Salmon with Grains and Greens

Saturday could have turned out differently than it did.  One of my favorite poems is by Jane Kenyon, and it's called Otherwise.  She says , "I got out of bed/on two strong legs/it might have been/otherwise."  I always think of that when I'm complaining about something trivial or feeling sorry for myself.  Every morning of my life, I've gotten out of bed on two strong legs.  It might have been otherwise, and someday, it will be.

Reading the paper Saturday morning made me sad.  Swine flu and talk of a pandemic (could things get any scarier than that?) and the Washington State NINE BILLION DOLLAR shortfall that's forcing cuts in things like Basic Health and education.  It was one of those moments when the curtain is pulled back and I realize just how frail and fragile this life is.

On top of that, Yancey and I got in a fight and, for about an hour, it looked like we were going to spend his whole weekend home stewing about stupid @#$.  After I said something thoughtless, he hurt my feelings, and so on.  I wisely walked over to the hydrangea brush and trimmed it for 30 minutes without saying anything (VERY hard to do for an external processor).  By the way, why are hydrangea bushes so damn high maintenance?  I feel like the only work I ever do in our neglected yard is deadhead that stupid thing.  

Anyway, we made up, and the day ended with all four of us around the dinner table.  That's what I love about dinnertime. Whatever has gone before and whatever is about to come, we have that precious hour together.  It could have been otherwise.

Remember that Fear-Not Salmon from a couple days ago?  Technically, it was $8.00, but at Costco, of course we had to buy two fillets, so the whole package was $16.00.  So it was a salmon weekend at the MK household, and this is version 2.0.  

The most exciting thing about this post is the Syrian grain I used.  At PFI recently, I asked the longtime employee (I feel so bad I don't know his name, but he's very knowledgeable and kind) if they had another type of grain called farro.  He said they'd had a run on it recently and were out.  I told him that Orangette had recently featured a recipe for it.  Then I told him I had a food blog, and he said, "Well then, you've got to write about this."  My not-so-secret-hope is that now PFI has a run on freekeh (pronounced "freak").  

He explained the grain's history.  I'll butcher it here, but basically it evolved because hungry Syrians needed to pick their wheat while it was still green and unripe.  Then they cooked it over a big hot fire.  The green grain has little blackened bits throughout, and it does taste grilled--amazing.  Yancey said the house smelled like bacon while I was boiling it.  What better endorsement can you get?

I cooked it in lots of boiling water just like I did the barley in this recipe.  Please don't bypass this recipe because you don't happen to have freekeh in the house.  That would be freaky.  I make it my business to know about food, and I just heard about grilled wheat last week.  You can use brown rice, barley, quinoa, bulgar, couscous, lentils.  The possibilities are endless.

I will warn you, however, that I'm not done singing the praises of this stuff.  And it will be featured in a cold salad tomorrow. If farro had been in stock, it could have been otherwise.

Salmon with Grains and Greens
(serves 4)
1.5 lb. salmon fillet, coated with 2 ts. olive oil, salt, pepper, and handful of fresh, finely chopped herbs (I used chives and oregano)
3 c. freekeh or other grain (you will have leftovers)
4 Tb. créme fraiche
2 Tb.chopped capers
2 Tb. chopped preserved lemons (or lemon zest)
4 c. washed greens (arugula, spinach, romaine, etc.)

For dressing:
Juice of one lemon
1 Tb. honey
1 Tb. dijon mustard
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 c. olive oil
salt and pepper

To cook freekeh:  Bring lots of salted water to boil in one of your biggest stockpots.  Pour in grain, and let it boil gently for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.  This is a a huge investment of time (in my book), so do at least 3 cups so you can have some leftovers.  Add more water throughout if needed.  When it's done, drain thoroughly and coat with a little bit of olive oil so it doesn't stick together.

For dressing:  Combine all ingredients except olive oil.  Whisk together, then whisk in oil to emulsify.

