The Long History Told by Bones

Salmon are an intrinsic part of us. They're in our blood. They're in our being.

- Hereditary Chief Don Svanvik, 

Namgis First Nation, 

Alert Bay, British Columbia

Recently, an online article caught my eye. The article's title was "Salmon Bones Confirm Sustainable Chum Fishery for 2,500 Years Under Tsleil-Waututh Nation."  That title represented a ray of light, a little bit of good news, that brightened what is becoming an otherwise dark picture.

It seems - to me at least - that much about what I have been reading about Pacific salmon has ranged from bad to ominous. This sense seems particularly the case for the salmon in the Pacific Northwest.  For example, a report in 2019 found that, while the preliminary forecasts for chum salmon in the Puget Sound hovered around 550,000 fish, the actual amount may have been more along the lines of 243,000 fish. That statistic is particularly alarming given that the chum salmon has traditionally been the most abundant of all the different types of salmon. 

There are many reasons for the population declines. At first, the culprit was overfishing in the 19th and 20th centuries. The loss in fish numbers was compounded by the loss of their habitat, which was primarily due to the construction of dams that blocked the rivers used by the salmon, along with the timber industry, which damaged the rivers and streams.  And then there is climate change and, in particular, the warming of the Pacific Ocean. As it turns out, just a few degrees of increased temperatures can have a significant impact on salmon populations. As the oceans warm, it favors subtropical zooplankton, which are not eaten by juvenile salmon. Warmer water also has less oxygen, making it harder for the fish to breath.

Yet, this is all the bad news; and, I started out this post noting a ray of light. Research has shown that one of the Salish peoples of the Pacific Northwest - the Tsleil-Waututh - have a long history of managing the chum salmon populations where they live. The story actually explains that the Tsleil-Waututh have a much longer history of managing that important resource.

Archeologists had already known that the Tsleil-Waututh, who live in the Burraud tribal territory, have been sustainably fishing chum salmon for about 1,200 years, from approximately 400 BCE to 1200 A.D. However, recent finds at an archeological site at təmtəmíxʷtən, a very important site for the Tseleil-Waututh, have revealed that this fishery has existed for an additional 1,300 years. This history is important because of one fact: chum salmon are especially vulnerable to overfishing. 

This story has led me to think about how we develop our guidelines for sustainability. Often times, those guidelines are dictated from the top down, from the government to the people, with a healthy disdain for guidelines coming from the reverse direction. As long as people are motivated by capitalistic desires, such as the private ownership of resources and maximizing profit for personal gain, that disdain is warranted. But, what if the people are motivated by something else. What if, like the Tsleil-Waututh, the people are motivated by preserving the resources for future generations to enjoy. Resources that are able to thrive in a larger, more balanced ecosystem. 

All of the foregoing also got me thinking about the salmon recipes that I have made over the years. This is perhaps my most favorite recipe on my blog: 

COPPER RIVER SALMON WITH AN ORANGE-SAFFRON SAUCE

Adapted from recipe by Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Serves 4

Ingredients for the Orange-Saffron Sauce:

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup orange juice

A healthy pinch of saffron, crumbled

A healthy pinch of sugar

1 shallot, minced
Salt
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Ingredients (for the fish and greens):
1 1/2 pounds of tender spring greens, such as spinach
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter or vegetable oil, divided
A splash of water (no more than 3 tablespoons)
Grated zest of an orange
1 1/2 pounds of Copper River Salmon (or any wild salmon)

Directions:

1.  Make the Orange-Saffron Sauce.  Make the sauce by bringing the white wine, orange juice, saffron, sugar and shallot to a boil in a small pot.  Simmer strongly for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and puree the sauce in a blender.  Return the sauce to the pot and turn the heat to low.  Add salt to taste and keep warm, but do not boil it or simmer it any further.

2.  Make the Greens.  Cook the greens in 2 tablespoons of butter or oil over high heat in a large saute pan, stirring constantly until they wilt. Add a splash of water, the orange zest and some salt and cover the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low and steam the greens for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

3.  Sear the salmon.  Heat the remaining butter in a pan large enough to hold the fish.  (If you don’t have such a pan, put a baking sheet in the oven and set the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit so you can keep the fish warm as you do this in batches.)  Heat the butter over high heat until it stops frothing. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and set it skin-side down in the hot butter. Turn the heat down to medium-high for a typical fillet  or to medium if you are working with a thicker piece of fish.

4.  Continue cooking the salmon.  Let the fish cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then use a large spoon to baste the meat side of the fish with the hot butter. Baste the salmon for 90 seconds, then give it a rest. A thin fillet will only need one quick basting, but thicker pieces of fish will need a second or even third round of basting.  It took about four to five rounds of basting for the fillets that I had.  When the basting is done, salt the meat side. The skin side should lift off the pan easily after about 4 to 5 minutes of steady cooking. The moment you take the fish off the heat, salt the skin side.

5.  Finish the dish.  To serve, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce, one tablespoon at a time. Pour some sauce on everyone’s plate. Top with the greens and then with a piece of fish. Serve immediately.

OTHER DELICIOUS SALMON RECIPES TO TRY

If you are looking for other recipes to honor the salmon and its place in the foodways of different cultures, or if you are just looking for a delicious recipe, I suggest these possibilities:

Smoked Sockeye Salmon: This is about as close as I can get to trying to pay homage to how Native Americans and First Nations would prepare their catches. You can check out the post and learn about the Legend of the Lost Salmon. This is one of the recipes that I wish I made more often, if only I had the time and the memory to remind myself. 

