosion. 

VIDALIA GRILLED ONIONS 

Ingredients: 

4 Vidalia onions, skins discarded,  slice onions thick

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup garlic red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried 

Instructions: 

Place the sliced Vidalia onion in a bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, garlic red wine vinegar, and dried oregano. Pour the mixture over the onions; toss to coat well. Marinate the onion mixture for half an hour. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Line a grill pan with foil, overlapping the sides enough to make a tent. Place the marinated onions on the foil and form a seal. Grill the foil packet for 15-20 minutes. Remove pan from grill and set aside. Carefully open the tent and transfer the onions to a serving platter. Serve immediately.