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Salmon With lemon-Mint Glaze and Rosemary Bread Crumbs

Salmon With lemon-Mint Glaze and Rosemary Bread Crumbs

6a00d8341c63d853ef00e54f1dff998834-800wi¼ C. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic cloves, crushed
1 rosemary sprig, 4 inches long
3/4 C. panko
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper
1/4 C. honey
1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 mint sprigs
4 (1/2 lb.) salmon fillets

Note: I think you can reduce the olive oil. The bread crumbs were slightly oily. So, I will try using 1 T. next time. Warm the olive oil with the garlic and rosemary over medium heat until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until it is golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and add the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the rosemary sprig and smashed garlic from the crumbs. Combine the honey with the lemon juice and mint sprigs in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Brush the salmon fillets with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill over a medium high fire or broil, turning once, until lightly charred and just pink in the middle, about 6 minutes. OR, (my preference) cook in a hot non-stick skillet for about 3 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. The fish should be slightly raw in the center. Check with the tip of a knife to make sure. Brush the honey and lemon glaze all over the fillets and cook until lightly lacquered, turning and brushing both sides, about 1 minute. Move the grilled (or pan broiled) glazed salmon to plates. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and serve immediately. Enjoy

Pickled Fiddleheads with Ground Pork

Pickled Fiddleheads with Ground Pork

1/2 lb. Sfiddle5ichuan pickled fiddleheads
1/4 lb. ground pork
1/2 tsp. rice wine
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 T. peanut oil
3-4 dried chiles, halved and deseeded
1/2 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns

Mix pork with rice wine, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl. Add 1 T. oil to wok over high heat until smoking. Add pork and stir-fry until dry and crumbly, a few minutes. Return meat to bowl. Add 1 T. oil to wok over medium heat and quickly stir-fry Sichuan peppercorns and chiles until fragrant, careful not to burn, less than a minute. Add pickled fiddleheads and cooked pork into wok and continue stir-frying another couple minutes. Fiddleheads should remain tightly scrolled; serve before they start to unwind in the wok. Serves 2 with another dish and rice, or 4 with a few additional dishes.

Smoked Salmon Ziti with Capers and Lemon

Smoked Salmon Ziti with Capers and Lemon

Salt
8oz. Ziti
1 T. EVOO
½ C. thinly sliced Onion
4oz. Smoked Salmon, cut into slivers
1 T. Lemon Juice
1 T. drained Capers
¼ C. chopped Parsley
¼ C. Sour Cream or Heavy Cream
Pepper

Bring large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt and stir in ziti. Reduce heat to medium high and cook until al dente. Meanwhile place oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to soften. Add salmon and cook, stirring, another minute. Add remaining ingredients except pepper and cook the sauce, still stirring, until it just thickens, as little as 30 seconds. Do not boil. Turn off heat. Drain ziti and transfer to serving plates. Top pasta with a spoonful of sauce and a grinding of black pepper.

Salmon Cakes

Salmon Cakes

1 C. leftpicfkWWqfover Mashed Potatoes
1 Egg
¼ C. chopped Parsley
1 Scallion, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 C. (8oz.) leftover Salmon, flaked
4-5 slices Sturdy White Bread
3 T. Vegetable Oil, for frying
Lemon Wedges, for serving

Add mashed potato, egg, parsley, scallion, Worcestershire, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Stir well to incorporate the egg. Fold in salmon and stir only enough to bring the ingredients together. Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, to chill while preparing remaining ingredients. If bread is fresh, toast it. You want to crumble (or process) enough bread to make 2 C. of dry crumbs; set aside in a shallow dish. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Take a large spoonful of salmon mixture and gently pat into a cake about 1 inch thick. Press both sides into the bread crumbs. When the oil is hot, gently slide the cake into the pan. Repeat with remaining mixture, making 8 cakes in all and frying no more than 4 at a time. Fry until deep brown on one side, 2 minutes. Turn the cakes over with a metal spatula and fry on the other side until deep brown, 2 minutes longer. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Remove to serving platter, garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

Mousetrap Grilled Cheese

Mousetrap Grilled Cheese

mousetrap4 tsp. Tillamook® Salted Butter at room temperature
4 slices Tillamook® Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 slices Tillamook® Monterey Jack Cheese
4 slices creamy Havarti Cheese
8 slices high-quality sourdough bread (we use sourdough from Artisan Bakers of Sonoma)

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place bread buttered side down. Layer 1 slice of Sharp Cheddar on each of 4 slices of bread, then Monterey Jack, then Havarti. Sandwiches can be cooked open face on a pre-heated cast-iron pan in a 500°F oven, then closed and served, or can be closed, then cooked in a pan on a stovetop over medium-low heat until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

The Oaks Grilled Cheese

The Oaks Grilled Cheese

oaks-grillecheese-750x368

4 oz Tillamook® Unsalted Butter
8 slices wheat cranberry walnut bread (or another high quality wheat bread)
4 slices Tillamook® Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 oz (about ½ cup) creamy Camembert cheese
4 slices (about 4 oz) Fontina cheese

For each grilled cheese, lightly butter one side of each piece of bread and place butter side down on medium heated pan or flat grill. Place 1 slice of sharp cheddar cheese on one slice of bread and 1 oz each of Camembert and Fontina on the other slice of bread. Let the cheese melt on the bread while checking the underside so as not to burn. Lower heat if necessary. Place the sides together when they have reached desired melted consistency. Let cool for 20 seconds and cut.