"Imperial" King Salmon: This dish features king salmon grilled on an alder plank. It also features a crab imperial over the top. The imperial literally places this dish over the top. 

Cedar Plank Salmon: This recipe was truly an educational experience for me. The "smothering" of the salmon with onions serves an important purpose. The water in the onions help to keep the salmon moist.

Pike's Place Salmon Burgers: The final recipe comes from one of my Super Bowl parties, when I prepared a dish from the city of one of the Super Bowl contenders. Back in 2014, that contender was the Seattle Seahawks. So, I prepared a salmon burger recipe that comes from the city's iconic Pike's Place market. 

These are just some of the salmon recipes on this blog. If you want to see the other posts, just click on "Salmon" in the word cloud in "What's in my Fridge + Pantry." Until next time, 

ENJOY!

Blackened Planked Salmon

If someone were to ask, "what is your favorite way to prepare salmon," then I would probably answer grilling it on a cedar plank.  The use of wood planks to grill food goes back a very, very long time, originating with the Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest.  Women would then tack the salmon to long slabs of wood, usually alder or cedar, or they would tie the fish to the planks using vines.  Those wooden slabs were then placed over a fire and the salmon was allowed to cook slowly, absorbing the flavors of the wood and smoke.

That traditional practice may still be performed in some Native Americans in the northwest; however, in my case, the use of planks involves a cookie-cutter piece of cedar wood that gets soaked in water for more than an hour, fitted with a piece of salmon  and then placed on top of a fire or in a grill.  After about fifteen minutes or so, the plank is removed from the fire, the fish is removed from the plank and dinner is served.  The whole process seems far less idyllic than the process used by Native Americans.

Indeed, I am no stranger to using cedar planks.  I've made several salmon dishes in this manner.   I've made a traditional plank salmon (well, as traditional as traditional can get).  I've also made something fancier with planks and salmon, namely, the Imperial Salmon, a plank salmon with a crab imperial.   However, this time, I was looking for a different way to make planked salmon.  It got me to thinking and it did not take me long to think of something new.

As much as I am a fan of using smoke to impart flavors into meats, I am also a fan of blackening spices.  This recipe combines both ... blackened planked salmon.  It is a bayou meets the northwest thing, a combination of two sets of regional flavors that works in many different, but delicious ways.  To put it simply, it is the right combination of spice and smoke that can appeal to someone who, like myself, loves barbecue.

BLACKENED PLANKED SALMON

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2

Ingredients (for the salmon):

2 six ounce fillets of salmon

1 cedar plank

Ingredients (for the blackening spice mix):

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1.  Prepare the spice mix.  In a bowl, mix all of the spice mix Generously rub the mixture on both sides of the salmon.  Cover the fish and let rest for one half hour.

2.  Prepare the salmon for the grill.  Preheat a grill on medium.  Brush the cedar plank on both sides with three tablespoons of oil.  Place the salmon on the plank and cover evenly with the onion slices.  The onions do not just add flavor, they protect the fish from burning while it cooks. So make sure that the onions cover both the tops and the sides of the fish.  Drizzle some oil over the onions.

3.  Grill the salmon. The grill should be hot enough to ignite the plank when you place the plank in the grill.  Let the plank burn around the fish.  Once the plank has burned, cover the grill.  Continue to grill the salmon until medium rare, or 130 degrees Fahrenheit, which should take about ten minutes. 

ENJOY!

Pike's Place Salmon Burgers

The Pike's Place Market is one the most well known symbols of the city of Seattle.   It opened on August 17, 1907, the result of a proposal by Seattle City Councilman Thomas Revelle, who proposed the idea of a public market where both farmers could sell their goods directly to the city's residents.  According to the market's website, Councilman Revelle proclaimed, "the Market is yours. I dedicate it to you and may it prove of benefit to you and your children. It is for you to protect, defend, and uphold and it is for you to see that those who occupy it treat you fairly. … This is one of the greatest days in the history of Seattle."  For more than 100 years, I think the citizens of Seattle have upheld their responsibilities to protect, defend and uphold that market and, during that time, the market and its vendors have provided a lot to the citizens, including this one particular recipe for Pike's Place Salmon Burgers.

I happened to find this recipe when I was preparing for our annual Super Bowl Party.  With each game, the challenge is to make sandwiches or snacks that are representative of the city or state whose teams are playing in the game.  Super Bowl XLVIII featured the Denver Broncos vs. the Seattle Seahawks.  As the conference championships came to a close, I immediately knew that I would be making a salmon burger to represent the city of Seattle.  I just needed a recipe.

I found that recipe on the NBC Today website.  The recipe comes from the Pike's Place Fish Guys, Justin Hall and Anders Miller, and can be found in their cookbook, In the Kitchen with the Pike's Place Fish Guys.  The  Fish Guys give a relatively straightforward introduction to the dish: These are the very same patties that seem to fly out of the case at Pike Place Fish. They are great served on their own or with your favorite sauce, such as tartar or dill sauce. We think the best way to serve them is on a brioche bun, with a little arugula, tomato, and a slice of Walla Walla sweet onion on top. This might be the best salmon burger ever. 

The "best salmon burger ever"?  That is a pretty bold claim. I will say that this recipe produces a great salmon burger.  It is definitely better with the tomato, sweet onion and arugula.  While it is a great burger, and perhaps the best Northwestern-style salmon burger, I personally think my beautiful Angel's Salmon Burgers are the best salmon burgers ever, especially smoked on a cedar plank and served with ancho guacamole. 

