Salmon, Red Potatoes, Chard--and Aioli

I took the shortcut tonight and made an aioli-type sauce based on mayonnaise, mixed with yogurt to make it lighter--after all, farmed salmon is fatty enough already, no point in adding an extra cup or two of olive oil. The menu tonight was roasted salmon with basil aioli, roasted red potatoes, swiss chard with onions and garlic, and fresh raspberries.

Over the last couple of days we've had red chile enchiladas with chorizo, guacamole salad; tofu with red curry sauce on a bed of cabbage; and many beautiful cherry tomatoes from the garden.

Basil Aioli Sauce for Salmon

Chop finely, or use food processor:

2 tablespoons fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

2 anchovy fillets

Juice and rind of 1/2 lemon

Several dashes hot pepper sauce

Stir into:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Salt and pepper to taste

More Whining About the Sad State of Food in America

I went to a conference of piano teachers over the last three days. We opened with a three-hour meeting of the board, with a break for "dinner" (menu: sub sandwiches, an assortment of chips, soda pop.) I wasn't too worried because there was to be a reception for the guest artists and presenters after the meeting. Oops--menu: doughnuts, brownies, soda pop.

A friend and I went out for food supplements afterwards--beer and salad.

Fortunately, I am very paranoid about getting caught with nothing healthy to eat, so I had brought with me yogurt, raspberries and other fruit, Wasa, Jarlsberg cheese, and two bottles of wine. I resorted to these many times over the three days, and gladdened the heart of several fellow attendees with a glass of wine.

I ate dinner once at the hotel restaurant, which had a reasonably priced Chipotle Chicken plate. It had a large serving of fresh vegetables and a side of roasted red potatoes, the chicken was a bland breast fillet with a little sauce but it was cooked well--i.e., not dried out. That was the purchased meal highlight of the trip. Hooray to them for the fresh veggies!

I visited two chain restaurants because I didn't wish to be a problem to my companions. The first was Rock Bottom, a brew pub. I can't complain because I ordered a small Caesar salad and a pale ale, and both were pretty much as advertised (they didn't brag). We ate outside, always a plus in the southwest. The second was My Big Fat Greek Restaurant, where I ordered a Greek salad. Raymond had a pomegranate mojito. The place was generic in every way including the food, except for the very loud music--the same at all their locations, I understand. I wouldn't go again, although I didn't suffer any actual digestive or hearing damage.

How did I get to be such a snob? I promise to be more positive.

At home tonight I made pork chops, brown rice, and zucchini, followed by fresh pineapple. This is a quick and easy recipe:

Pork Chops with Green Chile Sauce

4 pork chops

Flour, salt, pepper
Olive oil

Dredge the pork chops in flour, salt, and pepper. Brown thoroughly on both sides. Add to the skillet:

3 or 4 chopped tomatoes (I used partly tomatillos)

1/2 sliced onion

3 cloves garlic, sliced

2 to 4 chopped green chiles

1 teaspoon oregano

More salt and pepper to taste

Stir and cook until things begin to wilt, then cover the pan and simmer until pork is tender, 30 minutes or more.

(Con)Fusion Cuisine

I failed to come up with a unified menu last night. Various things in the refrigerator cried out to be used NOW. I ended up with Japanese, Mexican, Italian, and Iowa foods: Teriyaki Salmon; pasta with pesto; a pico de gallo with garden cherry tomatoes, olives, jalapeno, cilantro, yellow bell pepper and possibly something else; and corn on the cob.

Teriyaki marinade transforms the most mundane farmed salmon, and it's so easy!

Teriyaki Salmon

Salmon fillets

Soy sauce

White vermouth
Chopped ginger
Garlic
Brown sugar or honey

Mix ingredients and marinate salmon for about a half hour. Drain and reserve marinade. Boil it or nuke the liquid for a couple of minutes to make it safe from the raw fish, strain, and serve as a sauce.

Broil, grill, or roast the salmon until just cooked through. Serve with teriyaki sauce and rice.

Grandma's Birthday Party

We had a birthday party for Grandma yesterday. First we had a recital of two-piano music by Donizetti, J. C. Bach, Schumann, and Mozart. Then I served a lunch of gazpacho and blueberry muffins, followed by a roast beef and blue cheese salad. The piece de resistance was this chocolate and raspberry mousse cake brought by GJ from Le Delice French bakery. It was the best purchased dessert I've ever had. And we had champagne.

Spelt Pizza

This was tasty. I made pizza my old regular way, which I had been craving since Dad gave up wheat. I used whole spelt flour, yeast, a little olive oil, salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar. At the last minute I decided to use 2/3 cup "gluten-free flour"--next time I'll use all spelt, because the dough wasn't quite elastic enough.

