Poached salmon

Poached Salmon

This simple recipe came from a kids'  cookbook called 1-2-3 Cook for Me! It's an easy and healthy choice to take to potlucks, if you want to do something ridiculously easy and very healthy.  

Ingredients
sockeye salmon fillet of any size (if large, cut in half so you have two pieces that fit into the pan)*
water (enough to mostly fill a large frying pan)
kosher salt (about 2 tablespoons per 4 cups of water)
about 10 peppercorns (per 4 cups of water)
1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar (optional, but recommended if you aren't going to eat the fish immediately)

Instructions
Cut the skin off the fish, if you like. This step is not necessary and I think it wastes a lot of fish.
Add water to the frying pan, then add the salt, peppercorns, and vinegar (if using). Bring to a boil, then lower to a low simmer (maybe one or two bubbles). Poach the fish for 20-25 minutes (longer is okay too).

*We use sockeye salmon because it seems to me the most sustainably raised and low-mercury fish choice available at present. It is getting more difficult to find in mid-Michigan supermarkets, however, and it's admittedly not cheap.

Poached chicken breasts

Poached chicken breasts

This is gentle food for those with GI issues, although the leftover chicken always gets a bit stinky somehow.  I have no idea what to do about that problem.

Ingredients
Chicken breasts (as many as you like)
chicken broth or salt water

Instructions
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook the chicken on a low simmer (maybe one or two bubbles in the water). Drain in a colander.

Corn Pancakes with Blackberries

Corn pancakes with blackberries

I developed this recipe working from the "Basic Pancake" formula in Alice Medrich's Flavor Flours (see page 23). Maudemarie loved them!

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups corn flour
2/3 cup finely ground corn meal
4 teaspoons baking powder
rounded teaspoon of salt
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey
8 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cups warmed milk
blackberries or other berries (optional) - we cut the blackberries into fourths (a good way to work on fractions with a six-year-old)

Instructions

Whisk the dry ingredients. Add butter, milk, and eggs and whisk until smooth. Add more milk if the batter gets too thick.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dollop about 1/3 cup of batter (or more or less, as you fancy) into the skillet. Add the berries, if you are using them, pushing them gently down into the pancakes. Cook until bubbles form on the sides of the pancake. We keep them in a warmed oven until we are all ready to dig in!

Greek Salad

Greek Salad

This recipe is inspired by a visit to Santorini in Chicago alongside Melissa Clark's awesome feta-brined chicken .  The key ingredient is sizzling feta cheese.  Opaa!

Ingredients 

handful of parsley (or lettuce or massaged kale)
handful of white legumes (such as cannelloni, lima beans, or chickpeas)
handful of chopped orange (or red or yellow) peppers
handful of chopped fresh fennel
a dozen or so pitted kalamata olives
2-3 teaspoons of fresh thyme or oregano (or a combination)
extra virgin olive oil (optional)


for the fried cheese
1 Tablespoon high-heat olive oil
1 to 1.5 oz. feta, cut into small cubes (I like feta-style raw goat's milk cheese sold by my local co-op)
kosher sea salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
2-3 drops essential lemon oil (I use Young Living, which claims to be therapeutic grade) or a bit of lemon zest


Directions
Mix the parsley, legumes, peppers, fennel, olives, and herbs in a bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a small cast iron skillet (or another frying pan that is not non-stick) and add in the salt, pepper, and lemon oil. When a drop of water sizzles, add the cheese. Sizzle cheese until browned on both sides.

Dump the cheese and oil onto the salad and mix it up. Drizzle on a bit of extra virgin olive oil if desired.

This recipe serves one hearty salad, but can be doubled, tripled, etc. as desired.

Corn and Clam Chowder

Corn & Cod Chowder

I adapted this chowder from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/summer-corn-and-cod-chowder-51101050 when I discovered cod and corn in the freezer. It works beautifully gluten-free, although it features bacon (just a wee bit for flavor), milk, and half-and-half; therefore, its low-fat and low-acid status are questionable.  It did not meet Maudemarie's approval, alas, but I liked it with GF cornbread (recipe coming soon). I imagine this chowder would work well with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon
• 1 cup (or so) celery, 
• diced2 tablespoons all-purpose GF flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 cups 2 percent milk (I will try skim milk next time)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons (or more) finely chopped fresh thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (or less) freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound cod, skin removed, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half

Directions
In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a towel to soak up the oil, then crumble. In same pan, sauté celery for a few minutes until tender. Add flour; cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes, milk, broth, thyme, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes or more. Stir in fish, corn and 2/3 bacon; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in half-and-half; simmer 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon. 

Oatmeal pancakes

Oatmeal Pancakes

This recipe has evolved from Merilee Chick, the mother of my dear friend Kris. Many years ago, the Chick family invited me to spend some time at their place on Puget Sound. Among other fond memories from that trip -- digging up sand dollars, playing a ping-pong-like sport the name of which I can't remember) -- I remember falling in love with Merilee's divine oatmeal pancakes, which I've been making ever since. Here is a gluten-free articulation - we serve them with plain yogurt or whipped cream, maple syrup, bananas, and/or pecans.

1 1/2 cups GF quick oats (or old-fashioned oats ground up a bit)
2 cup milk or buttermilk (almond, rice, or soy milk is fine)
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sorghum flour (or oat, brown rice, or whatever GF flour you fancy)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons honey
blueberries, sliced strawberries, or chocolate chips (optional)

Mix oats and milk, then set aside for 20 minutes or so. Add butter and whisk. Then add eggs. Mix in flour, salk, baking powder, and soda.

Scoop out batter on the griddle -- making smaller pancakes seems to work best with this batter, especially if you aren't using quick oats. Add berries or chocolate chips, if you like.