Salmon Noodle Bowl with Braised Leek and Endive

Salmon Noodle Bowl with Braised Leek and Endive

Salmon Noodle Bowl with leek & Endive 812 oz. medium egg noodles
2 medium leeks, trimmed and cleaned, cut in half lengthwise and widthwise
2 Belgian endives, cut in half lengthwise
1 T. butter plus 1 T. olive oil
1 zucchini, cut into 2-3 inch matchsticks
1 carrot shaved with a peeler
1 quart chicken broth
1-1/2 lb. salmon fillet, skinned, cut into 4 serving portions
1/2 lb. shrimp, cut in half
Palmful fresh mint

Cook the noodles in plenty of salted water until just al dente. Drain and keep warm off the heat. Brown the leeks and the endive, cut side down, in the butter and oil in a very large pan. Remove veggies to a plate. Now add the carrot and zucchini and brown them in a bit more butter. Return the leek and endive to the pan and add half the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the veggies are tender to the sharp tip of a knife. Now nestle the salmon and shrimp into the veggies and dot with the mint. Pour in the remaining chicken broth and return to a gentle boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook 5 more minutes. Assemble the noodle bowl by laying down a bed of noodles in 4 or 5 wide soup bowls. Place a portion of the poached salmon, shrimp and veggies on top. Ladle about a cup of broth on top. Garnish with lemon slices, more fresh mint and toasted sesame seeds.

Pan Roasted Salmon with Tomato Jam and Rice Noodles

Pan Roasted Salmon with Tomato Jam and Rice Noodles

4 ounces rice vermicelli opan roasrws salmonr rice stick noodles
1/4 C. plus 1 T. canola oil
1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional, if you can’t tolerate them)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 C. minced fresh ginger
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. Madras curry powder
2 T. Asian fish sauce
2 T. fresh lime juice, plus wedges, for serving
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 T. chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
1 small onion, minced
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 T. light brown sugar
2 T. rice vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Four 6-ounce center-cut salmon fillets, with skin

Add the vermicelli to a saucepan of boiling water. Let stand off the heat for 10 minutes, until softened. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 2 T. of the oil. Add the jalapeño, garlic and 2 T. of the ginger and cook over moderately low heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and remove from the heat. Add the fish sauce and lime juice, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan. Drain the vermicelli and shake dry. Cut into 4-inch lengths (more or less) and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the curry sauce, red bell pepper and chopped cilantro and toss well. In a small saucepan, heat 2 T. of the oil. Add the remaining 2 T. of ginger and the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, sugar and vinegar and cook over moderate heat, mashing and stirring occasionally, until thick and jamlike, about 10 minutes. Season the jam with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat the remaining 1 T. of oil over high heat until the skillet is hot. Season the salmon with salt and pepper; add to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Turn the fish over, skin side down, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, checking with the tip of a knife inserted into the fish, to check that it’s not overcooked. You should only cook the fish until it’s slightly translucent in the center. Once it is (and the thickness of your fish will determine that), remove it from the heat. Note: If you’re more comfortable broiling your fish, feel free to do so. Spoon the vermicelli onto plates, top with the salmon and tomato jam. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Vermont Cheddar Gougères with Smoked Salmon Filling

Vermont Cheddar Gougères with Smoked Salmon Filling

VT_Cheddar_Gougeres_950x712_72_RGBGougères:
1 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) Salted Butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
4 large eggs
6 ounces Sharp or Extra-Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)

Filling:
8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 -1 cup finely minced smoked salmon
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon hot sauce
About 3 tablespoons Sour Cream
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

To make gougères: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In saucepan, heat water, butter, salt and sugar until butter is melted. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture breaks away from side of pan and forms smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest for two minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, stirring quickly so egg doesn’t cook, until dough is firm, smooth and waxy. Add all of cheddar, all but 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, mustard and red pepper, and stir until well blended. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with large plain tip. Pipe dough into two dozen small round mounds, evenly separated. Sprinkle tops with remaining Parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until completely golden brown.

To make filling: Beat together cream cheese, salmon, chives and hot sauce. Stir in sour cream to achieve proper consistency for filling. Stir in red peppers. Make small slit in side of each gougère. Scrape filling into pastry bag or plastic bag. Cut off corner and squeeze some of filling into each gougère.

Sichuan Pickled Vegetables

Sichuan Pickled Vegetables

1 quart-sized jar with lidfiddle1
2 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rock or sea salt
4 dried chiles
1/2 tsp. whole Sichuan peppercorns
2 tsp. rice wine
1/2 star anise
1 T. brown sugar
1-inch piece of unpeeled ginger
1/3 cinnamon stick
1 lb. or more vegetables, such as string beans, slice carrot, daikon radish, etc.

Dissolve salt in boiling water and set aside to cool. Add pickling spices to jar and add cooled water. Cover and shake to mix. Fill jar with vegetables (e.g., fiddleheads), making sure brine covers them. Tighten lid and put aside in a cool, dark place for a minimum 24 hours; a week is better. You can continue to replenish the jar with vegetables by adding more salt, sugar, and wine.

Oven Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Coconut

Oven Roasted Salmon with Spinach and Coconut

1 T. olive oil
2 (to- to 6-ounce) pounds salmon fillets, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/4 C. heavy whipping cream
2 to 3 T. sweetened flaked coconut

Pour olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Season the salmon pieces with the seasoned salt on both sides. When olive oil is hot, add the salmon and cook it 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove salmon from skillet and set it aside. Add spinach to pan juices in skillet. Pour cream over spinach and sprinkle coconut on top. Place salmon pieces back in skillet on top of spinach and place skillet on center rack of preheated 400-degree oven. Bake salmon 7 to 8 minutes until it is opaque and juices are bubbling. Serve at once.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 348
Fat: 19g
Fiber: 1g

Fresh Corn & Dungeness Crab Chowder

Fresh Corn & Dungeness Crab Chowder

DSC632911 lb. Dungeness crab meat
2 cups fresh corn kernels (3 ears), cobs reserved
3 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on
1 cup diced Walla Walla Sweet onion (or any sweet onion)
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup diced fennel, plus a few fennel fronds
2 cups chicken broth (can substitute veggie broth or water)
3 cups whole milk
3 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
salt & pepper

Cut the corn cobs into 2-inch chunks. In a large pot, heat the chicken stock until it begins to simmer. Add the corn cobs, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. While the cobs are cooking, prepare a roux. Melt 2 T. of butter in a small sauce pan. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Strain the chicken stock mixture into a bowl and discard the cobs. Return the pot to the stove and add the remaining 1 T. of butter. When the butter is melted and sizzling, add the onion, bell pepper and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk the roux mixture into the onion mixture, then add the potatoes, corn, 1 cup of the reserved chicken stock, and 3 cups whole milk. Bring the chowder to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Taste the chowder and adjust the seasoning as needed. Just before serving, stir in the crab (reserving a few nice pieces for garnishing), sliced basil, and fennel fronds. Garnish with a few additional pieces of crab meat and serve immediately.