 

PIKE'S PLACE SALMON BURGERS

Recipe from NBC Today 

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the burgers):

1 pound boneless, skinless, wild salmon, finely chopped
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon rub (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon Northwest Seafood Seasoning (see recipe below)
1 cup panko crumbs

Ingredients (for the rub):
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seed
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1/4 cup dried granulated onion
1 1/2 tablespoons of ground chipotle chile

Ingredients (for the Northwest Seafood Seasoning):
1/3 cup dried minced garlic
1/3 cup dried granulated onion
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
4 teaspoons granulated lemon peel
1/3 cup dried dill
1/3 cup paprika
2 tablespoons celery seed
1/2 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup medium grind black pepper

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub: Combine all of the ingredients (brown sugar, paprika, cilantro, fennel seed, garlic pepper, salt, celery seed, onion, and chipotle) in a bowl and mix well. Store in a covered container for at least 6 months.

2.  Prepare the Northwest Seafood Seasoning: Combine all of the ingredients (garlic, onion, salt, lemon peel, dill, paprika, celery seed, parsley, and pepper) in a bowl and mix well. Store in a covered container for at least 6 months.

3.  Prepare the burgers. Place the chopped salmon in a large bowl and add 2 teaspoons of the oil, the rub, and the seafood seasoning. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Add the panko crumbs and mix to combine.  Form the mixture evenly into 4 patties, packing them firmly around the edges so they don't fall apart. Each patty should be between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick.

4.  Cook the burgers.  Preheat a skillet (cast iron works well) over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is nearly smoking, add the patties and cook for 3 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The patties may also be grilled over medium-high heat for the same amount of time.

5.  Plate the dish.  Toast the ciabatta buns or sandwich buns for a couple of minutes.  Place a burger on the bottom half of the bun and top with a slice of tomato, some thin slices of onion and some arugula.

ENJOY!

Copper River Sockeye Salmon with an Orange-Saffron Sauce

There are only a handful of food blogs that I regularly follow, and, one of them is Hunter, Angler, Gardener and Cook or "HAGC."  The mind behind HAGC is Hank Shaw, who spends his time doing what the name of his blog suggests.  Hank has posted several recipes that have been on my to do list for quite some time.  One of those recipes is Trout with Orange-Saffron Sauce. 

I was particularly interested in the orange-saffron sauce, which I thought was a very good sauce to pair with trout.  Hank used the orange (and white wine) to provide some acidity to balance with the fat in the trout.  The orange also added a little sweetness, which adds complexity to the sauce.  That complexity is further developed by the use of saffron that, according to Hank, adds an "ever-so-slightly bitter flavor" to the sauce.  After reading his blog, I was determined to make this dish for my beautiful wife, Clare, and myself. 

I had to make a couple of substitutions and adjustments.  First, I did not have access to any trout fillets that were thick enough to do this recipe any justice.  I decided to substitute some Copper River Sockeye Salmon fillets. The salmon worked very well because it shares some of the same characteristics as the trout, particularly that little bit of fattiness and relatively mild taste.  Second, I had to substitute the greens.  Hank used amaranth, but I did not have any of that leafy vegetable available to me.  I substituted some fresh spinach.  Although I am not a big fan of spinach, I really liked it in this dish. 

COPPER RIVER SALMON WITH AN ORANGE-SAFFRON SAUCE

Adapted from recipe by Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Serves 4

Ingredients for the Orange-Saffron Sauce:

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup orange juice

A healthy pinch of saffron, crumbled

A healthy pinch of sugar

1 shallot, minced
Salt
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Ingredients (for the fish and greens):
1 1/2 pounds of tender spring greens, such as spinach
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter or vegetable oil, divided
A splash of water (no more than 3 tablespoons)
Grated zest of an orange
1 1/2 pounds of Copper River Salmon (or any wild salmon)

Directions:

1.  Make the Orange-Saffron Sauce.  Make the sauce by bringing the white wine, orange juice, saffron, sugar and shallot to a boil in a small pot.  Simmer strongly for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and puree the sauce in a blender.  Return the sauce to the pot and turn the heat to low.  Add salt to taste and keep warm, but do not boil it or simmer it any further.

2.  Make the Greens.  Cook the greens in 2 tablespoons of butter or oil over high heat in a large saute pan, stirring constantly until they wilt. Add a splash of water, the orange zest and some salt and cover the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low and steam the greens for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

3.  Sear the salmon.  Heat the remaining butter in a pan large enough to hold the fish.  (If you don’t have such a pan, put a baking sheet in the oven and set the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit so you can keep the fish warm as you do this in batches.)  Heat the butter over high heat until it stops frothing. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and set it skin-side down in the hot butter. Turn the heat down to medium-high for a typical fillet  or to medium if you are working with a thicker piece of fish.

4.  Continue cooking the salmon.  Let the fish cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then use a large spoon to baste the meat side of the fish with the hot butter. Baste the salmon for 90 seconds, then give it a rest. A thin fillet will only need one quick basting, but thicker pieces of fish will need a second or even third round of basting.  It took about four to five rounds of basting for the fillets that I had.  When the basting is done, salt the meat side. The skin side should lift off the pan easily after about 4 to 5 minutes of steady cooking. The moment you take the fish off the heat, salt the skin side.

5.  Finish the dish.  To serve, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce, one tablespoon at a time. Pour some sauce on everyone’s plate. Top with the greens and then with a piece of fish. Serve immediately.