For salmon:  (same method as before!) Preheat oven to 450.  Put herbed and oiled fillet on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and cook for 8-10 minutes.

To assemble:  Line four pasta bowls with greens.  Mound one cup of warm grain over the grains, then top with a piece of the salmon fillet.  Pour a little dressing over everything, then garnish with the chopped capers and preserved lemons and a dallop of créme fraiche.  You will not wish for anything to be otherwise.

Leek Collard Pizza

 


Yancey and I got a pizza stone for a wedding present 14 years (!!) ago.  Yes, we got married when we were 12.  I don't remember who we got it from or why we had the foresight to think we'd need one, but we've been using it since our starry-eyed newlywed days.  I remember our first apartment--a daylight basement in Ballard. He'd come home from his job as a server at Stella's Trattoria in the U District (no longer there, sadly) and me from my job as a barista at the Ballard Starbucks.  We'd preheat the stone in the cheap oven and start experimenting. Our roles have always been thus:  I come up with and prep the ingredients, and he assembles and cooks them.  He made a pizza peel from a plywood scrap that we've been using for years.

Wyatt and I had a little date today while Loretta was sleeping and Yancey was studying.  We went grocery shopping together. It wasn't the movies-popcorn date of his dreams, but I told him he could get some Cheetos if he came.  I am not above bribing my children with junk food.  We had a great time together.  We hardly ever get to be together without his pesky (albeit cute) little sister.  

Our first stop was MacPhersons produce, which I have already mentioned here several times.  We loaded up on fruits and veggies.  Leeks, collard greens, and (oh no!) more mint! were among them. That's what inspired this pizza.

My friend Sue joked recently that I don't have a problem tooting my own horn.  For better or worse, I am definitely going to toot it now and say this pizza made it into the MK Top Five Pizza Hall of Fame.  And Yancey's a tough customer.

We've tried many, many crust recipes over the years and never been wild about any of them UNTIL my trusty Gourmet Cookbook came along 3 or 4 years ago.  The secret is not the ingredients (how creative can you get?) but in the fact that this dough is not punched down at all.  Home ovens just aren't super-powered enough to need that step, and this recipe is the only one I've seen that knows that.  Once the dough has risen (only once), you just work with it in its bloated state.  Pizza dough is E-A-S-Y to make, but I won't try to convince you of that.  I understand the Great Fear of Yeast.  If you don't want to take that plunge tonight, you can buy a Boboli crust or some Trader Joe's dough or that great pita I mentioned last week.  Unless the crust is First Rate Horrible, it won't matter once you taste this topping.  Oh yeah--we made the kids a pepperoni pizza.  That photo wasn't quite as tantalizing (though I love pepperoni pizza, I did not touch it tonight).

P.S. I happened to grill a bunch of poblano peppers today just because they looked so luscious at MacPhersons. So of course I added one to this pizza topping.  I realize that not everyone in the world chooses to ignore their children while grilling peppers on a Sunday afternoon.  They were totally delicious, but you are forgiven if you leave them out.



Best Pizza Dough Ever
(from The Gourmet Cookbook--makes one crust.  I always double it, at least.  If doubling, put each round into a separate bowl.)

1 (1/4 oz.) package (2 1/4 ts.) active dry yeast
About 1 3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and dredging
3/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 ts. salt
1 1/2 ts. olive oil

Stir together yeast, 1 Tb. flour, and 1/4 c. warm water in a measuring cup and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes.

Stir together 1 1/4 c. flour and salt in a large bowl.  Add yeast mixture, oil, and remaining 1/2 cup warm water and stir until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour (about 1/2 cup) so dough comes away from sides of bowl.  (The dough will be wetter than other pizza doughs you may have made.)

Knead dough on a dry suface with lightly floured hands until smooth soft, and elastic.  Put into a bowl, dust with flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about an hour and 15 minutes.