Hood Canal Creamy Crab Chowder

Hood Canal Creamy Crab Chowder

ingredients1 lb. cleaned Oregon Dungeness Crab Meat, reserving liquid from shell
4 strips of bacon diced
1 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped Celery
1/4 C. chopped bell pepper
4 C. Water
2 Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
2 C. diced potatoes
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can cream style corn
2 T. chopped Pimiento
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 T. flour
1/4 C. Skim Milk
2 T. butter
Chopped fresh Parsley for garnish

Pick over meat to make sure it is free from any shell. Fry bacon until crisp. Add onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper; sauté until tender. Add reserved crab liquid, water, bouillon and potatoes, bring to a simmer, breaking up bouillon cube. Add evaporated milk, corn, pimiento and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are nearly tender. Add crab, stir, and return mixture to gentle simmer. Combine flour and milk, blending until smooth. Add to chowder, stirring until slightly thickened. Add butter, stir until melted. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Sunrise Smoothie

Sunrise Smoothie

sunrise1 oz (2 T.) honeydew melon
1 oz (2 T.) kiwi
1 oz (2 T.) apple slices
2 oz (1/4 cup) Tillamook Vanilla Bean Yogurt
2 oz (1/4 cup) Beet juice
2 oz (1/4 cup) orange juice
1 oz (2 T.) skim milk
1 tsp. honey

Dice all the fruit into small pieces. Put the fruit in the blender, then add Tillamook Vanilla Bean Yogurt, beet juice, orange juice, skim milk, and honey. Mix until consistency is smooth. For a sweeter taste, add more honey and blend again.

Bacon Cheddar Hush Puppies

Bacon Cheddar Hush Puppies

1½ C. (7.3 oz) cornmealfce4d277-3090-4a8d-a729-414b6373f0b7
2¼ C. (10.1 oz) self-rising flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Cayenne pepper to taste
3 large eggs, beaten
2 T. (1 oz) canola oil
2½ C. (21 oz) buttermilk
3½ slices (3.5 oz) Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese, diced
7 pieces cooked bacon, diced
¼ C. chives, diced
1 T. black pepper
1½ T. sugar

Whisk together cornmeal, self-rising flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine and whisk together eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Slowly pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Once combined, slowly stir in the rest of the ingredients (diced cheese, cooked diced bacon, diced chives, black pepper, and sugar). Use a small/medium size scoop to spoon batter and drop at close range in a deep fryer. If you don’t have a deep fryer, a deep cast iron kettle full of soy or canola oil at 350°F will also work. Cook for 7-8 minutes until dark brown (you’ll know if they are undercooked as the middle will not be hot). Serve hot right out of the fryer with your favorite vinegar, buffalo or hot sauce.

Braised Salmon with Leeks, Curry Sauce and Minted Soba Noodles

Braised Salmon with Leeks, Curry Sauce and Minted Soba Noodles

1 tBraised-Fennel_8ablespoon olive oil
6 5-ounce salmon steaks
1/2 pound fennel bulbs, sliced
1 pound leeks, thoroughly washed and cut into sticks
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Add fennel and sauté until almost tender. Add leeks; sauté for about 1 minute longer. Add thyme, clam juice, and wine; bring to a simmer. Arrange salmon steaks on top of vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Cover fish with foil; bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.

 

Sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced small
1/2 cup green onions, sliced on the bias
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan; add ginger, garlic, red pepper and onions. Sauté until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add remainder of ingredients, except cilantro. Bring to a simmer; reduce by 1/3 the original volume, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Set aside and keep warm.

Noodles and Dressing

  • 8 ounces dried soba (Japanese buckwheat) noodles, cooked el dente
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

While noodles are cooking, combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, sugar and salt in a sauce pan; simmer over medium heat until salt and sugar are dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened. Toss noodles with Dressing; garnish with mint and sesame seeds. Place a portion of noodles in center of a large serving plate. Top with 1 piece of salmon; glaze generously with curry sauce.

 

 

Dungeness Crab Cake with Tomatillo Relish and Baby White Navy Bean Sauce with Cumin Essence

Dungeness Crab Cake with Tomatillo Relish and Baby White Navy Bean Sauce with Cumin Essence

Crab Cakes:
1 lb. Dungeness crab meat, cooked and deshelled
2 egg whites
1 oz. red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1 oz. red onion, peeled and minced
1 T. fresh basil, chopped
2 oz. dried bread crumbs
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire
½ tsp. Tabasco
cracked black pepper to taste

Tomatillo Relish:
4 oz. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 T. cilantro, chopped
1 oz. red onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz. cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
2 oz.d red peppers, cored, seeded and diced
Juice of 2 limes

Baby White Navy Bean Sauce:
¼ C. dried baby white navy beans
2 C. water
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 C. nonfat milk

Baby White Navy Bean Sauce: Soak beans overnight or until completely rehydrated and puffy. Discard water and fill up again to same level. Place in a saucepan and add cumin. Bring liquid to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. At this time, make your crab cakes and tomatillo relish. When beans are fully cooked and tender, discard any excess water. Add milk and puree in a blender until creamy and smooth. If necessary, adjust consistency by adding additional milk. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with cracked black pepper. Pour back into saucepan and keep hot. Tomatillo Relish: In a medium hot skillet, lightly simmer tomatillos until not quite tender. Cool and quarter. In a mixing bowl, add the remaining relish ingredients and mix well. Crab Cakes: Squeeze all of the excess water out of the crab. In a mixing bowl, add all crab cake ingredients. Mix with hands until evenly distributed. Add bread crumbs or egg whites depending upon how dry or moist the mix is. They should be moist enough to stay together, but firm enough so they won’t break apart. Mold four crab cakes approximately large hamburger size. Pat both sides lightly in flour. In a nonstick sauté pan, sear both sides of the crab cakes until golden brown. Now place on a cookie sheet pan and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 7 to 9 minutes.
To Plate: Pour white bean sauce around the plates. Place crab cakes in the center and top with tomatillo relish. Enjoy.

