12/21/2012 We had a feast! Final recipe post….

We had a feast…. remembered a wonderful day on the river and fantasized about next year’s adventure.  This gorgeous sockeye or his cousin was prepared perfectly.  I say take  a “recipe” and make it your own.  Trust me the writer of this “recipe” did the same thing.

ALWAYS start with wild caught  salmon (my preference is Lower Kenai River sockeye caught in August).  Portion  each filet to about 4-6  oz, place on a square of tin foil 12 inches or so.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice a sweet Vidalia onion and place a generous amount of onion on each filet. (Is there any other kind of onion?)  Sprinkle with Garlic salt, cracked pepper and if you are of the nature a little red-hot chili pepper.  Place a small pat of butter and 2 tablespoons of Meyers lemon juice (fresh squeezed from your own tree if possible.)  Close the package up leaving air space at the top… Cook for about 30 minutes.  Serve each person their own package so they can enjoy the delicious liquid created during the cooking process.

This is so easy to fix, so easy to clean up and is so YUMMY!!   Only 10 post to go!

11/4/2012 Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Food is more than nutrients that our bodies need.  Food is taste and smell and memories.  We talk about comfort food and food we crave when we are sick.  We remember the dishes that we had when we celebrated weddings, holidays…we have favorite birthday dinners and our favorite restaurants.  America is obsessed with cooking shows and specials about the direction we are taking with our food sources.

Jean Claude made this yummy tomato salad and the best polenta I have ever eaten.  We had a feast.   The basil was some that I had grown, dried and brought to Alaska… who would have ever thought that basil from Morriston, FL would end up being used by a Frenchman in Alaska!

Tomato Mozzarella Salad:

• 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices
• fresh basil leaves  ( 1 Teaspoon dried can be substituted)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Coarse salt and pepper

Directions

Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

8/9/2012 Little balls of salty yumminess!

Little balls of salty yumminess that “pop” in your mouth!  Salmon salt-cured eggs. Serve with cream cheese on crackers.  This was a hit!  When I was in Japan I saw this for sale at Costco… ( who knew Japan had Costco)  it was 2200 yen… about $27.00 for a package not as large as this bowl.  That’s too rich for my wallet.  This recipe only required airfare, rental car, lodging and fishing license.  Full instructions and recipe. . http://www.homebrewchef.com/curingsalmonroe.html

7/22/2012 Sweet Pineapple Cheese

SWEET PINEAPPLE CHEESE

4-8oz cream cheese soften

1 large can crushed pineapple—drained

½ -3/4 cup chopped pecans

Sugar to taste—1/4 to ½ cup

1 tsp vanilla

Whole almond slices brown in butter (sliced almond—whole pieces)

Mix cream cheese, drained pineapple, nuts, vanilla and sugar.  Pour into 8” cake pan.  Chill until firm.  Place  browned almonds on top.  Serve with crackers.  I have the sweetest best friend who is the world’s best cook!  Ms. Pat made this delicious spread for a wedding this weekend and it was scrumpious…. When I grow up I want to just like her.  Follw her recipe blog… click here.

7/12/2012 Fish Head Soup…

Fish head soup… now don’t freak out… you will not be looking at eyeballs staring back… you will be eating a delicious clear broth made with fresh salmon heads and vegetables that have been cooked, strained twice with wonderful herbs and noodles added.  So why do we freak out when something is different?  It’s not different to our friends, our neighbors and the rest of the world. … we have to get over this…. there are many wonderful things to eat and enjoy in this world that are not part of our personal experience.  Let’s all pledge to try something new… I won’t say unusual because that is only subject to each of our individual experiences.  One woman’s  everyday soup meal is another woman’s weird adventure!  I made this twice in Alaska last year but of course I can’t find my recipe.    I FOUND THE RECIPE:    click this link  http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2009/08/salmon-head-soup.html

5/29/2012 Kenai River Salmon Chowder

 Salmon Chowder

2 lbs wild caught Kenai River Sockeye Salmon

1 tsp of Old Bay seasoning  salt to taste

1 sweet onion diced small    2 stalks of celery chopped    2 carrots scraped and diced

1 stick of  “real” butter   (if your watching the calories us 1/2 stick)

4 cans evaporated milk       1/3 can of Campbell’s Tomato soup (do not dilute)

Poach salmon in water just to cover  for 10-15 minutes,  season with Old Bay seasoning and salt to taste.   (you can add more if you want to)  Cool, pick salmon meat, discard bones and skin and save broth.

Sautee onions, celery, carrots in butter.  Do not brown… after vegetables are soft add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of saved broth from salmon poaching.

Cook for 5 minutes or so…. add 4 cans of evaporated canned milk and 1/3 can tomato soup. (Evaporated milk does not break as much as regular milk or heavy cream)

Place mixture in crock pot on high for about an hour.  Check and taste… add more Old Bay seasoning, salt  ( hot sauce to taste).

Add picked and flaked salmon meat to soup mixture. Be careful to remove bones.

Chowder keeps very well in crock pot on very low for a couple of hours.

NEVER make this from canned salmon… It is not the same!  You can add diced and pre-boiled potatoes if you like.  Broth is not thick.  Yummy!

Calorie count unknown   …. Cost per serving about $1000.00  (airfare to Alaska, lodging, rental car and fishing license and guide)