Overall, this is a great dish.  Clare and I really enjoyed the match of the salmon and the orange-saffron sauce.  Hank suggests other possible options when it comes to fish, such as sea-bass, bluefish, and walleye.  I think I may also try this recipe with rockfish, which is very plentiful around where we live. 

ENJOY!

Chile Rubbed Salmon with Tomatillo, Jalapeno Pepper and Lime Juice

As I continued preparing a wonderful Valentine's dinner for my beautiful Angel, Clare, I had to think of a main course.  Clare loves salmon and, due to her pregnancy, she has not been able to eat as much of it as she would like.  All of the pregnancy guidelines say that it is important to eat certain fish.  Salmon is one of those fish, provided that it is wild salmon rather than farmed salmon.  There are many issues with respect to farmed salmon, which are better left for another post.  Fortunately, I have a lot of access to wild sockeye salmon.  So, I purchased two six ounce fillets and began to work on the recipe.

I had planned on following the same approach to planning this course that I used when I made my Roasted Root Vegetable Soup.  I planned on choosing ingredients that would complement each other, as determined by The Flavor Bible.  However, as I perused the section on Salmon, I came across a dish prepared by Zarela Martinez for her restaurant.  The dish was "Salmon Rubbed with Ground Red Chile and Lime and Pan Seared.  Served with a Tangy, Spicy, Tomatillo, Jalapeno and Lime Juice Sauce.  The dish caught my attention, and, I decided to make it.  The only problem is that I did not have a recipe.

So this recipe is my first effort to create Martinez's dish.  I made estimates of the amount of each ingredients for the salmon and the sauce.  For the salmon, I used ground Hatch chiles for the rub, but ground ancho chile and even cayenne pepper could be used.  For the sauce, I used a couple tomatillos with some onion, shallot and garlic to help add flavors and body to the sauce.  I did not add any more spices or herbs (other than salt and pepper) to keep the sauce rather simple. Finally, I decided to pair this dish with some saffron rice, which is just ordinary rice with a pinch of saffron added during the boiling stage.  

Overall, I think this dish worked out very well.  The sauce may need a little more work, especially with respect to consistency.  (The consistency of sauces continues to be an area that I need to develop.)  The flavor was there and it worked very well with the not only the salmon, but also the rice. 

CHILE RUBBED SALMON WITH TOMATILLO,

JALAPENO PEPPER AND LIME JUICE SAUCE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 six-ounce sockeye salmon fillets

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or canola oil

3 tomatillos, de-husked, and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 shallot, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

2 cups of rice, made according to instructions

2 limes, juiced

1 pinch of saffron

Salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rice.  Prepare the rice according to the the instructions.  Before you begin to boil the water, add a pinch of saffron to the water.  Then continue as directed by the instructions.  

2. Prepare the sauce.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet.  Add the onions and saute until soft, about four to five minutes.  Add the shallot, garlic and oregano, saute for two minutes more.  Add the jalapeno pepper and saute for about three more minutes.   Season with a couple grinds of salt and pepper.  Add the tomatillos and continue to saute for about five to eight minutes, until the tomatillos begin to soften.   Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the ingredients to a blender.  Blend the ingredients until they are a liquid.  Tranfer the ingredients to a pot, season again with salt and pepper.  Cover and set aside. 

3.  Saute the salmon.  Heat the remaining oil in a pan.  Saute the salmon, skin side up, for about four minutes.  Flip the salmon and saute for about four minutes more or until done.  

ENJOY!

Pan Roasted Salmon Steaks with Tomato Vinaigrette

Several weeks ago, I was looking for a new and different recipe for making salmon.  I had bought a couple of sockeye salmon steaks and wanted to make something special for my beautiful Angel.  I searched the Internet and came across a recipe by Ted Allen for Pan Roasted Salmon with a Tomato Vinaigrette on the Food & Wine website.  I decided that I would adapt this recipe and use it with the salmon steaks.

I modified this recipe in a couple of respects.  First, the recipe called for the use of center-cut salmon fillets.  I went with salmon steaks.  Second,  I used a variety of yellow and red tomatoes, to add some more color to the dish.  Finally, I decided to garnish the dish with some thin slices of Pecorino Romano.  I thought that the cheese would add another layer of flavor to the dish, although, after-the-fact, I think the cheese could be left off the dish.

Overall, this dish was okay.  Obviously, I still need to work on plating and appearance.  (I was very disappointed with the plating, so much so that this dish almost did not make the blog.)  As for taste, it was delicious.  I will definitely try to make this dish again and see if I can do a better job.

PAN-ROASTED SALMON STEAK WITH TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Adapted from recipe by Ted Allen and available at Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced 

1 tablespoon of drained capers

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Salt

3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

4 salmon steaks

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

     or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon of chopped basil

Directions:

1.  Begin the vinaigrette.  While the oven is preheating to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, toss the tomatoes with the shallots, capers, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl. 

2.  Cook the salmon.  In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up.  (If you are using salmon steaks, just add them to the skillet.) Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about three minutes.  Carefully flip the fillets (or steaks).  Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Transfer the fish to the plates and pour off any fat in the skillet.

3.  Finish the dish.  Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin (or crushed red pepper), canola oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about two minutes.  Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with the parsley and basil and serve immediately.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

Food & Wine suggests that this dish could be paired with an Argentinian rose wine.  Those may be a little difficult to find.  French rose wines are generally more available.  Winemakers in Provence and the Loire Valley produce some great rose wines.

ENJOY! 