Oven-Baked Salmon with Picholine Olive Sauce

Oven-Baked Salmon with Picholine Olive Sauce

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 shallot (2 oz.), peeled and chopped (1/3 C.)
1 C. dry vermouth
1/2 C. fat-skimmed chicken broth or fish stock
1 C. whipping cream
1/3 C. chopped pitted picholine olives (or other mild green olives; see notes)
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and fresh-ground pepper
1 boned salmon fillet (3 lb.), skinned
1 T. butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 C. dry white wine
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon
Fresh thyme sprigs, rinsed

In a 6- to 8-inch frying pan over high heat, boil garlic and shallot in vermouth until mixture is reduced by about half, 5 to 8 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil again. Add cream, olives, and chopped thyme. Boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and is reduced to about 1 1/4 C., about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside. Rinse salmon fillet and pat dry. With tweezers, pull out pin bones. Lay fillet in a buttered 12- by 17-inch baking pan. Dot the fillet with butter, drizzle with wine, and sprinkle with tarragon. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake in a 400° oven until salmon is barely opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 13 to 18 minutes. Slide salmon onto a platter. If sauce is cool, stir over medium-high heat until hot. Drizzle fish with some of the sauce; serve remaining to add to taste. Garnish fish with thyme sprigs.

The Queen of Tarts

The Queen of Tarts

About 1 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C. (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine
2/3 C. (6 oz.) mascarpone or Neufchâtel (light cream) cheese
1/2 C. yogurt cheese or sour cream
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh mint leaves
1/4 C. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. mixed berries such as marionberries, blueberries, raspberries, and boysenberries, rinsed and drained
1/4 C. seedless blackberry, huckleberry, or salal jam

In a bowl, mix 1 C. flour and the brown sugar. With a pastry blender or fingers, cut or rub in butter to make fine crumbs. Add 1 T. water and stir with a fork until evenly moistened. Gather dough into a ball. On a lightly floured board, roll dough into an 11-inch round. Ease dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable rim; if dough tears, overlap edges slightly and press to seal. Gently press dough against bottom and side of pan. Fold excess dough down and flush with pan rim; press against pan side. Bake crust in a 325° oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on a rack. In a bowl with a mixer, beat mascarpone, yogurt cheese, lemon peel, mint, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread evenly in crust. Arrange berries in a single layer over filling. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over medium heat, stir jam until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle over berries. Remove pan rim and cut tart into wedges.

Pinot-Braised Duck with Spicy Greens

Pinot-Braised Duck with Spicy Greens

4 duck legs (about 8 oz. each)
Salt and fresh-ground pepper
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
About 1 bottle (750 ml.) Pinot Noir
2 T. olive oil
1/4 C. minced shallots
4 C. low-sodium chicken broth
1 sprig fresh thyme, rinsed
1 dried bay leaf
1 T. butter
1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and chopped
1 lb. broccoli rabe (also called rapini), rinsed, ends trimmed, and cut into about 1-inch pieces, or 1 1/2 lb. mustard greens, rinsed, trimmed, and sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 flat anchovy (optional), minced
About 1/4 tsp. cayenne
About 1 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse duck legs and pat dry. Lay legs skin side up in a roasting pan that just holds them comfortably. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the herbes de Provence. Roast duck in preheated oven for 1 hour. Spoon fat from pan and save for other uses or discard. Pour wine over duck; it should be deep enough so meat is immersed but skin is exposed. Continue roasting until skin is golden red, about 30 minutes longer (20 minutes if using convection heat). Meanwhile, pour 1 T. olive oil into a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan over medium-high heat; add shallots and stir often until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf; boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 C., about 45 minutes. When duck is done, add 1 C. braising liquid to broth mixture and boil, stirring often, until mixture is reduced by about one-fourth, about 15 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer into a small pitcher or bowl. While broth reduces, prepare greens: In a 12- to 14-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt butter with remaining 1 T. olive oil. Add onion and stir often until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add greens (if using mustard greens, add half, stir until wilted, then add remaining) and cook, stirring often, until tender to bite, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and the anchovy, if using, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice. Mound greens on plates and set duck legs on top. Serve pan juices alongside.

Melon and Goat Cheese Salad with Agrodolce Dressing

Melon and Goat Cheese Salad with Agrodolce Dressing

3/4 C. walnut halves
1 ripe cantaloupe (about 3 lb.)
6 C. tender watercress sprigs (about 6 oz.) or bite-size pieces frisée, rinsed and crisped
2 C. huckleberries or blueberries, rinsed
Agrodolce dressing
8 to 10 oz. fresh chèvre (goat cheese)
Fresh-ground pepper

Place walnuts in a 9-inch square or round pan and bake in a 350° regular or convection oven, shaking pan once, until golden brown under skins, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut peel off melon; scoop out and discard seeds. Cut melon into 1/2-inch-thick crescents. On a large platter or on dinner or salad plates, arrange watercress, melon slices, and berries. Shortly before serving, drizzle about half the agrodolce dressing over fruit on platter or 1 to 2 T. over each serving. Cut chèvre into slices or break into chunks and distribute over salad. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and pepper to taste. Offer remaining dressing to add to taste.