This pizza had fresh tomato, basil, chicken chorizo, olives, canned jalapeno slices, yellow bell peppers, and mixed Italian grated cheese.

Red Chile Plate

I did try to replicate Santos' Red Chile Plate this week. I used the Gabilondo recipe, modified of course, and it was delicious. Santos' version was a much brighter, lighter red--perhaps they didn't brown the meat after boiling it, and I don't think they made a brown roux for the chile sauce. Anyway, we loved it. I used a piece of top round and the dish was not at all fatty.

We ate it with spelt tortillas, which are quite acceptable. I made spelt bread yesterday, too, and it was like real bread! instead of the cake-like gluten-free bread we've tried.

Red Chile with Beef

3/4 pound top round steak

1/2 cup red chile powder

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

Salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Boil the beef in water to cover (seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few cloves of garlic) for about an hour or until tender. Drain and reserve the broth. Cut the meat into small cubes.

Mix the red chile powder with about 1/2 cup hot water and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet and brown the beef cubes. Remove the meat to a plate.

Add the flour to the fat in the pan and stir until the roux is golden brown. Add the chile paste and continue to cook, then add about 1 cup or more of the reserved broth. Add salt and oregano and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the meat to the sauce, heat, and serve.

The Decline of America as a Superpower

It’s all because of this recipe, which was gushed about in the food section of yesterday’s Arizona Daily Star. It’s the family favorite, brought to every get-together, of the interviewee’s family (whom I never want to meet).

It’s plain to see where the country's epidemic of obesity and diabetes has come from: recipes like this. It has every preservative and additive available and is loaded with sugar. Plus, it’s just plain nauseating.

Cranberry Whipped Cream Salad

Layer in a glass bowl:

2 packages crushed graham crackers
2 cans jellied cranberry sauce, thinly sliced
1 tub Cool Whip

A civilization that can eat crap like this is doomed.

(Photo by Charles Armstrong, University of Maine)

Mothers Day Celebration

We had an exceptional Mothers Day today. First we drove with Grandma to Saguaro National Park. The cacti were all in bloom to celebrate. Some of the arms of the saguaro had a burst of blossoms at the end, and looked as if they were holding out a bouquet.

After our drive we returned home to champagne and a deli feast for lunch. I don't buy prepared foods very often, but there is a gourmet grocery store near us with a stellar deli counter, and I was busy all day yesterday adjudicating at a piano festival.

Our menu: pickled herring in sour cream; black peppercorn pate; cold teriyaki salmon; broccoli salad; rice and artichoke salad; thinly sliced baguette and Ry Krisp. This was followed by homemade Baked Alaska. We all had a nap after.

Happy Mothers Day to all.

Gluten-Free Adventures

Here's a picture of Mock Rye Bread--actually I did put a little rye flour in there--it was flavorful but more like cake than bread. Fine for toast, bad for a sandwich. I found that my Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger had a whole chapter on gluten-free breads.

Tonight I made Quinoa Tabulli, quite a success. Dad provided parsley and green onions from the garden.

Very Funny Raspberry Vinaigrette (and Sausage Pasta)

I've made this salad dressing a few times--it makes me laugh. I've had raspberry vinaigrette in restaurants, and I've bought pricey bottled versions. But now since we always have raspberry syrup on hand from Christmas gifts, I mix a couple of tablespoons of it with any vinegar-and-oil dressing, and voila! I cut it with a little wine vinegar if it's too cloying, and add some olive oil if it's too sharp. It's good. Last night's salad was red lettuce, oranges, walnuts, green onions, feta cheese, and the above raspberry vinaigrette.

I also made a pasta sauce with spicy Italian chicken sausage, bell peppers, garlic, and tomato--fresh herbs--and served it over brown rice linguine.

Salsa, Hiking, and Lentil Soup

We hiked on the Arizona Trail with friends yesterday and saw many wildflowers, including this, which I think is called a Mariposa Lily. We started from Kentucky Camp, an old mining camp in the Coronado Forest--it is within a few miles of the place where we scattered Grandpa's ashes.

Then we went to Patagonia for lunch and Santos Cafe is gone! In its place is Mercedes Restaurant, which served Mexican seafood and other things. It was pretty good, but not AS good. At least they didn't fancy the place up at all.

That evening I made lentil soup, cornbread, and a sliced tomato and herb salad. The real reason for this post, though, is to communicate my tomatillo salsa recipe to Sam. We got to talking about salsa while hiking.

Jack Bishop's Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

1 dried red chile (about 4 inches long)

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 pound tomatillos, husked

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Salt

Preheat broiler. Broil red chile for a couple of minutes to toast. Remove.

Place garlic and tomatillos on a broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally, until they start to blacken, 8 minutes or so.