Savage Boleks' Steelhead Sliders

Followers of this blog may recall that my beautiful Angel provided a guest blog post about the Salmon Burgers that she made.  When we were preparing for our Super Bowl party, I decided that we should make slider versions of those amazing burgers.  We went to a local warehouse store, looking for pounds of sustainable salmon.  (This is a challenge, which is best left for another day.)  We looked at the salmon there, but we were not impressed with the fillets.  There were discolorations and imperfections that, as someone who has cooked a lot of fish and seafood, left me very uneasy. The store also had fillets of  Steelhead.   Those fillets looked a lot better, so we bought a couple to make our sliders. 

Steelhead are sometimes referred to as salmon; however, they  are not salmon.  Steelhead are rainbow trout that share a lot in common with salmon.  Born in freshwater, the steelhead migrate to the oceans to grow and mature.  Once they are ready to reproduce, they return up the rivers to where they were born.  The one significant difference is that, while salmon die after reproducing, steelhead usually continue to live and reproduce.  This makes steelhead more sustainable, because they are able to reproduce up to several times before they die.  Today, most steelhead are farmed like Atlantic Salmon and conservation watchdogs, like the Monterrey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, list steelhead as a "best choice."  

This recipe follows Clare's salmon burger recipe very closely.  We served the burgers with a choice of dill yogurt or ancho guacamole condiments.   These are great sliders, which can also be made with actual salmon (whether sockeye, coho or king salmon).

SAVAGE BOLEKS' STEELHEAD SLIDERS

A Chef Bolek Collaboration with Clare Bolek

Serves 12-18

Ingredients:
2 pounds of fresh steelhead fillets
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons of prepared mustard

1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
1 cup of dried mushrooms, ground into powder

3 cups Panko bread crumbs

2 beaten eggs

3 cloves garlic, diced finely

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup of Greek yogurt or guacamole
1 tablespoon of fresh dill (if you use yogurt)

Directions:

1.  Prepare the salmon mixture.  Cutting the salmon into even pieces.  Place the salmon pieces in a food processor and process until the salmon is broken up.  Add the salmon to a bowl and add the onion, garlic, cilantro, paprika and lemon juice.  Mix thoroughly and then add the Panko bread crumbs, eggs and olive oil. Continue to mix thoroughly.

2.  Make the slider patties.  Make patties by taking a handful of the salmon mixture.  You should get about a dozen patties.  Place the patties on a sheet of wax paper.  Once all of the patties are formed, place them in the freezer for about one half of an hour.

3.  Cook the patties.   Let the burgers cook for about three to four minutes and then flip them.  Continue to cook the burgers for about three more.  Remove the burgers from the heat.

Serve the salmon sliders on toasted or grilled buns.  You can use whatever toppings you like, such as lettuce, tomato, red onion or ... guacamole.  If you use yogurt, chop the dill very finely and mix it into the yogurt.  Spoon a little yogurt onto the bottom of the bun and place the slider on top.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

When one thinks of salmon, especially in the Pacific Northwest, the thoughts turn to Pinot Noir.  Oregon has many great Pinot Noir wines (some of which I have reviewed on this blog).  A couple of suggestions include the following:

Privé Vineyard -- Le Nord (2008)

100% Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Flavors of cherries and spice

Sokol Blosser -- Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir (2006)

100% Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Flavors of dark berries and mocha

If you would like to pair these sliders with a beer, an American Pale Ale or a regular Pale Ale would pair well.  These beers have a moderate hop flavor that should not be too piney, bitter or resinous.  I would advise against an India Pale Ale, which would probably be too bitter for this dish.

ENJOY!

Smoked Sockeye Salmon

Salmon has a very important place in the culture of Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest.  The tribes long believed that if someone mishandled the fish, the great spirits of the sea would drive the salmon from the waters.

It is known as the Legend of the Lost Salmon.  Briefly, the Creator told the people that the salmon, which had been created especially for them, had to be treated in accordance with certain rules.  The people initially followed those rules; however, over time, they became careless.  They stopped following the rules and the salmon vanished.  As the people walked the river, they were shocked that the salmon were gone.  They came across a dead salmon and all cried out that, if they were only given one more chance, they would do better.  They also thought if they could revive the dead salmon, the salmon would return to their waters.  

The tribe called a council and asked one of their most venerable members, Old Man Rattlesnake, to help them.  Old Man Rattlesnake went to where the dead salmon laid and crawled over the salmon four times.  When he crawled over the salmon a fifth time, something magnificent happened ... Old Man Rattlesnake disappeared into the fish and the salmon awoke.  The people learned their lesson about taking care of salmon and the fish returned to the streams. 

The Legend of the Lost Salmon is not just a story passed down by generations of Native Americans; it has a moral that transcends cultures and nationalities.  We all have to "follow the rules" when it comes to the fauna and flora in our environment.  Our failure to do so could lead to us losing them.  This morale is especially true when it comes to fish, because our activity has decimated the stocks of many fish around the world, including salmon. Today, there are a lot of rules when it comes to the fishing of  Pacific Salmon and Alaska Salmon, including Sockeye and King Salmon.  These rules have led watchdog groups like Seafood Watch to give these fish the "Best Choice" when it comes to sustainable fish.

Recently, while visiting Eastern Market with Clare and her parents, we stopped by Southern Maryland Seafood and saw some beautiful fillets of wild Sockeye Salmon.  We decided that we would buy a two pound fillet of Sockeye Salmon.  Our plan was to smoke the fish.