Pickled Fermented Garlic Scapes

Pickled Fermented Garlic Scapes

1 quart (8 Servings)

Choose just the tenderest and youngest flowers for these pickled garlic scapes, leaving the scape’s woody stem for use in a naturally probiotic, fermented relish or to use fresh. These pickled scapes are strongly flavored and deeply robust with garlic flavor. You can always add spices to the mixture as well, dill and bay do nicely, but garlic lovers will revel in the simple combination of scape, salt and starter. Fresh whey, sauerkraut juice or packaged starter work well.

1½ tsp. unrefined sea salt
1 package vegetable starter culture (or substitute ¼ C. sauerkraut juice or fresh whey)
1 quart garlic scapes

Stir sea salt and starter culture or whey together with one quart fresh, filtered and dechlorinated water until the salt and starter culture are dissolved into the water completely.
Pack your crock full of trimmed garlic scapes. Pour the mixture of water, salt and starter over the scapes, ensuring that they’re completely covered by the brine. Ferment at room temperature for at least a week, preferably two or even three or four (fermentation is not an exact science), until the scapes achieve a level of sourness that suits you. Once the scapes have pickled to your liking, remove them to the refrigerator or a cool cellar for storage.

Hazelnut Crusted Halibut with Marionberry Margarita Sauce

Hazelnut Crusted Halibut with Marionberry Margarita Sauce

4 6oz. Halibut Filets

1 C. Oregon hazelnuts
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/3 C. cornmeal
2 tsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Purée all ingredients in a food processor until it has a crumb texture.

2 tsp. salad oil
2 C. yellow onion, small dices
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 C. tequila
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lime juice
3 tsp. honey
1/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 C. water
4 C. fresh marionberries or blackberries
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Caramelize onions in oil in a medium saucepan until browned. Add garlic and tequila and reduce until dry. Add juices, honey, sugar, vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Add half of the berries and return to a boil. Remove from heat and purée mixture until smooth in a blender. Add remaining berries and salt and pepper.

Coat 4 6-oz. halibut filets in the hazelnut crust. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with the berry sauce and garnish with favorite starch and vegetables.

Tomato and Sweet Onion Crumble

Tomato and Sweet Onion Crumble

1 T. olive oil
2 sweet onions (about 1 lb. total), such as Walla Walla or Oso, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 lb. ripe tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and sliced (1/4 in. thick)
1/3 C. chopped fresh basil
3 T. chopped fresh oregano leaves
Salt and pepper
4 slices crusty artisan-style bread (each about 1 in. thick and 3 by 5 in.), cut into chunks
1/4 C. (1/8 lb.) butter
1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add onions and garlic. Stir frequently until onions are limp and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Pour into a 2- to 3-quart baking dish with sides at least 2 inches high, and spread onions level. Top evenly with tomato slices, basil, and oregano. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. In a food processor, whirl bread with butter and cheese until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over tomatoes. Bake in a 350° oven until topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve warm.

Pickled Ramps

Pickled Ramps

Clean your ramps well. They get muddy and sandy so make sure to peel the outer layer and give them a good rinse/soak. Just use the bulbs here but don’t throw out the leaves! The greens are amazing in pesto or risotto, in any kind of pasta, mixed with butter to top fish. Use any combination of spices you like (allspice and juniper are nice additions).

1 C. white wine vinegar
1 C. sugar
1 C. water
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. pink peppercorns
1 tsp. black peppercorns
⅛ tsp. hot chili flakes
2 bay leaves
1 pound ramp bulbs, cleaned and trimmed
Kosher salt for blanching

Trim the root ends off of the ramps and cut off the leaves, saving the green ends for another purpose (like pesto or risotto). Rinse the ramps well under cool, running water. Bring a 2-3 quart pot of water up to boil and add 2 tsp. salt. Drop in the ramps and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on size) They should be tender but not mushy. Remove and shock them in ice water until cool. Drain the ramps well and place them in the jar you’re going to pickle them in. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and all the spices. Turn off the heat. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ramps in the mason jar and let cool on the counter (30 minutes or so). Then seal tightly and transfer to the refrigerator. They’ll be ready to eat in a day or two. The refrigerated pickled ramps will last a few weeks to a couple of months.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Lemon Garlic Sauce and Roasted Carrots

Cedar Planked Salmon with Lemon Garlic Sauce and Roasted Carrots

4 cedar planks
4 salmon steaks
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C. Raley’s Chefs’ Menu Lemon Garlic Sauce (in our Meat Dept.)
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
1½ lbs. medium carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise
3 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. chopped fresh mint

Soak cedar planks in water for at least 4 hours; drain well. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside. Heat sauce in a medium saucepan, then stir in parsley and chili flakes. Reserve a portion of the sauce for serving. Place salmon on planks and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat for 15 minutes or until salmon reaches 150˚F on a meat thermometer, brushing salmon with sauce while cooking. Toss carrots, oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Place on prepared sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with mint. Serve salmon with reserved sauce and carrots.

Sweet & Spicy Pickled Ramps

Sweet & Spicy Pickled Ramps

Serves 1 quart jar
1 C. sugar
2 C. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seed
2 pieces dried red chili peppers
1/2 pound ramp bulbs (with stems)

Wash the ramp bulbs very well, discarding any loose membrane around the bulb. Make sure the leaves and any root material is trimmed away. Mix sugar, vinegar, mustard, fennel, coriander, fenugreek, chilies and cloves in a suitably sized pot. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, put the ramp bulbs into a clean, sanitized glass quart jar. When the brine comes to a boil, carefully pour it into the jar, covering the ramps. Leave at least 1 inch of space at the top of the jar, then cap tightly, allow to cool and refrigerate for three or more days. After three days, your ramps should be ready to enjoy on their own or as a condiment, but you can brine them for longer, and they’ll keep (chilled) for months.

