Salmon Poke at home

March 2, 2017 By Wendy Ellen Thomas in Appetizer, Asian inspired, dinner, Fish, Fresh and healthy, Gluten Free, Main: seafood, Raw Foods Tags: @Bonappetit, Ginger People, organic ginger juice, Poke, raw fish, salmon, Sweetfin poke 27 Comments

As previously mentioned in my last post on the UCLA writers program, I ate poke from Sweetfin everyday. One day I also ate it at The Poke Bar (no beating around the bush)- . Also very good but I liked the base of kelp noodles at Sweetfin… and the name.

My poke bowl

salmon-poke-8 It’s not like poke is a terribly new thing. It’s been a Hawaiin staple for ions and it often appears on Japanese restaurant menus . Read what Seattle Eater has to say and follow to their site for poke findings in Seattle.

“Poke comes from the Hawaiian word for “to slice or cut,” and most commonly uses ahi tuna as its base, but it can include any fish, crustacean, or even land animal. Poke is often drizzled in sesame and sometimes gains a savory flavor from inamona, a relish of Hawaiian native kukui nut (candlenut), macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, and other seasonings.”

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juicing… meat eaters fear not!

January 28, 2014 By Wendy Ellen Thomas in Apples, Juicing, Main: seafood, Vegetables Tags: fruits, Joe Cross, juicing, Reboot, vegetables, What's Gaby Cooking 39 Comments

I don’t know why I say that except that many of the meat eaters just might turn their heads the other way. Myself included. It’s not an either/or. I love meat. And I’ve been absolutely content for a couple weeks to do without it. With the door closing on the holiday over-indulgence, I was more than ready to regain a little control over my eating. I’ve loved juicing over the years but have never honestly gone more than one day without solid food.

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Inspired by summer…

July 11, 2012 By Wendy Ellen Thomas in Fresh and healthy, Main: seafood, My life Tags: Kale, salmon, Summer 21 Comments

Summer is in full throttle. We are enjoying dinners with friends, work on the property, trips to Seattle and an abundance of fresh local foods. I’m indulging in the purchase of shiny magazines in English that require the turn of a page and not the swish of a finger across a screen. I’m currently sans computer for a few days and it’s kind of nice. The iPad works great but typing and photo editing aren’t so fun. It’s a good break. Here’s a visual of our happenings.
In Seattle last weekend, we picked O up at the airport. He finished teaching the semester with concerts and finals, and followed us to the states about three weeks after our arrival. After dinner one evening with friends in Woodinville, Chloe nailed a couple shots crossing the 520 bridge over Lake Washington. This girl has an eye let me tell you.

She loves bridges…

Back on island now, we love last minute dinners because within a half mile in all directions, we have the luxury of picking and purchasing such arrays of foods like this. Just picked raspberries, kale, chard, snap peas and fresh eggs that have not seen the inside of a refrigerator and once again, local Sockeye.

Can one tire from fresh, local Sockeye salmon? No… Because it’s going to be followed soon by King salmon. Poor us. Here is our walk to Buck Bay Shellfish farm just down the road…

Great old barn along the way…

We drive by Buck Bay here (and the farm) daily.

Never ending views, great folks,food and prices…

Up our apple tree lined driveway…

…we nibble a few salmonberries…

Back to dinner…
Here was my prep for the salmon once again destined for the grill.
Lemon slices, garlic, fennel fronds and smoked salt…

The two fillets put back together were grilled in foil…

A little sautéed onion, garlic and fennel with lemon, seasoned the brown rice for our side dish. For greens, we used my favorite variety of kale, Red Russian which can grow virtually year round here. We massaged it, added avocado, olive oil, lemon, garlic and toasted sesame seeds.
For dessert, simple shortcake biscuits topped with fresh raspberries and whipped cream. Gotta love it!
Photo of our friends and their darling sit on the porch for dinner…

Hope everyone is getting one moment or many to enjoy and be inspired by summer…
Tschüß for now,
Wendy