Smoking fish involves choices.  Before the smoking can begin, one must decide on how to "cure" the fish.  There are two methods: wet cure or dry cure.  A wet cure is a brine with a base of water, salt and sugar (as well as other ingredients).  A dry cure is a rub, usually consisting of salt and sugar (as well as with other herbs and spices).  Once a choice has been made with respect to the cure, the next decision to make is the method of smoking the fish.  Once again, there are two choices: cold smoking or hot smoking.  Cold smoking involves cooking the meat with smoke at temperatures of 85 degrees Fahrenheit or less.  By contrast, hot smoking involves cooking the meat with smoke at temperature between 120 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit or more. 

Ultimately, we decided to use a wet cure and the hot smoking method to smoke our Sockeye Salmon fillet. We created a simple brine for the fish and let the fish rest in the brine for about forty-five minutes.  While we were air-drying the fish, we decided to smoke the fish using apple wood.  Most often, salmon is smoked using alder wood, but apple wood is a tame wood that imparts a sweet smoke flavor to meat.  After about an hour, we pulled the fish from the heat and were treated to an amazing meal.

SMOKED SOCKEYE SALMON

Adapted from Great Salmon Recipes
Serves many

Ingredients:

2 pounds of sockeye salmon

4 cups water

3/4 cup of Kosher Salt

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

Directions:

1.   Brine the salmon.  Combine the water, salt and brown sugar to create the brine.  Add the sockeye to the brine and allow the fish to rest for about forty-five minutes. After forty-five minutes, remove the fish and set it out to air-dry.  

2.  Smoke the salmon.   Prepare the fire for the smoker.  Once the fire is set, add some pieces of apple wood to start the smoke.   Ideally, you do not want the temperature to exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  (It is better for the temperature to be less than 200 degrees.)  Add the salmon and smoke it for about one hour.  The internal temperature should reach about 140 degrees Fahrenheit and the meat of the fish should be easy to flake. 

3.  Finish the dish.  Remove the fish from the heat and allow it to return to room temperature. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

For more about smoking salmon, check out the Gourmet Food Store.  For more about the Legend of the Lost Salmon, check out Native American Indian Legends.

Salmon Burgers with Ancho Guacamole

I am not the only one who cooks in our family.  My beautiful wife, Clare, is also a great cook and a great baker.  Every once in a while, I ask my Angel to provide a guest blog post so that I can share some of the amazing and delicious things that she makes for family, friends and, of course, me.  She has already provided guest blog posts about Tuscan Vegetable Soup, Cuban Bread and Loyalist Bread. So, without further ado,

A Guest Blog Post by Clare ...

Keith has posted a few things about our recent vacation in the Outer Banks on his blog.  We spent a week with my parents, along with one of my aunt and uncle and my cousins in Avon, which is near Hatteras. For the first night, the plans were to grill hamburgers and hot dogs.  This is a problem for me because I do not eat meat.  But I do eat seafood.  My dad went to the grocery store and bought a piece of salmon and made me salmon burgers.  The burgers that he prepared were delicious and I got to thinking about salmon burgers a lot.  Eventually, I decided to make salmon burgers myself.

I looked at a couple of recipes online and I talked to my dad and Keith.  My dad helped me with the ingredients for the salmon burgers and Keith had a great idea of "planking" the burgers.  By using cedar planks, it would be much easier to turn the burgers and the planks would add a little cedar flavor to the burgers.  Keith also offered to make some ancho guacamole for the salmon burgers.  The guacamole was a good topping for the burgers.  

SALMON BURGERS

A Clare Bolek Original
Serves 12

Ingredients:

2 pounds of salmon

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons of Lusty Monk Mustard (you can substitute
      with Dijon Mustard)

1 medium Vidalia onion, diced

3 cups Panko bread crumbs

2 beaten eggs

3 cloves garlic, diced finely

1 teaspoon of Spanish paprika

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

1.  Begin soaking a cedar plank(s) in water.  You should be able to place about four burgers on a plank.  The plank(s) should soak for about an hour.

2.  Prepare the burgers by cutting the salmon into even pieces.  Place the salmon pieces in a food processor and process until the salmon is broken up.  Add the salmon to a bowl and add the onion, garlic, cilantro, paprika and lemon juice.  Mix thoroughly and then add the Panko bread crumbs, eggs and olive oil. Continue to mix thoroughly.

3. Make patties by taking a handful of the salmon mixture.  You should get about a dozen patties.  Place the patties on a sheet of wax paper.  Once all of the patties are formed, place them in the freezer for about one half of an hour.

4.  After about thirty minutes, remove the patties from the freezer.  Heat the grill on medium high heat.  Remove the plank from the water and pat dry.  Drizzle a little olive oil on the plank and place the patties on the plank(s).

5.  Put the planks on the grill.  Let the burgers cook for about ten minutes and then flip them.  Continue to cook the burgers for about ten minutes more.  Remove the burgers from the heat.

Serve the salmon burgers on toasted or grilled buns.  You can use whatever toppings you like, such as lettuce, tomato, red onion or ... guacamole.

ANCHO GUACAMOLE

Adapted from a recipe by Alton Brown

Serves many

Ingredients:
3 avocados
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, diced

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat the avocado with the lime juice. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.

2.  Add the salt, cumin, and ancho chile powder.  With a potato masher, mash the avocados.

3.  Fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice.

4.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

The Salmon Burgers were a great success.  Both Keith and I really enjoyed eating these burgers.  The great thing is that we more burgers, which I froze to eat another day.  I am definitely going to make this recipe again.  As Keith would say,

ENJOY!