Seed the chile and cut in pieces. Place chile, garlic, and tomatillos in food processor and puree. Add cilantro and salt to taste.

Lemon Pudding, and More Salad Musings

I wanted to make a salad to go with tonight's pizza, but my vegetable bin looked very sad.

I did have apples and celery, so I made a Waldorf Salad which contained apples, finely sliced celery, a green onion, chopped pecans, lemon zest and juice, and mayonnaise. It was fresh and good, a sort of anti-lettuce affair.

But, I promised Grandma's Lemon Pudding recipe, and here it is:

1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 egg yoks, well beaten
1 cup milk
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend flour, sugar, salt in mixing bowl. Stir in lemon rind and juice, egg yolks, and milk. Fold in egg whites. Pour into 1-quart baking dish and bake for about 50 minutes.

One Small Chicken, Four Meals

I haven't roasted a chicken for while--previous ones have seemed too fatty and gross. But for Sunday dinner I had a hankering for the traditional roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, so I bought a smallish--three-and-a-half pounds--"natural" bird which turned out to be just fine.

I rubbed it with a paste of salt, paprika, and olive oil, stuffed fresh parsley, rosemary, and thyme in the cavity, and baked it on a rack at 325 degrees for about one hour and forty-five minutes. I made gravy with vermouth. So good! I rounded out the menu with roasted red peppers and cold lima beans dressed with oil and lemon juice. And Grandma made her lemon pudding.

Instead of using the leftovers in a different dish, we had a repeat of the same meal the next day. Then chicken enchiladas, and finally some chicken broth which I'm storing up for a rainy day.

I'll get that Lemon Pudding recipe from Grandma tomorrow.

Gnocchi and Asparagus

We never take food home from a restaurant--but Dad couldn't finish his wonderful gnocchi with tomato cream sauce from his Italian lunch, so we finished it for dinner. Wow.

Asparagus is perfect and cheap right now, so I made it my favorite way.

Cold Asparagus with Curry Mayonnaise

2 pounds asparagus

Break off tough stems. Peel stems below tips if very thick. Cook until barely tender. Drain and chill.

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup yogurt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon curry powder

Salt to taste
Lemon juice and zest to taste

Mix remaining ingredients to make a smooth dressing. Arrange chilled asparagus on serving plate and spoon dressing over.

Shrimp and Avocado Appetizer

This is one of the very nicest things you can do with a beautiful avocado. It's a perfect sit-down first course, and would also make a pretty fancy lunch dish. Here's a picture of a version made with crab instead.

Shrimp-Avocado Salad with Pistachios

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
20 medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
2 medium-size ripe avocados
2 tablespoons salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Stir together oil, garlic, and vinegar to make dressing.

Reserve 8 whole shrimp for garnish. Chop remaining shrimp coarsely and add to dressing.

Cut avocados in half. Carefully scoop out flesh and dice, reserving shells. Add diced avocado to shrimp mixture and toss gently to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Refrigerate.

At serving time, mound shrimp mixture in avocado shells on individual serving plates. Top each serving with two whole shrimp and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Cooking All Day

I feel like I've been cooking all the livelong day (you know that song: I've been working on the railroad, all the livelong day. It was in the Golden Book of Songs we all knew when we were young. I'm pretty sure everyone from the Midwest and North could join in the chorus on that particular song. Is it still in the conciousness of your generation?)

I made a lentil salad and an almond tart for lunch with Grandma and John and Kathy. Then I went home and made an enormous French chocolate tart and a rum cake for my student recital tomorrow.

We were lucky enough to have leftover meatloaf from Grandma's lunch, so we didn't have to cook dinner, except for a big batch of beets from the garden. The variety Dad plants is Red Ace.

Have I ever made this salad for you? Just open up your spice cupboard and put in some of everything.

Curried Lentil Salad

1 lb dried lentils

Cook until barely tender, not mushy! This depends a lot on whether you use green or red lentils. Drain.

½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup wine or balsamic vinegar, or a combination
1 tablespoon sweetener (sugar, honey, etc.)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Whisk together the above dressing ingredients. Combine gently with the lentils and marinate all day, or overnight.

1 or 2 hours before serving time, add:

½ cup dried currants
1/3 cup capers
¾ cup finely chopped red onion
Optional: 1 or 2 cups cooked quinoa (this makes the salad milder and lighter, if desired)

Clear Liquids

You think you've got problems--Dad has to consume only clear liquids until tomorrow. This is homemade beef broth (jazzed up with miso and then strained, probably not strictly within the rules), cranberry juice, and coffee.

Beets

Tonight we had a frozen tuna steak cooked Provencale-style, with some brown rice penne. It was fine. The centerpiece of the meal, however, was beets that Dad grew in a pot over the winter: deeply and profoundly beet-colored, smooth in texture, and intensely flavorful.