salmon

Wrong Mine, Wrong Place

/ Ren

Tens of millions of salmon are beginning to return to the streams, rivers and headwaters of the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve in Alaska. They are in the final stage of completing a life cycle that began years earlier in the very same location and as long as the spawning grounds are intact and protected, these runs will continue to thrive forever.

 
But this vast, pristine habitat—home to one of the most important salmon fisheries in the world— is facing a catastrophic threat. Given massive discoveries of gold and copper deep below the surface of Bristol Bay’s headwaters, a foreign mining conglomerate called the Pebble Partnership plans to build North America’s largest open pit mine. Should toxic mining waste from the Pebble Mine find its way into the watershed, the effects would prove catastrophic to salmon and the entire ecosystem.

Learn more..

Tell FDA: Do Not Approve Genetically Engineered Salmon!

/ Ren

On December 21, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an Environmental Assessment (EA) with a “Finding of No Significant Impact” on the controversial AquaBounty AquaAdvantage transgenic salmon.  The FDA action is widely viewed as confirmation that the Obama Administration is prepared to approve shortly the first genetically engineered (GE) animal intended for human consumption in the face of widespread opposition.

FDA says escape is unlikely and that the fish pose “no impact” to the environment.  But each year millions of farmed salmon escape, out-competing wild populations for resources and straining ecosystems.  Any approval of GE salmon would represent a serious threat to the survival of native salmon populations, many of which have already suffered severe declines related to salmon farms and other man-made impacts.  Additionally, the human health impacts of eating GE fish, which would be the first-ever GE food animal, are entirely unknown.

Sign the petition to tell the Food and Drug Administration not to approve GE salmon AND, if the Obama Administration insists on approving these genetically engineered fish, it should require the fish to be labeled!

The public has only 60 days to comment on this misguided and dangerous action..

SIGN NOW

Wild-Caught Salmon Chowder with Smoked Bacon and Black Sea Salt

/ Ren

Loaded with protein, omega 3’s and life-giving amino acids, this hearty and delicious soup has just a few carefully selected ingredients. Perfect fare on a cold winter’s eve..

Peel and cut 1 medium Yukon gold potato into 1/2-inch dice.  Place in a pot and barely cover with light chicken (or fish, vegetable) stock and bring to a low boil.  Cook until the stock has thickened with potato starch and the potatoes are very nearly done.  Turn off the heat and keep warm.

Cut a couple of thick slices of hardwood smoked bacon into 1-inch lengths and cook over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp.  Transfer the bacon to a side dish to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add about 1 cup each of diced yellow onions, diced carrots and bias-cut celery to the pan with the bacon fat and cook without browning until al dente.

Meanwhile, remove the skin from 6 or 8 ounces of wild Alaskan salmon filets, tear into large chunks and set aside.

Add the potatoes and their cooking water to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the salmon and 1/2 cup of heavy cream to the pan, stir and simmer until the base has thickened and the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon juice and stir to combine.  Simmer for one last minute, then season to taste with freshly-ground black pepper.

Ladle soup into warm bowls, top with pieces of bacon and finish with a few flakes of black sea salt.

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Dill Pollen Gravad Lax

/ Ren

Dating to the Middle Ages when Nordic fishermen salted and lightly fermented fresh-caught salmon by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line, Gravad Lax (gravlax) is prized to this day for its delicate, briny flavor.  Quite expensive to purchase at retail, but dead simple to make at home using only 5 ingredients..

Dill Pollen Gravad Lax

Sustainable and among the safest remaining species in terms of mercury and PCBs, wild Alaskan salmon is a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Selenium.  Think of it as gourmet grizzly bear food!

Gravad Lax

1 pound fresh, wild Alaskan salmon (skin on or off, pinbones removed)
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons organic, pure cane sugar
1 tablespoon dill pollen (more flavorful than the traditionally-used fresh dill)
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Combine the salt, sugar, dill and pepper together in a bowl.  Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface, then place enough salt mixture down to match the size of the salmon at a depth of about 3/8 inch.  Position the salmon on top, then spread the remainder of the salt on the exposed surfaces to a similar depth.

Tightly wrap the package as it is, then wrap the entire bundle one more time.  Place the wrapped salmon on a dish or inside of a plastic bag to catch the juices, then refrigerate for 48-72 hours, turning once half way through.

Unwrap the salmon, rinse away the salt under cold, running water and blot lightly.  To use, simply slice the salmon thinly on a bias and serve on top of a bagel with cream cheese, or in a French omelet, perhaps.

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“Politics of the Plate”

/ Ren

As it was last year, the commercial salmon fishery south of the Canadian border will be closed in 2009. The cause is not over-fishing, but the failure of young salmon to survive long enough to leave their natal streams and enter the ocean.

Barry Estabrook, Gourmet Magazine

Sarah Palin and Alaskan salmon

“At the very least, there was something fishy about Alaska Governor (and Vice Presidential hopeful) Sarah Palin’s decision to speak out publicly against the state’s Clean Water Initiative late last month. There may also be something blatantly illegal about her advocacy for defeating the ballot initiative, which ultimately failed to pass when 57 percent of Alaskans voted against it.

A bit of background. The Clean Water Initiative (aka Ballot Measure 4) was put in place to restrict the amount of arsenic and other toxic pollutants that new, large-scale mines could dump into the state’s waterways. Its stated goal was to protect human health and safeguard salmon that use the rivers and streams to spawn. More specifically, it was aimed at a massive gold and copper operation called Pebble Mine located directly upstream of Bristol Bay, site of one of the world’s largest and most sustainable wild salmon fisheries, which produced 31 million pounds of king, sockeye, and chum salmon in 2007.

