sesame

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. 

Korean Smashed Potatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Korean Smashed Potatoes! What makes these delectable little gems taste different from ordinary potatoes? The outer skin is sweet and salty, making them tempting as well as chewy. You might think the high oven temperature would create a crispy skin, but that’s where the sauce makes all the difference. And before I forget, they are still soft and tender inside. Some recipes call for garlic and red pepper flakes, or gochujang. I’m going to leave the “tweaking” up to you. Make your batch umami-packed, nutty, savory, spicy, or whatever variety you choose. Either way, you probably won’t see any leftovers. 

KOREAN SMASHED POTATOES

Ingredients: 

3 cups baby potatoes with skins on 

1/4 cup soy sauce 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 green onion, finely chopped

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Micro greens, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Fill a 4-quart pan with enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil potatoes for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain. Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten several potatoes to expose the insides. Using a pastry brush, baste potatoes with the soy sauce mixture. Sprinkle green onions overall. Bake 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and baste again. Bake 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle Korean potatoes with sesame seeds; garnish with micro greens. Serve immediately. 

Herbs Over Burrata

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Herbs Over Burrata! A fresh mozzarella ball and a fresh burrata ball may appear to be the same thing, but actually they are quite different, kind of. Burrata has an outer skin of mozzarella, but the secret lies in the inner pouch filled with fresh cheese curds and cream. This makes it more flavorful, rich-tasting, and buttery. By adding chopped herbs and seasoning, burrata transforms into an elegant appetizer that will impress even the fussiest palate. Don’t believe me? What have you got to lose? Worst case scenario, you get it all to yourself. 

HERBS OVER BURRATA 

Ingredients:

2 small burrata balls, room temperature 

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon champagne vinegar

1 package garlic bagel chips 

Instructions:

Place the burrata balls in a shallow dish. Combine chopped parsley, chopped basil, chopped chives, sesame seeds, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Add olive oil and champagne vinegar. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Make a cut across the tops of the burrata to release the luscious center inside. Spoon the herb mixture over the top and dredge eat bite onto garlic bagel chips. 

Goat Cheese Fig Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Goat Cheese Fig Toast! Get ready for a flavor explosion……or at the very least, your eyes will roll back from sheer gratification. Whenever you run across fresh figs, kick up your heels while containing your excitement. You definitely want to choose the best ones for yourself before letting others know of your discovery. Figs are a seasonal delicacy, much like Rainier cherries. These compact, purplish gems deliver a sweet, berry-like flavor that probably reminds you of a distant cousin to everyone’s favorite, the strawberry. Don’t be greedy. Only buy what you need; their shelf life is quite short. Then let your imagination flow. I promise you will not be disappointed. 

GOAT CHEESE FIG TOAST

Ingredients:

4 slices sesame seed artisan bread, toasted

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature 

4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, room temperature 

1 tablespoon thyme 

3-4 figs, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons hot honey, for drizzling 

Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange slices of sesame seed artisan bread on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake 4-5 minutes, watching closely. Remove from oven, transfer to a platter, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine goat cheese, Neufchâtel cheese, and thyme leaves. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Spread the whipped goat cheese onto the sesame seed toast. Arrange fig slices over all. Drizzle with hot honey. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves. Serve immediately. 

Ahi Tuna Seared

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Ahi Tuna Seared! As many of you know, ahi should be eaten completely raw or seared on high heat to just barely rare in the center. That means asking for sashimi grade tuna to begin with at the fish market, where it is processed to be eaten exactly those two ways. If it is prepackaged in the seafood deli, and is not marked sushi grade, plan to cook it completely through. Otherwise you could have a reaction that is rather unpleasant. The mild flavor should not smell strong or fishy either. Check your sources before buying. 

AHI TUNA SEARED

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

4 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon black pepper

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons ginger root, julienned 

2 6-ounce ahi tuna steaks

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Instructions: 

In a shallow dish, combine lime juice, sesame oil, black pepper, soy sauce, and julienned ginger. Mix well. Place the ahi tuna in the marinade, making sure they are fully coated in sauce. Cover; marinate the ahi steaks for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine white and black sesame seeds. Press both sides of the tuna steaks into the sesame seed mixture. Transfer the ahi tuna steaks to a well-oiled iron skillet that has been preheated on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook 60 seconds per side. Remove the tuna from the pan. Tent with aluminum foil to allow them to rest for 3 minutes. Then, using a sharp knife, slice the tuna against the grain into thin, even slices. Serve immediately. 

Jarlsberg Grilled Cheese

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Jarlsberg Grilled Cheese!  This is a perfect fusion of buttery, crisp, lightly salted Swiss-style cheese and dense artisan bread. Grilling at the correct temperature is crucial. It will result in a golden-brown crunch followed by a warm flow of oozing cheese with a sweet-tangy finish. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It really is!

