Copper River Salmon
It caught my eye as I was scanning the fish at my local market – that beautiful color being a dead giveaway for Alaska Copper River Salmon. Once my eyes locked onto that fish I didn’t even have to think anymore and soon I was out the door with my prized dinner in hand and thoughts of side dishes and sauces bouncing around in my head.
For salmon lovers, the Copper River run is one of the most anticipated events all year with delivery announcements hitting the wire even before shipments to restaurants and stores. Once hooked (not to use a bad pun) foodies and non-foodies alike scan menus and fish counters for sightings which usually start mid May. Websites tout a month long season but it’s now appearing in California and beyond so there’s still time to get in on the rush.
This year in California, where the salmon fisheries have been particularly hard hit, it’s a welcome sight because of the quality and the fact it’s wild-caught. Alaska Wild salmon is one of the best choices according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list published each year. This year biologists project a Copper River run of 1.3 million reds so fire up the grill and get cooking one of the summer’s best – and healthiest – meals around!
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Glorious, green butter lettuce
A warm summer night, dinner with friends and a divine salad combination made for the perfect get together and memorable culinary experience. Two simple ingredients: earthy, fragrant white truffle oil and sweet butter lettuce married together so well I was surprised I hadn’t considered them a pair before.
Truffles or the “fruit of the woods” span nearly 70 known varieties with black truffles (often from Umbria) and white truffles (from Piemonte) being the most desirable. Fresh truffles are available from late fall to midwinter so prime time is right around the corner. As many people already know, truffles have a symbiotic relationship with tree roots (mycorrhiza) and are usually found at the base of trees.
A bottle of white truffle oil can be found in my kitchen but is often relegated to special occasions. My recent taste experience has sparked the notion that truffle oil can be used in a similar fashion to sesame oil; in small doses it adds unexpected flavor and a dash of simple extravagance – without the need for a special occasion. The recipe below, courtesy of my good friend Irina, is light but deeply satisfying. Enjoy!
Butter lettuce with White Truffle Oil
- Butter lettuce (one head)
- Extra virgin olive oil (1 ½ T, or to taste)
- White truffle olive oil (1 teaspoon or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
- Salt and Pepper
Optional ingredients:
- Lemon juice
- Champagne vinegar
Mix the lettuce and tarragon together. Add the olive oil, toss. Add the truffle oil to the lettuce along with salt/pepper. Toss and serve.
Lardo di Colonnata
Bakers and chefs alike sing it’s praises. Popular among foodies and culinary afficionados in the UK (think mince meat pies and fried potatoes) this item has often been relegated to the bottom shelf in US stores in past years. It’s lard, and it’s ready for a comeback, although some would argue it never really left the scene.
While living together with a few friends after college, someone noticed a non-descript green oblong box (you’ve seen it before!) on the shelf in the kitchen. We visibly showed our repulsion to which the owner replied “you just don’t know or understand lard”. True, but we really didn’t WANT to.
Turns out my housemate was onto something although the lard most sought after today is not the green box version but rather leaf lard. Leaf lard is the highest grade lard and comes from the fat surrounding the kidneys on a pig. It has little to no flavor and bakers contend it makes the best, flakiest pie crust on the planet.
A few other lesser known facts about one of my favorite fats:
• Lard has less saturated fat, more unsaturated fat, and less cholesterol than an equal amount of butter by weight
• If you seek out unhydrogenated lard you will get a product with zero trans fat
• Lardo di Conca di Colonnata, once a poor man’s food is a type of salume made by curing strips of pig fat with rosemary and other spices that is now considered a delicacy (hint: you can purchase it here in the States!)
Today with trends pointing to less processed, natural foods lard is starting to show up in recipes and in homes more often. A recent visit to the Prather Ranch meat company in San Francisco brought a close encounter with rendered leaf lard and a tub for the trip home ($10.)
If you’ve been waiting to capture a sliver of summer by encasing your favorite fruit in a flaky pie crust, now is the time to discover the fine properties of lard. Consider trying the fried potatoes and let us know what you think!
At first bite I was taken in by the sweet but mildly tart flavor of the peppers. They are the perfect foil for stuffing and lend a nice, subtle splash of spice to your table. My experience resulted in a minor culinary thrill and major ingestion of pretty much the entire dish of stuffed peppers. It’s noteworthy that I was still invited back to dinner despite my eating behavior and visible lack of restraint.
Abundant at farmer’s markets now (at least in the Bay Area) Hungarian peppers give you a chance to add a new twist to your summer dining options. The season is short though so don’t miss out!
Hungarian Peppers stuffed with quinoa
Ingredients:
- 6 Hungarian peppers, seeds removed
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 onion (red, yellow or white), diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, coarsly chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon herb of choice (tarragon, thyme or parsley)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon saltPepper (to taste)
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- ½ – 1 cup of white wine, vegetarian or chicken stock
Heat the olive oil, add the onion and garlic. Once onions are soft, add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms start to soften and then add the chopped tomato, herbs, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of the wine or stock. Cook another 5-8 minutes (tomatoes will be soft). Fold in the cooked quinoa.
Steam the peppers about 10 minutes (they should be tender, but not mushy.) Cool.
Stuff the peppers with the onion and mushroom mixture and then place in a baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved onion and mushroom mixture around the peppers, pour remaining stock or wine around the peppers, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 for 20 – 30 minutes.
A few notes: the cooked quinoa makes a great vegetarian or side dish. You could substitute the quinoa for ground pork, chicken or other meat of choice.