"Imperial" King Salmon

I often joke that, after a stressful day at work, I relieve that stress through cooking.  I also note that people can tell how stressed out I was at work based upon what I make.  The more stressful of a day, the fancier the dish.  Well, after a few stressful days a while back, I unleashed my creative energies to make a dish that I ended up calling "Imperial" King Salmon.

The Chinook Salmon, which is known as King Salmon, is the largest species of salmon.  It has a special place in the tradition of many Native American tribes.  It also has its place in the early history of the United States when the Lewis and Clark expedition described -- and ate -- this fish during their exploration of the Pacific Northwest.  

This magnificent fish is the centerpiece of a truly original and, in some respects, crazy recipe.  The recipe starts with one pound of King Salmon.  Add one pound of lump blue crab imperial.  Put it all on a cedar plank and grill it.  The end result is an amazingly decadent dish. The crazy part is actually executing the recipe.  While there are many recipes for Plank King Salmon, there are no recipes for Planked Crab Imperial.   And, there are many recipes for crab imperial, but most of them involve placing the crab mixture into little ramekins, topped with bread crumbs, and baked for length of a reality show (minus the commercials). I decided to be daring and combine two dishes into one -- Plank King Salmon and Crab Imperial -- to create a Chef Bolek original recipe. 

Hence, the name, "Imperial" King Salmon, which suggests the richness of the dish.  This dish also reigns over many of the dishes that I've made recently.  It is a more lavish dish, because both King Salmon and lump blue crab are a bit pricey.   However, the dish is also rich in flavor.  Grilling the salmon and the crab on the cedar plank infuses all of the ingredients with the cedar flavor.  Both Clare and I really enjoyed this dish.

"IMPERIAL" KING SALMON

A Chef Bolek Recipe

Serves 3-4

Ingredients (for the King Salmon):
1 to 1 1/4 pounds of King Salmon
1 pound of lump blue crab
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher Salt, to taste
Ground Pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the Blue Crab Imperial):
1 pound of lump blue crab
1/4 large green pepper, diced finely
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 shallot, diced finely
2 tablespoons of mustard
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon of thyme

Directions: 
1.  Make the Crab Imperial.  Begin by making the Imperial.  Saute the green pepper in butter until translucent.  Transfer the green peppers to a bowl.  Add the crab in patches and mix.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add the mustard and mayonnaise, continuing to mix the ingredients.  Add the crushed red pepper and thyme.  Continue to mix the ingredients.

2.  Prepare to grill the salmon.  Preheat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Soak the cedar plank for an hour.  Remove the plank from the water and place the salmon on the plank.  Cover the salmon with the crab mixture.

3.  Grill the salmon.  Grill the salmon for about 20 to 25 minutes.  The Imperial will begin to brown around the edges, which is good.   Remove and let sit for five minutes.

When you are ready to plate the dish, simply use a serrated knife to cut through the crab and the salmon carefully.  Then use a spatula to plate the the "Imperial" King Salmon. As you can see from the picture below, the end result is a juicy piece of salmon covered with a crab mixture that has a lot of good ingredients besides the crab, such as cracked black pepper and green pepper. 

In the end, a little craziness on my part has resulted in a dish that may become one of my specialties, or, at the very least, a dish for special occasions. I definitely intend to make this dish again whenever I see King Salmon in the stores. 

ENJOY!

For more about King Salmon or Chinook Salmon, check out Wikipedia. 

Cedar Plank Salmon

Recently, I wanted to make Cedar Plank Salmon.  For me, this dish takes me back to my very first trip to the Pacific Northwest, when I went to Seattle for a job interview.  I arrived late in the afternoon and was scheduled to leave the following afternoon.  With little time to see the city, I went straight for the Pike Place Market.  By the the time I got to the market, it was about to close.  My disappointment over missing an opportunity to walk the aisles of this famous market soon faded after I sat down for dinner at a restaurant in downtown Seattle.  I do not remember the name of the restaurant, but I do remember the dish ... it was my first experience eating Cedar Plank Salmon.  

I wanted to make this dish using a recipe from the Pacific Northwest.  Fortunately, during my honeymoon, I picked up a cookbook called The Paley's Place Cookbook.  The Paley's Place is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, which focuses its cuisine on local, organic and sustainable foods.  Clare and I never made it to the restaurant for a meal, but the cookbook is really, really good. 

I made two changes to the recipe.  In the original recipe, it calls for using a dry cedar plank and allowing the plank to burn around the fish.  However, I think the smell of the cedar wood contributes to the flavor of the overall dish.  So, I soaked the cedar plank for about an hour before assembling the fish and grilling it.  Once put on the grill, the soaked plank will begin to smoke and that smoke will infuse much more cedar flavor into the fish and the onions.  I left the instructions for the original recipe below, but, I would recommend soaking the wood so that you can amplify that cedar flavor in the final dish.

The second change involved the type of salmon that I used for the dish.  The original recipe calls for king salmon, which is by far one the best kind of salmon to use on a Cedar Plank.  However, I did not have access to king salmon.  I used sockeye salmon, which worked just as well.  I would also recommend using coho salmon as a substitute.  All three types of salmon -- king, sockeye and coho -- are wild salmon, which is the type of salmon that has the best health benefits, such as Omega 3.  

CEDAR PLANK SALMON

The Paley's Place Cookbook at 92-94

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 pounds of salmon, preferably king salmon, but you can use coho or sockeye salmon
2 tablespoons of Kosher salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 small bulb of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves

Directions:

1.  Prepare the marinade.  In a bowl, mix the salt, brown sugar and orange zest.  Generously rub the mixture on both sides of the salmon.  Cover the fish and refrigerate for two hours.

