sauce

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.

Naked Ahi Chop Chop

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Naked Ahi Chop Chop! When you discover fresh raw sashimi, your brain immediately kicks into the “gotta have it” register. At least, that’s the way it was for me. This Japanese delicacy offered a full-flavored high, without the nasty fishiness that can swear you off fish altogether. But here’s the secret: all ahi tuna is not the same. As I learned from my seafood specialist, sashimi-grade is meant to be eaten raw, so it is handled differently, vacuum sealed, and frozen quickly to the correct temperature to keep it safe. Check the labels, of course. Sushi and Sashimi are not the same thing.

NAKED AHI CHOP CHOP

Ingredients:

8 ounces sashimi grade ahi tuna

2 tablespoons pickled ginger, sliced

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

2 tablespoons unagi sauce

Watercress, for garnish

Instructions:

Run the ahi steak under cold water and pat dry. Slice ahi tuna steak with only one stroke of the knife, against the grain. Each segment should be about one inch thick. Arrange on a platter. Add the pickled ginger to enhance the flavor of the sushi. Squeeze wasabi paste onto a dish for a punch of heat, if desired. Add unagi sauce as a sweetened soy sauce. Garnish with fresh watercress. Serve slightly chilled.

Mildly Sweet Red Grouper

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Mildly Sweet Red Grouper! Trust your local source for fresh fish. I do. Since the fishermen often eat what they catch, it’s natural to ask them questions about the type of fish they sell. Oftentimes it seems to be different from what is common in the supermarkets. Does that make sense? I can relate to species that “taste like” sea bass, halibut, mahi mahi, swordfish, ahi, or tilapia. Beyond that, I really need some guidance for porgy, grouper, snapper, and hogfish. I tend to lean more toward mildly flavored and subtly sweet flavors. That way I can always default to melted butter and lemon. As they say, “There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”

MILDLY SWEET RED GROUPER

Ingredients:

4 red grouper fish fillets

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions:

In a shallow dish, arrange red grouper in a single layer. Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, ground ginger, and brown sugar. Pour marinade over red grouper fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat the grill to 400°. Remove fish from marinade and place directly on the grill grates. Close lid and cook for 4 minutes until sides are slightly opaque. Discard marinade. Flip the fish and cook 4 minutes longer. Fish will appear charred with grill marks and flake easily. Transfer to a platter. Squeeze fresh lime juice over top. Serve immediately.

Legendary Pizza Burger

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Legendary Pizza Burger! I’ll never forget my first experience eating a pizza burger. I was probably 16 years old at the time. I worked in a ladies retail clothing store downtown. On my dinner break, I walked across the street where a drugstore had a lunch counter with a grill and fryer. Being a crazy kid who loved anything pizza, I ordered it off the menu. Upon first bite, this white goo began to overflow across my hands to the plate below. My first thought was, “Ohmygosh, this burger is rotten with a slimy white stuff running out of it!” Fortunately my brain kicked in and I realized what I was actually tasting was mozzarella cheese. From that day on, I was a champion for anything pizza burger. And the remarkable afterthought is, now I compare every other menu item pizza burger to it. Unexpected, but true.

LEGENDARY PIZZA BURGER

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

4 brioche buns, split and toasted

1/2 cup prepared pizza sauce, warmed

Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat gas grill to 350°. In a large bowl, combine lean ground beef, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Form mixture into 8 patties. Place one slice of fresh mozzarella cheese into the diameter of a patty. Press another patty on top; pinching together to seal. Repeat until all four patties are formed. Cook directly on the grill. Close lid and grill for 6-7 minutes per side. Transfer pizza burgers to a platter. Serve between brioche buns. Top each pizza burger with a dollop of pizza sauce. Enjoy.

Island Pineapple Salsa

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Island Pineapple Salsa! For healthy taste with a breath of an island paradise mixed in, treat yourself to this virtuous condiment that goes well with practically anything. Grilled meats, charred veggies, fresh fish, and exotic seafood are great dinner companions as well. For an excellent appetizer, serve the pineapple salsa with lightly seasoned tortilla chips. Goes well with tiki-themed cocktails showcasing dark rum floaters. Can you hear me now?

ISLAND PINEAPPLE SALSA

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple, tidbits

1/4 cup red pepper, diced

1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions:

Combine pineapple tidbits, red pepper, red onion, green onions, chopped ginger, and soy sauce in a bowl. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Egg Noodle Bowl

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Egg Noodle Bowl! Cooking eggs in the microwave has spoiled me. No fuss, no mess, and practically perfect every time. Do-ahead noodles can be a time saver, as well. But back to the eggs. When using a custard dish, two eggs can easily be prepared in the same dish by increasing the time to 2 minutes. Always cover the dish with a silicone lid or paper towel in case the egg “pops”. Otherwise, it can be an annoying mess to clean up later. Trust me. Once the egg is finished, live boldly and add a dollop of sea salt butter to melt into it. That adds glorious flavor, without regrets

EGG NOODLE BOWL

Ingredients:

