salt

Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Judy’s Pumpkin Sea Salt Caramel Sauce! I always get excited when I receive the gift of food. My friend, Judy, thrilled me beyond measure when she shared this treat from her kitchen. It’s the perfect combination of sea salt caramel and pumpkin purée. It not only transforms a cup of coffee into a pumpkin spice addiction, but it also tastes incredible on a breakfast muffin. If you ask my husband, he’ll say you can eat it over ice cream by the spoonful.

JUDY’S PUMPKIN SEA SALT CARAMEL SAUCE 

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup pumpkin purée 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water.  Bring to a boil, stirring often to avoid scorching. Continue cooking until sugar turns light amber in color and all sugar crystals have dissolved, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and mix well. Change utensils to a heat-resistant whisk and quickly whisk in the cream and pumpkin. Lastly, add cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, removing all lumps. Transfer to a jar. Cool at room temperature, seal, and store in the refrigerator. 

Glorious Glazed Pecans

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Appetizers to Desserts: Glorious Glazed Pecans!  Go to any big city or farmers market and you’ll find street vendors roasting sweet and savory candied nuts. The bakery aroma practically has you walking on air. Now you can bring this enticing smell and sugary sweetness right into your very own kitchen. I’ve made it a tradition to bake a couple batches for holiday gift-giving. When mixed with an assortment of smoked almonds, wasabi peas, salty cashews, and honey roasted peanuts, these glazed pecans become a gourmet choice for absolutely anyone on your list. In fact, anticipation creates excitement followed by open delight and thanksgiving. 

GLORIOUS GLAZED PECANS 

Ingredients:

1 pound pecan halves 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 egg white, room temperature 

1 tablespoon water

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 300°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. In a small bowl mix sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well and set aside. In a large bowl beat egg white and water until frothy. Add one pound of pecans and coat well to cover. Pour sugar mixture over nuts. Stir completely to form a coating over pecans. Transfer nuts to the baking sheet. Form a single layer. Bake 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to form a crystallized finish. Remove from oven. Let cool and then store in an airtight container. 

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. 

Jambon-Buerre French Baguettes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Jambon-Buerre French Baguettes! You can practically hear the music playing “Là Vie en Rose” in the memory-banks of your mind as you prepare this authentic version of a classic French picnic lunch. Discovering a French bakery stateside that bakes French baguettes is a gift beyond measure. I walked out with a market bag of assorted European bakery breads anticipating the delicacies that would soon follow. Such a delight! In hindsight, I teasingly referred to these scrumptious sandwiches as a common “Happy Meal” when purchased at the local patisserie. How spoiled am I? 

JAMBON-BUERRE FRENCH BAGUETTES 

Ingredients: 

1 traditional French baguette

2 -3 tablespoons French sea salt butter

1 tablespoon mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons caramelized onion jam

6-8 slices Emmental cheese 

6-8 slices prosciutto or jambon

Sweet gherkins, sliced in half horizontally 

Instructions: 

Cut the French baguette in half horizontally and separate. Butter cut sides with sea salt french butter. Spread mayonnaise and Dijon mustard on the top half. Spread caramelized onion jam on the bottom half. Cut slices of Emmental cheese on an angle and lay on the bottom portion of the baguette. Peel off the prosciutto, or jambon, and layer on top of the cheese. Arrange the halved gherkins over all. Place the top half onto the bottom half of the sandwich. Wrap with parchment paper and tie into place. These sandwiches can be eaten right away, or packed for a picnic. 

Espresso Dusted Compound Butter

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Espresso Dusted Compound Butter! Elevate your morning breakfast or evening bread basket with a gourmet twist to regular butter. This espresso recipe goes one step beyond whipped butter by adding another layer of deliciousness with enriched flavors. It requires minimal effort on your part. Butter, as you may recall, does offer nutrients that provide healthy fatty acids. This doesn’t make butter a health food, though. The key is moderation. If you’re looking for treat from time to time, compound butters are ideal. And this little number gives you a boost of caffeine. 

ESPRESSO DUSTED COMPOUND BUTTER

Ingredients For the Compound Butter: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/2 tablespoon hot water

5 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/3 teaspoon sea salt 

Ingredients For the Dusting:

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon regular sugar 

Instructions: 

Place the butter in a mixing bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the instant espresso powder with the hot water. Stir until completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool. Add the cooled espresso mixture to the softened butter. Sprinkle in the powdered sugar and sea salt. Using a hand whisk, beat the ingredients together until the butter is smooth, creamy, and well combined. Tear off a sheet of parchment paper. Form the butter mixture into a log; seal by twisting the ends; refrigerate until firm. For the outer dusting, tear off another sheet of parchment paper. Combine the instant espresso powder with the regular sugar. Mix well. Once the compound butter is firm, roll the entire log in it to coat all sides. Transfer the espresso dusted compound butter to a small dish. Serve on toasted bread, rolls, or bagels. 