Miso, Salmon and Spinach Soup

Miso, Salmon and Spinach Soup

Miso Paste

8 C. chicken stock
2 inch piece of kombu seaweed (opt.)
1 ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
1-3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 C. quinoa, soaked overnight in 2 C. water with 2 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice and rinsed
½ pound salmon fillets (skinless, boneless)
1 bunch of spinach, well rinsed
¼ C. miso (I like white, you can use what you prefer)
2 tsp. naturally fermented soy sauce

Put the chicken stock, optional seaweed, ginger, garlic and quinoa in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is just soft. Meanwhile wash the spinach. Add the spinach and the salmon and cook until the spinach is wilted and the salmon is just cooked through. Break apart the salmon with two forks into bite sized pieces. Take off of the heat. Put the miso and soy sauce in a C. or small bowl. Add a ladle full of broth from the soup into the bowl and thoroughly mix together. Add to the pot of soup and serve.

Ramp Chimichurri Sauce & Ramp Chimichurri Crostinis

Ramp Chimichurri Sauce & Ramp Chimichurri Crostinis

Ramp Chimichurri Sauce

1 T. fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/4 C. fresh parsley leaves
10 ramps, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces, leaves included
1 T. white wine vinegar
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil, or more as desired
Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (be liberal)
Pinch red pepper flakes

Put everything into a food processor and blender and whir the hell out of it. If you want a thinner sauce, add more olive oil, or you could add a little water.
Ramp Chimichurri Crostinis

Goat Cheese or Fresh Ricotta
Baguette
Ramp Chimichurri Sauce
Cilantro, for garnish, optional

Slice baguette into slices for bruschetta or crostini. Toast or Grill if desired; you can add olive oil if desired. Spread with cheese, drizzle with Ramp Chimichurri Sauce, sprinkle with cilantro, if desired, and serve.

Oven-roasted Clams with Chanterelles, Bacon, and Tomatoes

Oven-roasted Clams with Chanterelles, Bacon, and Tomatoes

1/2 C. diced bacon (about 3 slices; 3 oz. total)
1 T. olive oil
6 oz. fresh chanterelle or common mushrooms, rinsed, tough stem ends trimmed, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks (see notes)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
6 T. unsalted butter or margarine
3 T. dry white wine
1 C. cherry tomatoes, rinsed, stemmed, and cut in half, or 3 firm-ripe Roma tomatoes (about 10 oz. total), rinsed, cored, seeded, and diced
1/2 C. pitted calamata or oil-cured black olives (see notes)
4 sprigs (about 4 in. long) fresh thyme, rinsed
2 lb. clams in shells, suitable for steaming, well scrubbed under cool running water
1 lemon (about 4 oz.), rinsed and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges

In a 10- to 12-inch ovenproof frying pan (with at least 2 1/2-in. sides) over medium-high heat, stir bacon often until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add olive oil, mushrooms, and garlic and stir often until mushrooms are slightly limp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add butter, wine, tomatoes, olives, and thyme sprigs; stir often over high heat until butter is melted and liquid is boiling. Add clams and squeeze 2 lemon wedges over clams, discarding seeds and peels. Cover pan. Transfer pan to a 500° regular or convection oven and bake until clams pop open, 12 to 15 minutes. Ladle clam mixture and juices equally into four wide, shallow bowls; discard any clams that didn’t open. Garnish each serving with a lemon wedge.

Walla Walla/Cayuse Frybread

Walla Walla/Cayuse Frybread

6 cups of white flour
2 T. Baking Powder
1 – 2 tsp. salt
1 cup of dry milk
3 C. lukewarm water
Vegetable Oil

Mix dry ingredients well in large bowl. Add water to dry ingredients and work mixture with hands until you are able to form dough into a ball. Begin to knead, adding small amounts of flour as necessary. Do not add too much or the dough will be tough and difficult to work with. Knead until the dough doesn’t stick to your hands. Cover and let dough set for an hour. Forming your frybread is optional; be sure each piece is at least 1/8″ thick. They can be rolled or patted into 6 or 8 inch circles. Place in hot oil and cook (be sure the oil is not too hot), until each side is golden brown. Fry each side about a minute and a half, making sure the center is fully cooked.

Earl’s Pickled Salmon

Earl’s Pickled Salmon

1 Whole Salmon, gutted and cleaned, head and tail removed
1/3 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Cider Vinegar
1/2 C. Water
1 tsp. Pickling Spices
Onion slices

Cut salmon into large pieces, and lay skin side down. Layer with rock salt and leave 24 hours. (??? refrigerated I assume) In saucepan add sugar, vinegar, water and pickling spices. Bring to a boil, cook 1 minute, then remove from heat. Allow to cool completely. After 24 hours, rinse fish with fresh water 4 – 5 times. Cut into smaller pieces and place in jars, layering with onions in between. Pour cooled brine over fish, covering completely. Store in refrigerator.

Le Grand Aioli

Le Grand Aioli

Traditionally, Le Grand Aioli is served with at least 6 accompaniments, plus hard boiled eggs.

Garlic mayonnaise with accompaniments

6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
2 large egg yolks
1 C. (250 ml) olive oil
1 C. (250 ml) neutral-tasting vegetable oil
1 to 2 tsp. warm water (optional)

2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide sticks
12 oz. (320g) green beans, ends removed
2 pounds (900g) small new potatoes
1 1/2 to 2 pounds salt cod, soaked for 24 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water three times
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise, each topped with an anchovy fillet and a few grinds of black pepper
1 pound (450g) cherry tomatoes
1 large or 2 small (230g) beet(s), peeled and thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small (230 to 28og) kohlrabi, peeled and thinly sliced
2 bunches radishes, trimmed