1 cup fine egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

1/2 cup grilled chicken strips, precooked and cut into chunks

1 tablespoon seasoned soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 green onion, chopped

1 egg

Pinch herb garlic seasoning

Sriracha sauce, to taste

Instructions:

Once the fine egg noodles are cooked, drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Microwave the chicken chunks on 40% for 2 minutes in the seasoned soy sauce sprinkled with red pepper flakes. Add to the noodle bowl; gently toss. Add the green onions. Set aside. Spray a custard dish with nonstick oil. Crack the egg into it. Pierce the yolk with a toothpick. Sprinkle herb garlic seasoning on top. Cover. Microwave egg on 40% power for 1 1/2 minutes, for runny results. Increase time at 12-second intervals for a hard cooked yolk. Transfer the egg to the top of the noodles. Top with sriracha sauce, to taste. Serve immediately.

Eagle Brand Caramel Rum Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Delicious Holiday Foods: Eagle Brand Caramel Rum Sauce! For caramel-lovers all over the world, this recipe can be your legacy. It’s rich, it’s thick, it’s buttery, and it’s laced with a hint of dark rum that gets the party started. Take a moment to tick off the countless ways you can drizzle caramel sauce over food. Spread it on toast, then sprinkle with cinnamon. Add it to coffee for a smooth latte. Turn it into an apple dip coated with salted peanuts. Whip it into pudding or smoothies. Top off a bowl of ice cream. You get the idea. If your imagination stalls out, simply dip a teaspoon into the jar and enjoy the caramel sauce all by itself.

EAGLE BRAND CARAMEL RUM SAUCE

Ingredients:

14-ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch pie plate. Cover with foil. Carefully place the pie plate into a shallow pan. Fill the larger pan with 1/2 inch hot water. It will surround the pie plate. Bake 2 hours or until sauce is thick and caramel in color. Remove larger pan from oven. Take the pie plate out; remove foil and pour caramel into a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on LOW speed for one minute. Add dark rum and vanilla extract. Continue beating on LOW speed until liquid is blended. Increase speed to HIGH for one minute longer. Caramel will appear smooth and creamy. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Vodka Sauce Shrimp Fettuccine

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Vodka Sauce Shrimp Fettuccine! Here’s something a little different for you to try instead of the usual fettuccine alfredo. Now, wait a sec to hear me out. Don’t get me wrong. I love alfredo sauce as much as the next one, but sometimes you gotta think about limiting calories and fat just to squeeze into that favorite outfit. Marinara sauces might be just the answer you’re looking for on “Pasta Night”. You won’t sacrifice taste because there’s still butter, light cream, and vodka. Some alcohol does evaporate as it is simmering, but only about 15%. (However, it will completely burn off if the sauce cooks for long periods of time.) Because vodka is somewhat tasteless, it basically enhances all the other flavors of the dish without overpowering it. Try it, you may like it.

VODKA SAUCE SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

Ingredients:

6 ounces fettuccine pasta

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon butter

3/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

15-ounce Italian tomatoes, crushed

2 tablespoons vodka

3 tablespoons light cream

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 pound precooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

Fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions:

In a large pan, add sea salt to 2 quarts boiling water. Cook pasta 10 minutes. Drain, cover, and set aside. For the vodka sauce, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook one minute longer. Add the crushed tomatoes to the onions. Stir in vodka, light cream, and lemon zest. Simmer 5 minutes. Add the precooked shrimp, simmering 5 minutes longer. Gently fold the fettuccine noodles into the vodka sauce. Heat through. Divide portions into pasta bowls. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Naan Italian Meatball Subs

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Naan Italian Meatball Wraps! Don’t you just love naan? It is a nice alternative to a sub bun or slice of bread when desiring a sandwich. For those who haven’t tried it yet, naan is a soft flatbread which typically has any airy-like texture. I find it more appealing than pita bread, which tends to be a little drier. Because this recipe included a marinara sauce, naan helps to soak up the flavors and keep the sauce from dripping out, most likely due to the small pockets of air. Looks like it’s time for you to give it the taste test and tell me what YOU think.

NAAN ITALIAN MEATBALL WRAPS

Ingredients:

16 Italian meatballs, frozen pre-made variety; thawed

16 ounces pizza sauce

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 mini naan portions

Baker’s twine

Instructions:

Place Italian meatballs in a microwave-safe covered dish. Heat on High for 3-4 minutes. Drain excess liquid, if any. Add pizza sauce and heat in microwave on 50% for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Layer one mini naan on a microwave-safe plate. Sprinkle with a few drops of water; cover with parchment paper. Repeat others to form a stack. Warm naan in the microwave on 40% power for 30 seconds. Repeat, if needed. This will soften the naan in order to make it pliable. Working quickly, arrange 4 meatballs and sauce in each mini naan. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Secure the stuffed wrap with bakers twine. Transfer meatball wrap to a plate. Repeat until all four are complete. Microwave again on 20% power for 30 seconds or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.