Pine Berry Appetizer

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Pine Berry Appetizer! If you are a strawberry lover, think outside the box with a tropical twist this unique berry carries. The texture remains sweet and juicy, yet highlights subtle notes of pineapple, pear, and apricot. The creamy white flesh is an indication the berry is ripe enough to eat. I only mention that because on first glance you may suspect I am trying to encourage you to eat underripe strawberries. I think not. The “seeds”, so to speak, should appear red in color. For those who wonder, pine berries are the natural result of cross-pollination. This often does make them a little more expensive than regular strawberries. For special occasions, they are perfect! 

PINE BERRY APPETIZER

Ingredients: 

8 ounces Florida pine berries, washed, patted dry, and cut in half

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon Tupelo honey

1 pinch sea salt (optional)

Fresh thyme, for garnish

Rosemary Sesame Flatbread Crackers, for serving

Instructions: 

In a mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, cream cheese, and Tupelo honey. Blend until thoroughly mixed and the consistency of whipped cream. Taste before adding a pinch of sea salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. To assemble the pine berry appetizer, slather a dollop of whipped cheese onto a rosemary sesame flatbread cracker. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme. Serve immediately. 

Onion Cucumber Tomato Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Onion Cucumber Tomato Salad! Here’s a creamy salad that makes your meal-planning easy. Anyone who has had a garden will tell you it’s a no-brainer and goes with practically any meal you have planned. Farmers Markets typically have an abundance of these ingredients, should you choose to visit them instead. There’s a debate over whether to salt the vegetables as you layer them or simply add it to the dressing ingredients. I’ve done both. The way I presented it here allows a thicker dressing. Salt will draw out the water in the cucumbers and tomatoes, making the dressing thinner. It also enhances the taste of the veggies, so you be the judge.  In any event, keep a spoon handy. You’re going to want to slurp the dressing in the bottom of the bowl anyway. 

ONION CUCUMBER TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients: 

1 English cucumber, skin on and sliced

2 ripe tomatoes, sliced and quartered

1/4 red onion, sliced and quartered

Dill weed, for garnish

Ingredients for Dressing: 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup sour cream 

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions: 

In a large salad bowl, alternate layers of sliced cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, and red onions. In another bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sea salt, and black pepper. Pour over vegetables and gently toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to one hour. Before serving, gently toss and sprinkle with dill weed. Enjoy! 

Green Onions With Sea Salt

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Green Onions with Sea Salt! My family could not have a picnic without a jar of raw green onions nearby. Typically the jar had a little water in bottom to keep the onions garden fresh. The vibrant color against a rustic backdrop served as a personal invitation to indulge. No matter who hosted the gathering, it wasn’t complete without the popular southern-style simple pleasure. Grab a lawn chair, kick off your shoes, let the grass tickle your toes, and be a child again. 

GREEN ONIONS WITH SEA SALT

Ingredients:

1 bunch of green onions

Individual condiment saucer, or salt cellar, of sea salt

Instructions:

Wash the green onions thoroughly, removing any wilted leaves from the outer layer. Trim the white root ends where the bulb is formed. Angle cut the green stalks at the opposite end. Place a bowl of coarse sea salt nearby. To eat, dip the white end of the green onion into the sea salt. Take a crunchy bite. Repeat until the entire green onion is consumed. 

Impressive Pizza Crust

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Impressive Pizza Crust! When it comes to making homemade pizza, two factors are critical to taste: Crust and Sauce. (We’ll address pizza sauce another day.) It becomes personal whether you prefer a thin and crispy crust or a deep dish pizza pie. Fortunately, my husband and I are partial to a thin crust. Choosing your “method of madness” takes practice as well. Experts recommend kneading the dough and getting pretty rough to develop the gluten. Others use a bread machine for maximum results. I found my food processor passed the test with this impressive crust. Later on, I may try another. 

IMPRESSIVE PIZZA CRUST

Ingredients:

2 cups bread flour, plus more for work surface

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for work surface

1/3 teaspoon sea salt

Cornmeal for pizza pan

Instructions:

In food processor fitted with metal blade, process flour, sugar, and yeast until combined, about 2 seconds. With machine running, slowly add water through feed tube. Process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.  Then add olive oil and salt to dough. Process until dough forms a satiny, sticky ball that clears the sides of the bowl, 30-60 seconds. Remove dough from bowl and knead briefly on a lightly oiled countertop until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into a tight ball and place in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days. 

After 24 hours divide the dough into 2 equal portions. (Wrap one tightly with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for later use if you are only making one pizza pie at this time.) Shape dough on lightly oiled baking sheet; cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray. Let stand one hour. Preheat the oven to 425°. Then coat the ball of dough with flour and place on a well-floured countertop. Knead and stretch the dough without breaking. Spread olive oil lightly to grease pizza pan. Sprinkle corn meal over the olive oil forming a thin even layer. This keeps the crust from getting soggy and adds a nice crunch to the texture of the crust. Transfer dough to pizza pan. Using fingertips, gently flatten and stretch as you go, until it reaches the edges. Press down around the edges of the pan to create a border, which will keep the sauce and toppings from seeping while baking. Place in oven and bake crust for 10 minutes without toppings. Remove and add pizza sauce plus desired ingredients. Reduce oven heat to 400° and bake an additional 20 minutes until crust is crispy and toppings bubbly.