Goat Cheese, Lemon and Pea Pasta, Grilled Salmon and a peak at Frog Song Farm…

June 27, 2012 By Wendy Ellen Thomas in Fish, Main: seafood, Pasta, Salad, Side dishes Tags: Frog Song Farm, goat cheese, lemon, Orcas Island, pasta, peas 46 Comments

I’d like to introduce you to Frog Song Farm, our summer digs, with a couple of photos I snapped last night. This humble octagonal structure was built by a man child at the age of 24, so the story goes. And it miraculously still stands roughly 30 years later. My first introduction was a description of Frog Song Farm posted on a small blue lined 3×5 index card in the spring of 1993 at the Seattle Tilth office in Good Shepherd’s park. “15 Acre Organic Farm, cabin, mature fruit trees” it read. I was just finishing my degree at Bastyr College. After my last class, we took a six week journey traveling up the inside passage with a VW bus on a boat, then drove back down through Alaska and the Yukon. It was the moment of our return that I found myself busting to get out of the city. Three weeks later I sat on the lawn outside of a then intact octagonal structure surrounded by a small picket fence smothered with trailing roses. Ripe fruits of mid August swooned me. Laying in the grass, cocked on one elbow twirling grass blades between my fingers, I, also ripe at 25, negotiated with the owner as to how I could make this work.

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Seared Scallops and Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

June 7, 2012 By Wendy Ellen Thomas in Main: seafood, Side dishes Tags: seafood 34 Comments

If you enjoyed the Goat Cheese Salad with candied pistachios half as much as I did, it would put a smile on my face. Don’t forget it can make a nice light summer dinner as well.

Next course, seared scallops mingle with a light citrus sauce and a creamy polenta gets jazzed up with fresh mild goat cheese. These scallops are happily dusted with a gorgeous Welsh Oak Smoked Sea Salt from Halen Môn. This is a salt you will start using and never ever want to stop. I swear, I’m about to order a 1/2 kilo.

Disclaimer: I’m so not getting any benefits from promoting this product. Halen Môn was however, a generous sponsor at the previously mentioned (many times), Plate to Page workshop. And it is with pleasure, that I pass on my recommendation.

Hell, I carried this salt at Chez Chloe (my kitchen/specialty food store) on Orcas Island for four years! I was more than happy getting it wholesale by the case!

{Print Recipe} for Seared Scallops, Citrus Sauce and Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

Citrus Sauce:
1T minced shallot
1/4 cup white wine (I used riesling and it was lovely)
1/2 cup orange juice
6 T cold butter chopped in small cubes
1/4 tsp white balsamic vinegar
season to taste with salt and white pepper

The use of goat cheese in this manner, came the first time for me, when I had run out of parmesan and used it in my white sauce for pasta. And loved it.

Then it went into my gravy for traditional Southern biscuits and (non-traditional) gravy.

Why not with polenta? It gives it a pleasant, mildly tangy umph. I wonder if someone who is a little freaked by goat products (Resa are you reading this) would notice?

And if you are a goat product lover then it’s a no brainer.

Creamy Polenta:
Serves 2 with generous leftovers- 
1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1 bouillon cube
4oz fresh goat cheese
1/2 tsp salt
2 T butter

Scallops are quickly seared before serving. I used 5 scallops per person (which was myself and O) and cooked them in two batches as they tend to water up which leaves you steaming scallops instead of searing. I heat about 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter on medium high for each batch and quickly cook the little mollusks on each side for only 1 and 1/2 – 2 minutes. You don’t want to be chewing little rubber disks draped in citrus butter.

Lastly, may I suggest with the polenta leftovers, you try heating them up and serving with a fried egg, salmon lox and creme fraiche. You will like this if you like southern grits. I know Shelly… don’t judge me. I love grits. I love Flo from Alice…. all you youngsters (and folks who didn’t grow up in the USA in the 80’s) can google that!

Tschüß,