TO SHAPE THE DOUGH FOR BAKING:  Do not punch down dough.  Carefully dredge dough in a bowl of flour to coat and transfer to dry work surface.  Holding one edge of dough in the air with both hands and letting bottom touch work surface, carefully move hands around edge of dough (like turning a steering wheel), allowing weight of dough to stretch round to roughly 10 inches.

Lay dough flat on a lightly floured pizza peel and continue to work edges with fingers, stretching it into a 14-inch round.

VERY IMPORTANT:  Turn your oven to 500 degrees and put your pizza stone in it ONE HOUR before you plan to eat.  That's the secret.  If you're using a pre-baked crust, it's still helpful to preheat your oven for a good 15 minutes.

Leek Collard Topping
3 or 4 medium leeks, tough dark green tops cut off, and white/light green parts cut into rings.  Cut first, then wash very well.  Leek are notoriously dirty.
3 cups collard greens, de-ribbed, washed, and finely shredded (or kale or swiss chard)
1 large garlic clove, minced
salt
pepper
olive oil
1 roasted poblano pepper, peeled and coarsely chopped (technique for that later)
squeeze of lemon juice
1 1/2 c. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 large ball fresh mozarella, sliced
2 Tb. finely chopped mint

In a large skillet, pour a couple good glugs of olive oil and heat on medium-high.  Add leeks, collard greens, garlic, salt, and pepper and saute for 15-20 minutes until soft.  Add poblano.  Squeeze lemon in at the end and let cool a bit.

To assemble the pizza:  Put your pizza crust on a floured pizza peel.  Brush it with a bit of olive oil. Line with Gruyere, then add the leek mixture.  Top with the fresh mozzarella.  Slide onto the hot stone and bake at 500 for about 10 minutes until it's bubbling and bottom of crust is golden.

Scatter fresh mint over the top and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Arugula and Candied Walnut Salad

 

Loretta is asleep, Wyatt is out playing out in the dirt while Yancey mows the lawn, and I get to sit down and write about food. If someone walked up to me right now and said, "You can go anywhere in the world," I think I'd stay right here.

My inbox has filled up several times in the last 24 hours with encouragements and exclamation points about this website.  It still feels like Christmas.  Thank you, thank you.  So much.  Especially, thank you Priya for designing such a beautiful forum for all our food obsessions.

This is the salad we ate last night with our Fear-Not Salmon.  Growing up, my mom made a salad almost every night for dinner, and I do the same.  If I keep washed greens in the fridge, I'm much more likely to throw one together.  Many nights, it's simply greens, some nuts, and dressing.  My menu plan just says "salad."  The contents are spontaneous and based on what's lurking around or about to go bad.  These grapes, for instance, wouldn't have been terribly delicious on their own. Once I picked through them and cut around a few soft spots, it was another successful Search and Rescue Mission.

I've seen lots of complicated recipes for sugared nuts involving inches of peanut oil and candy thermometers. I've never tried those because I do it this easy way.  You can use this method for almost any nuts.  One of my favorites is slivered almonds for the top of cabbage or chicken salads.  The important thing is that you watch them very closely as the sugar starts to melt.  You can go from beautifully shiny to piece of charcoal in a few seconds.

And the reason this dressing came about is because 1) I have lemons coming out my ears at the moment so won't be using much vinegar this week and 2) I already had the brown sugar out for the salmon.

P.S. Loretta has just woken up uncharacteristically early, probably due to the weed whacking outside.  Now, if you asked me, I might take that escapist trip to Tahiti.

Arugula and Candied Walnut Salad
(vary amounts according to how many people will be eating it)
Bowl of arugula and spinach (or romaine or combination)
Red grapes, washed and halved
Crumbled feta (or chevre or blue cheese)
Finely grated zest of one lemon (there's those lemons again)
Candied walnuts (see below)

For dressing:  juice one lemon.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in 1 Tb. brown sugar and whisk in 2 or 3 Tb. olive oil.  This will make enough for a generous salad for two.  Double for more.