JARLSBERG GRILLED CHEESE

Ingredients:

8 ounces of Jarlsberg cheese, grated

4 tablespoons mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

Artisan bread of choice, sliced (sesame bread is pictured)

Salted Butter for browning

Instructions:

Combine cheese, mayonnaise, and red onion in a medium bowl. Mix well. Refrigerate in a covered container for one hour. Slowly melt a dab of butter in the skillet over medium-low heat before adding the bread. Do not let the butter burn. If you brown the bread on both sides first, it will hasten the melting process of the cheese inside. Once the bread is browned on both sides, spread a spoonful of the Jarlsberg cheese mixture over one piece of bread and then place the other slice on top of the sandwich. Apply light pressure being careful not to squeeze the filling out onto the pan. Swirl the sandwich to get a nice brown color, about 2 minutes. Gently flip and repeat. Serve immediately. 

Asian Noodle Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Asian Noodle Salad! Not only does this dish make a stunning presentation of color, it also boasts a crunchy taste of the Orient. The sesame and ginger dressing is so yummy, you’ll find yourself making excuses to eat this salad every week. 

ASIAN NOODLE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 package ramen noodle soup mix, any flavor

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup almonds, sliced

1 pound of shredded broccoli and carrot slaw mix

3/4 cup roasted Cardini’s Gourmet Asian Sesame Dressing*

2 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

Melt butter in a medium skillet over low heat. Remove noodles from soup mix. Discard seasoning mix. Break up uncooked noodles. Add to the skillet, along with the almonds. Stir to combine and brown until slightly toasted and brown. Do not burn. Remove from heat. In a large bowl add broccoli/carrot slaw and the noodle/almond mixture. Pour salad dressing over all and toss until combined. Garnish with green onion snips. Serve immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated but the noodles will lose their crunch. 

*I receive no recompense for mentioning Cardini’s Gourmet Asian Sesame Dressing. 

Virginia Smoked Ham Sandwich

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Virginia Smoked Ham Sandwich!  The wonderful thing about baking a Virginia smoked ham is the assortment of menu options you glean from a three-pound ham purchase. And with picnic season upon us, this is a quick and easy meal to enjoy at the park. 

VIRGINIA SMOKED HAM SANDWICH 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound shaved precooked smoked Virginia ham pieces

4 slices sesame seed artisan bakery-fresh bread

2 tablespoons butter

2 slices Baby Swiss cheese

Mayonnaise or Mustard, optional to taste

Dill Pickle wedge for garnish

Instructions: 

Butter top sides of bread all the way to the edge. Put two slices into a heated skillet over medium-low heat. Assemble ham and Swiss cheese; top with remaining bread slices. Cook until golden brown on each side, turning once. Serve with the slightly tart taste of a dill pickle.  Add a tossed salad and sea salt Kettle chips for the perfect meal!

Tuna Sushi Tower

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Tuna Sushi Tower! Poke is very quickly becoming a popular food to eat at home or when dining out. I became quite a fan while wintering on the island of Kauai. Eating fresh fish and seafood became as natural as a daily walk along the beach. The secret to good poke is buying sashimi-grade tuna, since it is eaten raw. Poke translates to “chunk” in the Hawaiian language. Basically, raw fish is cut into chunks and marinated. Choosing fresh tuna over frozen is the most favorable option, so always have a chat with your seafood specialist to learn how they supply it. If frozen, be sure each portion is individually vacuum packed. Always allow it to thaw in the refrigerator. After that, the difficulty is in deciding which way to prepare it. 

TUNA SUSHI TOWER

Ingredients:

8-ounce ahi tuna steak, sushi grade, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons fresh chili paste

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 

1/4 cup ponzu sauce

1 avocado, cut into chunks

1 1/2 cups cooked sushi rice

Sliced Scallions, for garnish

Pickled Ginger, for garnish

Instructions:

Combine the ahi tuna chunks, fresh chili paste, sesame oil, and ponzu sauce. Lightly toss and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. To assemble the “tower”, use a 3-inch round ring mold. Place it in the center of a plate. Begin with 6 tablespoons of sushi rice. Lightly press down using the back of a spoon to make the layer compact. For the next layer, use 6 tablespoons of avocado chunks, pressing lightly and smoothing as you go. Finally spoon the marinated ahi tuna chunks on top. Transfer the mold to the refrigerator to chill. Make another tower, with the remaining ingredients, repeating the same steps. To serve, slowly remove the mold ring. Garnish with pickled ginger and sliced scallions. Offer wasabi paste, if desired.