Toasted or grilled bread To make the aioli, mash the garlic with the salt in a mortar and pestle, then stir in the egg yolks. (The aioli can also be made in a blender or food processor.) Mix the oils in a measuring C. with a spout. Drop by drop, add the oil to the garlic while continuously pounding the pestle to incorporate the oil. (If using a machine, dribble the oil in slowly, in a continuous stream, while the machine is running.) Continue to stir and as the mixture begins to thicken, increase the flow of oil, stirring until all the oil is added. If the aioli is too thick, add the warm water, until it reaches the desired consistency. Cover and let sit at room temperature if you’re planning to serve it shortly. Otherwise refrigerate it. (The aioli will keep for up to 24 hours.) To make the accompaniments, bring a pot of salted water to a low boil. Blanch the carrots for 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel. Blanch the green beans in the same water for 3 minutes and remove them to drain next to the carrots. Add the potatoes to the pot and cook for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on size), just until tender—they are done when they can be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Drain in a colander. To cook the salt cod, put the soaked and drained fish in a pot of cold water and bring to a low boil. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain and let cool to room temperature. Arrange the remaining accompaniments decoratively on a large serving platter along with the bowl of aioli and let guests help themselves. VARIATION: Though this isn’t traditional, you can substitute a whole, roasted chicken—cut into pieces and served cold—for the salt cod
Acorn Squash, Roasted
Aromatic Snails
Artichokes & Snails
Artichokes (small)
Asparagus
Baby carrots
Beets
Blue Crab Claws
Capers, Fried
Carrot
Cauliflower
Chanterelles
Cherry tomatoes
Chickpea Panisses
Crab
Croquettes
Crusty French Bread
Fennel
Fingerling / New potatoes
Fleur de sel
Fritters
Green beans
Grissini
Hard boiled eggs
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuces
Mussels Steamed in Wine
Niçoise Olives
Octopus Ragout
Poached cod
Pomegranate Seeds
Radish
Romanesco cauliflower
Salt Cod
Scallions
Shrimp
Snap Pea
Snow Peas
Steamed artichokes
Steamed clams or mussels
Turnips
Wax beans

Octopus Ragout

Providing a welcome depth of flavor, this stew is divine and unexpected when paired with aioli.

8 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 pounds octopus, preferably small ones, cleaned but unskinned, cut into bite-size pieces (see note)
1 large bay leaf
9 tsp. cognac or marc de Provence
¾ C. dry white wine
1/3 C. parsley, roughly chopped

In a large frying pan, warm 5 tsp. oil with onions and garlic. Stirring frequently, cook over low heat until light golden, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to high and add tomatoes and salt and pepper, to taste. Sauté, tossing often, until tomato liquid has evaporated, 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large heavy sauté pan, heat remaining 3 tsp. oil. Add octopus, bay leaf and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir frequently until liquid thrown off by octopus has come to a full boil. Remove from heat and add cognac. Ignite it. Stir until the flames die down. Bring white wine to a boil in a small saucepan and add it to the octopus. Warm stew over medium heat and boil until reduced by one third, about 10 minutes. Add tomato mixture. Bring back to a boil and then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered and stir often until octopus is very tender but still resilient, about 50 minutes. Adjust seasoning, garnish with parsley and serve. (Can be served at room temperature.)

Note: To ensure optimum tenderness, octopus should be frozen for at least 24 hours before using and then defrosted in the refrigerator. Once thawed, cut bodies, heads and tentacles into bite-size pieces.
Artichokes and snails:

1 artichoke, 24 to 36 size, with thorns and stems
½ fresh lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
12 helix snails (one 7-oz. can), drained, rinsed and dried on paper towel
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. chopped shallot
½ C. dry white wine
1 tsp. lemon juice

Cut off top 1 inch of artichoke and trim off leaves until you get down to the light green inner tender leaves. Carefully trim off outside of artichoke bottom and stem, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Cut artichoke in half through the stem. Rub liberally with the 1/2 lemon. Scoop out the fuzzy choke with a melon baller, but do not remove too much of the base. Put artichoke in a pot of water with enough salt so the water tastes like seawater. Squeeze juice of the 1/2 lemon into the water, along with the lemon body. Bring to a boil and cook 10 to 15 minutes until artichoke is crisp-tender (when a small knife in center comes out with a slight bit of resistance). Remove from pot and shock in ice water. Drain well. When cool, cut each half into quarters. Place a 10-inch sauté pan over high heat. When hot, add oil. When oil is hot, season snails with salt and pepper and carefully add to oil and sauté 1 minute. Add garlic and shallot and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and 1 tsp. lemon juice and cook 2 minutes. Remove snails and reduce liquid to 1/4 C.. Add artichokes and snails back to pan, toss together and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover pan, remove from heat and keep on the side until finishing the dish.

 

Tarragon-Garlic Scape Aioli

Tarragon-Garlic Scape Aioli

Garlic scapes are the stem and flower bud of the garlic plant. Farmers remove the scape in the spring to prevent flowering, because the plant will then produce bigger cloves of garlic. Scapes can be eaten raw or cooked, and they have a lovely mild, fresh green flavor. Making the aioli by hand with a mortar and pestle takes only about five minutes and is immensely satisfying. If you’d like to use a food processor or immersion blender instead, then double the recipe in order to create enough volume for the machine.

2 tsp. finely chopped garlic scapes
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. tarragon, chopped

In a mortar and pestle, pulverize the garlic scapes, lemon zest, salt and mustard until it begins to turn a pale green color and there are no longer large pieces of garlic scape. Add the egg yolk, lemon juice and pepper, and mash until uniform. Drip in the olive oil while mixing. Begin slowly and work your way to a steady drizzle. If the oil begins to separate, stop pouring midway, increase your stirring for a second, and then continue. It should be pretty thick and a much paler green than what you started with. Adjust the flavoring as necessary, adding salt, lemon juice or pepper to your taste. Fold in the tarragon and serve. The aioli will keep in the refrigerator for approximately one week.