2.  Prepare the salmon for the grill.  Preheat a grill on medium.  Brush the cedar plank on both sides with three tablespoons of olive oil.  Spread the chopped garlic on the plank the length and width of the salmon fillet.  Place the salmon on top of the garlic and cover evenly with the chopped basil and onion slices.  The onions do not just add flavor, they protect the fish from burning while it cooks. So make sure that the onions cover both the tops and the sides of the fish.  Drizzle three tablespoons of olive oil over the onions.

3.  Grill the salmon. The grill should be hot enough to ignite the plank when you place the plank in the grill.  Let the plank burn around the fish.  Once the plank has burned, cover the grill.  Continue to grill the salmon until medium rare, or 130 degrees Fahrenheit, which should take about fifteen minutes. 

ENJOY!

Buttery Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Shallots

Every once in a while, it is okay to splurge.  This meal is definitely a splurge.  It is a sockeye salmon sauteed in butter and then topped with a little "salad" of shiitake mushrooms and shallots and topped again with a chiffonade of sage.  The butter makes this dish decadent,  making each mouthful of salmon something to treasure.  I would not make this often, but it is definitely a good creation.

BUTTERY SALMON WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND SHALLOTS
A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 pound of sockeye salmon fillets
8 shiitake mushrooms, medium to large
1 shallot, julienned
1 garlic clove diced
5 tablespoons of butter
4-6 large leaves of sage, chiffonade

Directions:
1.  Cut the salmon into 2 or 4 slices.  Salt and pepper liberally.  Clean the shiitake mushrooms and slice them into little strips.  Heat a pan on high and throw the mushrooms into the pan.  This will draw the moisture out of the mushrooms.  Stir the mushrooms.  After a couple of minutes, add 2 tablespoons of butter, the shallots and garlic.  Saute for about five minutes.

2.  In a separate plan, while the mushroom mixture is sauteing, heat 3 tablespoons of butter on medium high heat.  When the butter is melted and bubbling, add the salmon, flesh side down.  Saute for about 5 to 6 minutes and flip.  Saute for about five more minutes.  Take a knife and poke gently into the salmon to determine if it is done. If the salmon begins to flake, it is basically done.  If it is not flaking, turn it one more time for a couple of minutes.

3.  Remove the salmon and plate.  Take a spoonful (or three, as I like it) of the mushroom mixture and gently pour the mixture over the salmon.  Garnish with the sage chiffonade.

ENJOY!

New Mexican Green Salmon with Dirty Devil Corn

I've been to Santa Fe, New Mexico several times for work, and each time I go, I try to visit The Chile Shop on my free time.  The Chile Shop, as its name suggest, sells all things chile.  Apart from my desire to buy a bunch of ristras to hang around the house, which would be difficult to carry onto a plane, I always purchase a pound or two of different chile powders.  The spiciness of the chile powder can range from a very mild chile to a very hot chile.  Personally, I usually stock three powders: a medium red Hatch chile, a medium-to-hot green Hatch chile, and a very hot Native Nambe chile. 

These chile powders often serve as inspiration for dishes, such as my New Mexican Green Salmon and Dirty Devil Corn. The inspiration for each is based upon a chile powder.  The Green Salmon is based upon the use of the green Hatch chile in the rub.  The Dirty Devil chile is based on the use of either red hatch chile or Native Nambe chile.  (I used red Hatch chiles in this recipe).  No recipes were used in making these dishes; I came up with these dishes on my own.  For that reason, the measurements are approximate.  But that is a good thing, because you can add or subtract to accommodate your tastes and preferences.

NEW MEXICAN GREEN SALMON STEAKS 

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of green Hatch chile powder
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of adobo

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon of rosemary
salt
pepper
olive oil
4 salmon steaks (see tip below)

Directions:

1.  Combine the green Hatch chili powder, cumin, adobo, garlic powder, thyme and rosemary.  Rub the salmon steaks with olive oil.  Salt and pepper the steaks.  Sprinkle the rub over the all of the steaks, including the sides.  Place the steaks in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

2.  Heat the grill to high.  Remove the steaks a couple minutes before placing them on the grill.  Place the steaks on the grill for three minutes.  Turn the steaks 90 degrees and let them cook for a couple minutes more.  Flip the steaks and let them cook for a couple of minutes and then turn 90 degrees.  Cook for a couple of minutes and then remove.

TIP:  Always know what type of salmon you are buying in the store.  Most salmon sold in stores is farm-raised.   This salmon is not the healthiest to consume, because of use of pesticides and antibiotics by farmers.  It is okay to consume in limited amounts, but you should always look for wild-caught salmon.  Sockeye, Coho and King Salmon from Alaska, Washington and Oregon is the best choice.

DIRTY DEVIL CORN

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 ears of corn,cleaned
2 tablespoons of medium Hatch chile powder (or Native Nambe if you like it really hot)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of adobo
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
1/2 teaspoon of rosemary
salt and pepper
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 stick of butter
1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Directions: 

1.  Combine the chili powder, cumin, adobo, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Take the stick of butter and rub all sides of the corn liberally.  Sprinkle the diced garlic over the corn.  Then sprinkle the combined rub all over the corn.  Wrap each ear of corn in foil.

2.  Heat the grill to high.  Cook for five minutes over the grill and turn.  Cook for about five minutes more.

3,  Remove the corn from the foil.  Sprinkle the chopped cilantro over the corn and serve.

ENJOY.