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Seafood Bisque

/ Ren

My Cagefree Family called from the Georgia coast this afternoon to ask if the shrimp coming in off the local boats is safe for babies and mamas (it is), which of course made me think about dinner.  I didn’t have any fresh shrimp, but I did have a bit of Alaskan salmon, cod and crab..

Make a stock of filtered water, celery, onions, bay leaf, white peppercorns, lemon slices, thyme and white wine.

Put filets of salmon and cod (or whatever sort of fish you have) into a wire basket and place that in the simmering stock to poach until just barely done.  Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, strain and reduce the poaching liquid until flavorful, about 30 minutes.

Finely chop fennel bulb, celery, leeks, carrots, tomatoes and garlic.  Sauté in whole butter until softened, about 3 minutes.

Mince the cooled fish, reserving some larger pieces for garnish.

Whisk tomato paste and cream into stock.  Thicken with a little roux.  Add cooked vegetables and poached fish and simmer 15 minutes.  Add sherry, saffron, paprika, S&P and dill.   You may purée the soup with an immersion blender or leave it coarse according to your preference.

At this point, I’m sure you’re asking yourself where’s the HFCS?  It’s just not a meal without the natural goodness of High Fructose Corn Syrup! Resist, I tell you.

To serve, ladle soup into a bowl, drizzle with sherry and hot sauce (optional) and garnish with reserved fish, seasoned croutons and fennel.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Gravlax

/ Ren

Gravlax is a Scandinavian dish consisting of raw salmon cured in salt, sugar, and dill.

During the Middle Ages, gravlax was made by fishermen who salted the salmon and lightly fermented it by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line. The word gravlax comes from the Scandinavian word grav, which means literally “grave” or “hole in the ground”, and lax (or laks), which means “salmon”, thus gravlax is “salmon dug into the ground”.

If smoked salmon is more to your liking, we cover that here.

Make a mixture of sea salt, non-refined sugar, dill and pepper (optional).  I use a salt to sugar ratio of about 3:1, but you can adjust this to your taste (don’t worry, there will be very little salt or sugar in the finished product).

Thoroughly pack salmon filets with the salt mixture and either bury it in the salt bowl or double bag it as I have done here. Refrigerate for at least 2 days, checking occasionally to see if additional salt mixture is needed.

Once cured, rinse the salmon in lots of cold fresh water, pat dry and slice very thin.  Serve as an appetizer garnished with crème fraîche and caviar, or in scrambled eggs.

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Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Salmon Croûte, Brussels Sprouts in Cream and Wild Rice with Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil

/ Ren

Dried oyster, trumpet and morchella mushrooms, shallot, wild rice, (real) white truffle oil, Brussels sprouts, heavy cream, butter, whole nutmeg, black sea salt, white peppercorns, wild Alaskan salmon and a blend of dried onion, garlic, carrot, red pepper, tomato, orange peel, parsley, bay, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, cumin, marjoram, coriander, cayenne and rosemary.

Rinse and begin cooking the wild rice according to package directions.

Moisten a salmon filet with olive oil and season with the spice blend, sea salt and white pepper. Place fish onto an oiled skillet, wrap in a sheet of water-soaked red cedar paper and tie with kitchen string.

About 20 minutes before the rice is done, brown the trimmed and split Brussels sprouts in a little butter until browned.  Add heavy cream and simmer partially covered until almost tender, about 10 minutes.

While the vegetables are simmering, saute minced shallot and sliced mushrooms in butter and truffle oil, stirring frequently until just done, about 3-5 minutes.  Set aside.

Place the salmon in a 350 degree oven and cook about 10-12 minutes.

Uncover the vegetables and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Add the mushrooms and shallots to the rice and fluff with a fork.

Assemble the plate, topping the Brussels sprouts with seasoned, toasted bread crumbs.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Salmon Casserole (favorite)

/ Ren

High quality, wild pink salmon, whole milk, butter, french roll, lemon, salt & pepper, asiago cheese, celery, roasted red peppers, pasta, fresh dill and white wine.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, leaving slightly under done. Rinse, drain and set aside. Simmer milk well seasoned with salt, pepper and white wine until reduced to the consistency of cream.  Add dill and remove from heat.

Drain and flake the salmon and add the vegetables, lemon zest with a little juice, 2/3 of the bread crumbs and cheese and fold in the white sauce.

Turn mixture into a buttered casserole, top with the remaining bread crumbs, cheese and a little smoked paprika and bake at 350 until the sides are bubbly and the topping is nicely browned, about 30 minutes.  Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ –

Home smoked salmon (favorite)

/ Ren

For dry cured salmon, see our discussion on gravlax

I love smoked salmon.  I don’t love paying $20 per pound for it.  What say we try smoking our own?

This is a stove top smoker. I have lined the bottom with aluminum foil, upon which I have spread out a mixture of alder and cherry wood chips.

Next comes the drip pan, rack and the object of our affection, a beautiful piece of wild Alaskan sockeye with a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning.

Turn the burner to medium and slide the cover most of the way shut. As soon as you see the first wisp of smoke, close the lid all the way.

About 10 minutes later, the salmon is ready.  I wish you were here to smell this!

Smoked salmon, English muffin & Neufchatel

/ Ren

Its the middle of the week in a still-too-hot Texas September. I really don’t feel like cooking tonight, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to eat!

Here’s a lighter interpretation of a brunch classic ..

Toasted English muffin spread with neufchatel and topped with slivered onions, piles of applewood smoked salmon and fresh tomatoes, seasoned with sea salt, freshly gound pepper and a pinch of herbs de provence.

All the flavor of a bagel-and-a-shmear from the deli, at half the cost (and half the calories). Yum.