Hello everyone!
I am enjoying my last days in Ecuador and will be back at my desk (AKA kitchen table) by Tuesday. I’m looking forwart to sharing all of my new recipes and pictures so check back soon.
Katn
Salmon Burgers
Tony and I were watching TV the other day…not really TV, we were watching the computer but, like, shows…anyway someone on the show mentioned something about tuna burgers. That’s when it hit me. I know how to make stuff like that! I know how to make all kinds of stuff like that! And I flipped out because I haven’t been making that stuff!
When I say “stuff like that” what I mean is fish burgers. Tuna burgers are really yummy, but my fiancé (said with a thick French accent, pinched nose and scratchy throat noises) loves salmon in all of its forms burger and otherwise. After I got done freaking out over the fact that I have not made these delights at home I went to the store and got the fixin’s to make salmon burgers. I promptly forgot my excitement and didn’t end up making them until the next week, but hey, I got it done, and they were pretty darn good.
In this recipe, I use couscous as a binder but breadcrumbs would work equally well. I usually have couscous handy because it’s so easy and quick to make. Tuna could be substituted for the salmon too. You could try substituting a half a tablespoon of prepared wassabi for the Dijon if you use tuna. I wouldn’t use wassabi powder without first mixing it in water because this can add an unpleasant bitter taste to the dish. If you don’t have a grill pan, use a regular flat pan. Try adding different herbs too. Basil, cilantro, oregano and parsley would al be yummy in any version of the fish burger.
Salmon Burgers for My Fiancé:
Serves 2
2-7 ounce tail pieces of salmon
1/3 cup dry couscous
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 scallions sliced thin
1 clove of garlic minced
1 whole egg
salt and pepper to taste
2 rolls
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 small cucumber
Preheat grill pan over medium heat, and lightly oil with an oiled paper towel.
If the salmon has the skin on remove it with a sharp knife. This does not have to be pretty. Chop the salmon into roughly ¼ inch pieces. Put this into a mixing bowl.
Add the couscous, Dijon, scallion, garlic, egg and salt and pepper. Mix well. Form a patty of about 1 inch diameter, and grill in the grill pan to test seasoning. Adjust as necessary.
Form two patties out of the mix and place in the grill pan. They will feel like they are too wet, or don’t have enough binder. Don’t worry, they firm up quickly as they cook. Do not move for at least 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, flip and cook the other side. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
Slice the cucumber very thin and put on the bottoms of the rolls. Spread the mayonnaise on the tops of the rolls. Put the burgers in the middle of the whole thing and see if you don’t eat them immediately. I bet you do.
Vegetable Stock 101
Vegetable Stock 101
Follow these guide lines to make delicious home made vegetable stock.
o The amount water you use will depend on how much vegetable stock you need.
o According to The Joy of Cooking 5 cups of vegetables to 6 cups vegetables makes about 3 to 4 cups of stock. My feeling is that you should use what you have. More vegetable matter makes a more flavorful stock, but if you don’t have a lot, something is still better than nothing. Just bay leaves cooked in water tastes more interesting than plain water.
o The vegetables can come from what you are already cooking just save the peels and trimmings. Onion carrot and celery are always good to use for vegetable or any stock. Corncobs can add sweetness. Garlic can be left cracked with the peel on for a mild taste, or pealed and minced for a more pronounced garlic flavor.
o Vegetables to avoid are any with inherent bitterness. Asparagus, broccoli, greens, cabbages and eggplant are not good for stock.
o Mushroom stems and gills make a hearty meaty tasting vegetable stock. The gills will make the stock dark and cloudy, so use just the stems if you need a clear stock.
o Vegetables that are roasted or browned on the stove in oil before adding the water will add deep flavor to your stock, but this will also make it less clear and give it more color. This is great for gumbo or similar stews, not for consommé or light broths.
o Herb stems are full of flavor and can be used so long as the flavors are appropriate.
o If you will need stock later in the week, save the clean vegetable trimmings from all of the dishes you cook that week in a freezer bag or container with a lid to be made into a quick stock later.
Method:
To roast vegetables beforehand, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean up. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil. Toss the vegetables lightly in the oil, spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet, and roast for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until brown.
If you want a clear stock with little color use raw vegetables rather than roasting them.
Select a pot that has a narrow top, and is large enough to hold all of the vegetables and water. The narrow top will reduce evaporation.
Add the cold water, vegetables, bay leaves, garlic, a pinch of salt (to aid flavor extraction) and pepper to the cold pot. Turn on the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer at least 40 minutes but no more than 1 hour.
Pour through a mesh strainer into a heatproof container. Cool to room temperature before putting in the refrigerator. Ice packs meant for food related use are great for this.
I season the dish with salt rather than the stock. A stock that tastes perfectly seasoned on its own can be far too salty for a finished dish particularly if it cooks for some time.
Store for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Freeze for extended storage.
Galapagos salsa
Hi everyone! We are back in action here in the states. The trip was amazing and I took a million pictures to prove it. Well, not a million. More like a thousand. The first batch went up on flickr today. Stay tuned for more pics in the next week.
I had the great pleasure of trying a few Galapagos delicacies while on the islands. The island of Santa Cruz is inhabited by quite a few farmers who grow organic bananas, papaya, guava, and coffee. All of these are really yummy treats but are not native to the island. Santa Cruz is home to the endemic variety of tomato called the Galapagos tomato. It’s like the cherry tomato we are familiar with only half the size and twice as flavorful. I wish I could grow these little beauties in my back yard. Ok, I don’t have a back yard, and even if I did park officials and customs agents would be all over me if I tried to bring some back.
The island is also home to some wild giant tortoises which was our primary reason for visiting. On our way back from me almost tripping over myself to see the tortoises I spotted a pepper plant growing at the side of the path. The little fruits on the plant were bright red, and shaped like Thai bird chilies only quite a bit smaller. I was told that this was a variety native to Ecuador and that it would be ok to try one if I liked spicy food. Of course, I think I’m too cool for school, so I said “yes, I do like spicy food” and of course “I can handle it”. My coolness quickly turned into squinting and sweating and turning red after biting into one of the little firecrackers. I know this because our guide was kind enough to snap a picture of me as I let down all of my former acting instructors and pretended (unsuccessfully) to not be in pain. It tasted good though. (That picture no longer exists, don’t ask.)
What tastes better is the salsa that was created as a result of our recent travels. This is a very simple pico de giallo salsa with the addition of a little fruit. I use mango in the recipe, but peaches would also work. This is a really good base to build more complex salsas on. Try experimenting with spices like cumin or coriander. Try a little chili powder for extra kick and depth, or fire roast the tomatoes first for a deep smokey flavor. The sky is the limit! But first a picture of baby tortoises from the Charles Darwin Research Station because oh my golly they are cute!
Galapagos Salsa:
1 mango, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 small while onion, diced
1 jalapino pepper, diced fine
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients together. Serve room temperature or chilled with chips, with tacos burritos or nachos, on fish chicken pork or steak.