Salmon Chowder

Photo of ingredients to make Salmon Chowder

Books Of Life
I am a bookworm. I love everything about books. I like to read them. I like the smell of them. And, anytime I get to be in a room with a lot of books I feel centered.

For that reason, it should come as no surprise that one of my favorite places in the whole wide world is Powell’s Bookstore in Portland, Oregon. Anytime I find myself in Portland for either work or leisure, I try to carve out just a little bit of time to go to Powell’s.

To be fair, anywhere I go, I somehow end up in a bookstore whether I plan it or not. And, without fail, I will find myself in the cooking section of said bookstore because my addiction to books most vividly manifests itself in my cookbook collection. Cookbooks are my favorite souvenirs. To me, the best way to remind yourself about a place, its people, and its culture, is through its food.

I have spent a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest during my lifetime, so I don’t need more souvenirs when I visit. But, I almost always find something new at Powell’s. One of my best finds was a book by Naomi Tomky called The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook. The title of the book sounds pretty straightforward. But, it is an excellent collection of recipes that teaches the reader some interesting ways of cooking the amazing variety of fish and shellfish that come from the waters off of the coast of Washington and Oregon.

One of my favorites is this Salmon Chowder which is super easy to make for a midweek dinner. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a clam chowder that has substituted the salmon. This recipe is more of a very fish-forward, thick stew with great flavors that will transport you north.

Salmon Chowder Recipe
Yields 2 to 4 servings
Adapted from The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook by Naomi Tomky Read more…

Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce

Photo of the Commander's Palace sign for Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce RecipeCommander’s Palace
When we decided to head to New Orleans, I knew the one thing that we had to do was have dinner at Commander’s Palace, an icon of the New Orleans culinary tradition. It has launched the careers of many a celebrity chef and earned countless awards along the way. There was no way I was not eating at this establishment. I made our reservations the minute the date was available, two months prior to getting on a plane.

By far, the hardest thing we had to do was not eat too much during the day. It wasn’t easy but somehow, we muddled through.

The sacrifice was worth it. We feasted on classic Cajun fare and had to be rolled into our Uber. There was turtle soup (I know, but we had to give it a try). There was gumbo and crawfish. There was also the world-famous bread pudding soufflé.

My choice for dinner was the iconic Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce. A longtime staple on the menu, the fish was perfectly cooked, the corn sauce was amazing and don’t get me started on the crab on top. Both my husband and I agreed it was the best choice between the two of us (though perhaps not as healthy as we might have hoped).

I wasn’t able to find the exact recipe in either of my Commander’s Palace cookbooks, but I was able to find it online thanks to the Today Show.

Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Today and Commander’s Palace
Yields 6 servings

Crunchy pecans add texture and nutty flavor to mild white fish. The sweet crab salad and fresh corn sauce, round out this signature dish that is not difficult to prepare at home. Read more…

Sheet Pan Salmon with Green Beans and Miso

Photo of Sheet Pan Salmon Rain Sheets and Sheet Pans
So here we are, swimming our way into January. Seriously, can someone turn off the water? I’m sure the last thing that most of us are thinking about while dodging raindrops, falling trees, and torrents of water, is dinner…but ya gotta eat.

In recent years I have become a big fan of sheet pan dinners because of how easy they are to throw together. And, also because the relatively small amount of cleanup avoids the nightly discussion about doing the dishes. This is important if you have teenagers in your household. Sheet pans are the workhorses of any well-stocked kitchen. If you don’t yet have a decent set of sheet pans, do yourself a favor and get at least one. You will find you use it for everything.

There are so many options when it comes to cooking your dinner entirely on a sheet pan. There is literally nothing you can’t do with a sheet pan. Fish, beef, pork sausage, shrimp…the sky is the limit people!! And, for whatever reason, it sort of feels like you are eating healthier (whether it is true or not). We all have our own delusions. This is just one of mine…

The Sheet Pan Salmon below actually is healthier. And, it’s a nice way to rebound from the bacchanalia that is the last two weeks of December. I make this New York Times recipe often. Though, I have adapted it to my tastes. The original version was just too sweet for me…

Sheet Pan Salmon with Green Beans and Miso Recipe
Adapted from New York Times Cooking
Yields 4 servings Read more…

Marinated Salmon Kebobs

Marinated Salmon KabobsSalmon On A Stick
I am a big fan of grilled meat on a stick. Kebobs of any variety are always welcome on my dinner table. Though, I will admit that most of the time when I make kebobs the flavors lean heavily toward Middle Eastern. This should make sense considering most people, when they hear the word kebob, think of lamb and the flavors of the Mediterranean.

While those spices may dominate the wonderful world of kebobs, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them. For instance, last night I was playing with a recipe that I came across for salmon kebobs which caught my eye. I honestly hadn’t given much thought about using fish to make kebobs beyond the obvious shrimp. Because, in my mind, it would just fall apart. The reality is there are a lot of types of fish that will work, it just has to be a firm-fleshed variety like tuna or, in this case, salmon.

If you have the good fortune to be in possession of a beautiful, wild-caught, fresh side of salmon, please don’t use it for kebobs! A really nice piece of salmon should be eaten with reverence and cooked simply such as in our recipe for Slow-Roasted Salmon or this one for Salmon Roasted in Butter.

However, if you come across some nice salmon fillets and have a hankering to try something new with your fish, give this recipe for Marinated Salmon Kebobs a go. For the record, the original recipe called for white wine vinegar which I replaced with white wine. I wasn’t a huge fan of the vinegar, but others may feel differently. You can try it either way.

Marinated Salmon Kebobs Recipe
Adapted from Plating Pixels
Yields 6 Kebobs Read more…