Unless I specify otherwise, the way I assemble my salads is thus:  put greens in a bowl, arrange other ingredients on top, and pour the dressing at the table right before eating.  Much prettier and easier than trying to toss it and all the good stuff just ending up at the bottom anyway.

Candied Walnuts
I c. walnuts (preferably toasted already, but not totally necessary)
1/4 c. sugar
salt
1 Tb. butter

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add walnuts, salt, and sugar, turn heat up a tiny bit, and leave alone for a minute or two until sugar starts to melt.  Stir to make sure all nuts are coated, watching very carefully.  Once the nuts start to darken in color a little bit and all the sugar has melted, remove from heat and dump nuts onto a piece of parchment paper or foil.  If they're all stuck together, don't worry.  Just break them apart after they have cooled.

Fear-Not Salmon

I am slightly phobic about cooking fish.  For one, I've just taken out a second mortgage to afford it.  For another, I've had too many experiences overcooking it.  We don't eat it as much as Dr. Oz says we should for both those reasons.

This fillet we had for dinner is from Costco, so the whole big thing was only $8.00.  Sometimes if we're having company or I have a guilty conscience about sustainability, I spring for something beautiful from Mutual Fish.  Regardless, this method is like God saying, "Fear not.  I am with thee."

One day at Costco (yes, I have an Executive Membership) I spotted Tom Douglas' salmon rub.  The little tub was 8 or 9 dollars.  I am really regretting saying a couple posts ago that I'm not into the celebrity chef thing.  I've mentioned 3 celebrity chefs in as many days.  Anyway, I looked at the ingredients and realized I could make it for a pittance.  I also happen to have a little shrubby thyme plant in my yard, and that's one-up on Tom Douglas' rub with dried thyme.  Ha!

Yancey was at Costco today (he's home!  yeah!) returning our digital camera because it broke.  That's another story.  Okay.  I'll tell it quickly.  Wyatt was taking pictures with our camera last night and the lens got stuck.  I got visibly upset.  Wyatt's lower lip started trembling and he said, "I have some money in my piggy bank, Mom."  Nothing like that to make you feel like a #@%head.  So I went over-the-top consoling him, telling him I didn't care about the camera as much as I cared about him, etc.  Turns out the camera is only 60 days old and we still have the receipt.  Costco (bless its warehouse heart) took it back without question, and I now own the digital camera of my dreams. (Yancey ran that errand for me, too.)  Thank you, Wyatt.

So Yancey was at Costco and called me to ask if he could pick up anything else.  I decided that salmon sounded good for dinner, and there you are.  We are omega-3ed up, Dr. Oz.  And it was delicious.

Fear-Not Salmon

Turn oven to 450.

For rub:  Combine 1/4 c. brown sugar, 2 Tb. fresh or dried thyme, 2 Tb. smoked paprika,and 2 ts. salt.  Rub 1 0r 2 ts. olive oil onto a 1.5 lb. salmon fillet.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or just oil one).  Use about half your spice rub on the fillet, pressing down to make sure it sticks.  Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes, checking at 8 minutes.  It will be done very quickly.  Serve with rice and the salad which will appear here shortly (or another one which makes use of leftovers!)

Créme Fraiche

You will want this little recipe in a minute when I post photos of the scones I made this morning. Créme fraiche is like the French version of sour cream, and I often substitute sour cream when it's called for because there's no way I'm going to pay $6 for the tiny tubs they sell at QFC or PCC.

I had some heavy cream that I didn't want to go bad, so made it into créme fraiche.  Seriously, all you do is let it sit on the counter, and you can tell your kids it's a science experiment.  After it's refrigerated, it turns all lovely and thick and tangy.  I always have buttermilk around because I am a pancake freak, but I've seen créme fraiche made with yogurt or sour cream. This recipe is the one that's turned out like I want it to, though.

I just had an avocado and chicken quesadilla, and plopped a bit of this on my plate next to it. Please forget what I said the other day about calories.