sauce

Knee-Jerk Chicken Wings

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: Knee-Jerk Chicken Wings! Look ahead for a weekend meal that is Mmm Mmm Good. It takes a minute of advanced planning, but is, oh, so worth it. As with any marinade, its main purpose is to tenderize the chicken while bathing it with flavor and moisture. In the end you have chicken wings so juicy you won’t be able to put them down. As always, store the marinated chicken in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend reusing the marinade once you transfer the meat to a baking pan. As a general rule, any sauces that come into contact with uncooked meat should be disposed of properly to prevent harmful bacteria exposure. I’m good with that. In most cases an extra sauce or dressing can be offered instead.

KNEE-JERK CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 habanero peppers, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons allspice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon molasses

2 pounds chicken wings

1/4 cup lime juice

1/2 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon spicy honey

Chives, for garnish

Instructions:

To make the jerk paste marinade, combine vinegar, dark rum, habanero peppers, red onion, green onions, thyme, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and molasses in a blender. Pulse to mix until smooth. Place the chicken in a baking dish. Pour lime juice over chicken to coat on both sides. Wearing gloves, rub the jerk paste over both sides of the chicken wings, covering well. Transfer chicken to a gallon freezer bag. Use a rubber spatula to transfer all the marinade to the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°. Spray a rimmed baking pan with nonstick oil. Place chicken wings in a single layer, skin side up. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then flip to bake for another 20 minutes. Combine ketchup, soy sauce, and spicy honey in a small bowl. Mix well. Turn the chicken back over so the skin side is up. Brush with ketchup sauce. Bake 10 minutes longer. When chicken is done, transfer to a platter. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve with celery sticks and bleu cheese dressing.

Gluten-Free Egg Shoyu

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: Gluten-Free Egg Shoyu! Have you ever wondered how to make those awesome tasting hard-boiled eggs you find nested in a bowl of ramen noodles? The whites are tender; the yolks a gorgeous shade of golden yellow. That slightly salty taste, combined with a hint of sweetness, is the result of marinating the peeled eggs in a soy sauce mixture. I’m not going to lie, that’s the step you need to do in advance. The marination process can take anywhere from 8 hours to 24, depending on the depth of saturation you desire. Its purpose is to allow the natural salt to season the egg yolk. In the end you achieve a perfect ring of tawny brown to outline the incredible edible egg.

GLUTEN-FREE EGG SHOYU

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs

6 tablespoons warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

3/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce

Everything But Bagel Seasoning, for garnish

Instructions:

Remove the shells of the hard-boiled eggs. Discard. Place the uncut eggs in a deep bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the warm water and sugar until dissolved. Add sherry vinegar and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the eggs. You want them covered and submerged. Sometimes it is necessary to place a plate over the eggs so they do not float. Marinate the eggs for 8 hours or overnight. Remove the eggs from the sweet and salty marinade. Transfer them to a sealed container for up to three days. When ready to eat, cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Sprinkle, or dab, with Everything But Bagel seasoning. Serve with rice or noodles.

Exotic Pineapple Pork Loin

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Talking Points: Exotic Pineapple Pork Loin! If you’re not a fan of pineapple, allow me to offer some reasons to give it another try. You know that bloated feeling you can get after a meal…even three hours later? Well, pineapple is actually your friend in speeding up the natural digestion of foods. It helps to break down proteins, which in turn eases that uncomfortable feeling that may keep you up at night. By pairing pineapple with pork, which is high in protein, your increased metabolism will thank you. With that being said, let’s “Dig In” for an appetizing main course.

EXOTIC PINEAPPLE PORK LOIN

Ingredients:

2.5 pounds pork loin

1 can pineapple rings, cut in half, juices reserved

2 cups prepared barbecue sauce

1 green pepper, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeds removed, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450°. Place pork loin on a cutting board. Make parallel incisions along the length of the meat without cutting all the way through. Carefully transfer the pork loin to a baking pan. Fill each slot with a pineapple ring half. Combine barbecue sauce and reserved pineapple juice in a bowl. Add chopped green pepper, minced jalapeño, minced garlic, and chopped red onions. Stir to combine. Pour sauce over pork loin. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°. Bake 50 minutes longer, or until done. Test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should read 160° when done. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Wings Beans Shoyu

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Waste Not, Want Not: Wing Beans Shoyu! Have you ever seen a four-angled bean? It actually has four corners. The rough texture looks a little odd, all jagged and such. Since they grow in tropical climates where there is plenty of humidity, rainfall, and warmth, there’s a pretty good chance you won’t find them at your local grocery store. However, they are readily available at Farmers Markets in the Hawaiian Islands, which is where I got these delectable little jewels. They taste similar to a snow pea with a slightly sweet crunch. Then there’s the sauce. YUM!

WING BEANS SHOYU

Ingredients:

1/2 pound wing beans, washed, ends trimmed, and cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup soy sauce, Japanese-style

2 tablespoons agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 strip bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions:

Place prepared wing beans in a covered casserole dish. Add 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on High setting for 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Do not cook until mushy. Drain. Add crumbled bacon. Combine soy sauce, agave nectar, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Whisk to blend flavors. Drizzle over wing bean mixture. Toss to coat. Serve warm.

Hawaiian Spam Breakfast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Waste Not, Want Not: Hawaiian Spam Breakfast! Not everyone is on the same page when it comes to breakfast. Some prefer a bowl of cereal in front of the tv, others like yogurt and fruit while checking their email, and some are perfectly happy with their morning cuppa joe watching the sunrise. That’s where this recipe comes in handy. It is a Hawaiian meal for one.