Salmon Croquettes with Sesame-Lime Sauce

Salmon Croquettes with Sesame-Lime Sauce

1 large scallion, trimmed, cut into large pieces
2 shallots, peeled
2 tsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1-1/2 lb. skinless salmon fillet, cut into chunks
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/3 C. mayonnaise
2 small scallions, trimmed, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. sesame oil
2-3 tsp. canola oil
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the scallions, shallots, and ginger. Pulse until everything is finely minced. Add the salmon, egg, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and pulse until the fish is finely chopped and everything is well combined. To test for seasoning, fry a tiny piece of the salmon mixture in a tiny bit of canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat until browned on both sides. Taste, and adjust the mixture in the food processor with salt, pepper, or pepper flakes, to taste. Then, form the salmon mixture into eight or ten patties, place on a plate, and freeze for 20 minutes. While the croquettes are chilling, make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, scallions, lime juice and sesame oil. Cover and chill until the croquettes are cooked (you can do this up to 3 hours in advance). Take the croquettes out of the freezer. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Fry the croquettes (in two batches, if necessary), over medium heat, until browned on both sides and just opaque throughout, approximately 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side. Serve with the sesame-lime sauce and extra lime wedges.

Nettle Ravioli Filling

Nettle Ravioli Filling

1 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 C. minced leek whites
1/2 C. minced scallion (“spring” or “green onion”), white and green parts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. fresh ricotta cheese
2/3 C. ricotta salata, grated
1/2 C. mascarpone
1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
4 C. cooked, squeezed, chopped nettles
2 T. chopped fresh basil leaves
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, beaten

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the scallion and cook for another minute or two, until the scallion has softened. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool. Combine the cheeses. Add the leek and scallion mixture. Incorporate the nettles and herbs, and stir in the beaten egg. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Linda & Greg’s Barbequed Salmon

Linda & Greg’s Barbequed Salmon

Salmon
1/2 lb. Butter
1 clove Garlic
1/4 C. Ketchup
1/4 C. Soy Sauce
2 T. Mustard
1 T. Lemon Juice
3 dashes Worcestershire
Pepper

Melt butter, add remaining ingredients except salmon. Place salmon on large piece of foil. Fold up edges to form a “pan”. Pour butter mixture over the salmon, then fold foil up and crimp edges to form seal. Bake until done.

Clam Fritters

Clam Fritters

15 Razor Clams, ground
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 C. Flour
4 Eggs
2 C. Coarse Cracker Crumbs
Pepper to Taste
1/4 C. Oil

Beat eggs; add salt and flour, mix well. Add ground clams and mix. Add cracker crumbs just before cooking; so they stay crisp. Pour oil in pan to 1/4″ deep and heat over medium high heat (375 degrees on electric frying pan). Drop clam mix by heaping T. into hot oil. Let brown on bottom, turn over and flatten with spatula. Cook until crispy brown on both sides. Note that you can change the ratio of flour to crumbs to personal taste, just stay around 2.5 cups and always add the crackers after the oil is hot and ready.

Spiced Duck with Figs

Spiced Duck with Figs

4 large duck breasts

1 tsp. five spice powder
Sea salt
6 figs, sliced in half
75g hazelnuts, toasted
Dressed salad leaves, to serve

3 T. of dark soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 orange
3 T. of honey
1 T. of rice wine
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, finely minced
3 star anise

1Score the duck diagonally with a sharp knife. In a large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Add the duck breast and toss to coat completely. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. 3Remove the duck breasts from the marinade, reserving the remaining liquid in a small sauce pan. Pat the duck breasts completely dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle them all over generously with sea salt and five spice powder. Place the duck skin side down in a large heavy based pan with an oven proof handle. Cook the breasts over a low to medium heat for about 6-8 minutes or until the fat begins to render out and the skin has good color. Spoon off any excess fat (This can be saved in a sealed jar in the fridge for roast potatoes). Turn the breasts and then add in the figs tossing to coat in the juices. 4Place the pan in the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Bring the reserved marinade to a steady simmer over a high heat and reduce until slightly thickened. 5Once cooked, rest the duck breasts for 5 minutes under tin foil on a chopping board. 6Slice thinly and transfer to warmed plates. Spoon over the reduced sauce and serve with the warm figs, salad leaves and toasted hazelnuts.

Grilled Salmon with Charmoula

Grilled Salmon with Charmoula

1/2 C. lemon juice
1/4 C. olive oil
1/3 C. chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. paprika (Hungarian or Spanish if possible)
1 T. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 lb. green or yellow zucchini
2 red bell peppers (1 lb. total)
1 whole boned salmon fillet with skin (3 1/2 to 4 lb.)
Lemon wedges

For charmoula, in a bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rinse zucchini and trim off ends; cut into 1-inch lengths. Rinse, stem, and seed bell peppers; cut into 1-inch squares. In a bowl, mix the vegetables with 2/3 C. charmoula. Thread onto metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternating zucchini and peppers. Rinse salmon and pat dry. With tweezers or needlenose pliers, remove and discard pin bones. Lay a double sheet of heavy-duty foil slightly larger than salmon on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Set fish, skin side down, on foil. Trim foil to within about an inch around fillet; fold edges over, then up, to form a slight rim. Spread remaining charmoula evenly over salmon. Prepare barbecue: If using gas, turn all burners to high and close lid for 10 minutes, then adjust burners for indirect cooking (no heat down the center) and keep on high. If using charcoal, mound and ignite 60 briquets on the firegrate of a barbecue with a lid. When they’re dotted with gray ash, in 15 to 20 minutes, push equal amounts to opposite sides of firegrate. Set a drip pan on the grate between coals. Set grill in place. Slide salmon on foil off baking sheet onto grill, not directly over heat. Set vegetable skewers directly over heat. Cover barbecue. Cook vegetables, turning once, until they are browned and tender when pierced, 10 to 15 minutes total. Remove from grill, cover barbecue again, and continue cooking fish until opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 20 to 30 minutes total. Slide a large, rimless baking sheet or several wide spatulas under foil and fish to transfer to a platter or board. Tuck edges of foil under fish. Set vegetable skewers alongside and garnish with lemon wedges.