It takes only a couple minutes to heat and eat. So when everyone comes crowding into the kitchen because it smells so good, just roll your shoulders and say, “You already had breakfast.”

HAWAIIAN SPAM BREAKFAST

Ingredients:

10.5 ounce package heat-and-eat microwaveable rice

2 slices Spam* brand canned meat

1 egg, scrambled

1 green onion, snipped

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Microwave rice according to package directions. Spray a small skillet with nonstick oil. Over medium-high heat, quick-fry 2 slices of Spam. Flip to get both sides crispy. Chop into bite-size pieces. Set aside. Crack an egg into a small dish. Whisk to break the yolk. Spray the small skillet again with nonstick oil. Pour the egg mixture into the pan using the same setting, medium high. Cover. Cook one minute. Remove lid, break up the egg with a spatula. Turn off the burner. Replace the lid for one minute longer. Transfer rice to a bowl, add Spam, scrambled egg, green onion snips, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce. Mix well. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with chopsticks.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

BBQ Pork Nachos

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Waste Not, Want Not: BBQ Pork Nachos! Mealtime can be hectic for this reason or that. I admit, some days I am not in the mood for a lavish meal. Perhaps you feel the same way and need a shortcut now and then. That’s when I go to the freezer to pull out fully cooked products, like smoked barbecue pork. When buying, always check the ingredient list for additives. From my experience, it’s the sauce that makes the dish.

BBQ PORK NACHOS

Ingredients:

11-ounce bag tortilla corn chips

1 pound container bbq pork, fully cooked

1/2 cup Queso cheese dip, store-bought

1 tomato, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 sprigs cilantro, leaves removed

1 bottle Heinz Hawaii sweet and fruity bbq sauce, to taste*

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Places tortilla chips in a single layer on the baking sheet. Randomly drop bbq pork onto chips using a fork. Next spoon prepared queso dip around the pork. It will melt as it bakes. Scatter chopped tomatoes over all. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, to taste. Bake nachos for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Drizzle barbecue sauce over top. Serve immediately.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Vietnamese Dipping Sauce! Like any good dish, the sauce can make or break it. Some like it sweet and mild, others prefer hot and tangy. As you pull everything together, don’t be shy about taking a taste test. If you prefer less sweetness, adjust accordingly. Do the same to crank up the heat a notch or two. I took the advice from a friend of mine who puts this sauce on everything from spring rolls to noodles to salads to fish. It’s amazing!

VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup fish sauce

2 cups sugar

10 red chili peppers, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, crushed

Instructions:

Combine water, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, chili peppers, and garlic in a pan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Neapolitan Tomato Cheese Pizza

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Neapolitan Tomato Cheese Pizza! Before you roll your eyes, let me explain about Neapolitan pizza. The dough itself is made of four basic ingredients. I like that. The Italian flour makes the dough stretchy and easy to work into shape with your fingers. If you cannot find Italian flour, bread flour is an acceptable substitute. I went on a quest to find it, though. A Neapolitan pizza is made to be eaten with a knife and fork as a personal pan pizza. And it is not precut, simply because the center of the bottom crust is soft and chewy. Trust me, it’s worth every bite. This dough recipe will make six individual servings of thin crust pizza. Bellissimo!

NEAPOLITAN TOMATO CHEESE PIZZA

Ingredients:

4 cups Italian “00” flour plus extra flour for dusting

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 cup tomato sauce

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced rounds

6 basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

Combine flour, sea salt, yeast, and water into a Bread Machine. Set to “Dough”. When finished, divide dough into 6 portions, cover each in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 72 hours. Remove 45 minutes prior to preparation for dough to come to room temperature. Transfer one ball of dough to a medium bowl that has a handful of flour in it. Flip to coat. Pat off excess flour and transfer it to a floured surface. Gently stretch dough, with fingertips, into a circle. Pick it up and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. With one hand in the center of the dough round, use the other hand to stretch the edge outward without tearing, rotating as needed. Place the oven rack on its highest setting. You should still be able to place an iron skillet on it. If not, lower the rack. Preheat the Broiler on High. Dust the iron skillet with flour; tap out excess. Heat the empty skillet until it is smoking lightly, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer dough to the skillet. Moving quickly, top the dough with tomato sauce, mozzarella slices, and fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with kosher salt and drizzle with olive oil. Transfer skillet back to the broiler and cook until pizza is puffed and charred in spots, up to 4 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven. Serve immediately. For more than one pizza, repeat process.

Jellylike Jezebel Sauce

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Jellylike Jezebel Sauce! I first heard about this sassy southern sauce with a spicy kick from fellow blogger, Camellia.* She piqued my interest since I sometimes crave the heat of horseradish to liven up ordinary foods. Talk about eye-popping sizzle! Yes, Ma’am! Then recently my husband and I travelled to South Carolina where I had a first-hand opportunity to taste it at a waterfront restaurant there. One bite of Coconut Shrimp dipped in Jezebel Sauce aroused my taste buds and the rest was history. Bless your heart, Camellia!

JELLYLIKE JEZEBEL SAUCE

Ingredients:

18-ounce apple jelly

13-ounce jar apricot preserves

8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

8-ounce jar creamy horseradish, double strength

2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons black cracked pepper

Instructions:

Warm apple jelly in microwave for 30 seconds. Combine apple juice, apricot preserves, crushed pineapple, Creamy horseradish, dry mustard, and cracked black pepper. Stir to blend well. Pour into jars. Chill one hour to enhance flavors. Store in the refrigerator.

*Please visit Camellia for her variation of Jezebel Sauce.

http://camelliascottage.com/2017/01/25