A Cook's Take on Salt and Pepper

Sea Salt: Today there are many varieties of sea salt, each with a different taste to add something special to a recipe. Fleur De Sel de Camargue is a hand raked salt harvested in France. The name comes from the aroma of violets that develops as the salt dries.

Smoked sea salts are a wonderful, natural way to add interesting taste and flavor to a dish. Try finishing off a pasta dish or roasted vegetables with a delicious Hickory or Applewood smoked sea salt. Murray River salt crystals are light & delicate peach colored flakes that have a wonderfully mild flavor. Cyprus Flake has a fresh ocean flavor and a satisfying crunch that make it a favorite with many professional chefs. Smoky, earthy, smoked chipotle salt combines the spiciness of smoked chipotle peppers with all-natural Pacific sea salt when you want to add a bit of zing. Wild Porcini Sea Salt is a delicious fusion of all-natural sea salt and dried porcinis that adds a mushroom aroma and depth to risotto, soups, and sauces. Try one of these gourmet salts to add some amazing taste and variety. They are available on line or in some high-end grocery stores.

Pepper: Pepper was the first spice used in Europe and it came to have great social and economic value there. Up until the 19th century, it was a luxury only the rich could afford. Pepper became affordable to the average person in the early 1800s. Today we have a wide variety of peppercorns available to us. Malabar is pungent and aromatic, Tellicherry has a rich aromatic aroma with a hint of cedar and cherry, green peppercorns are relatively mild, white peppercorns have a bit of heat, and rainbow peppercorns that give an interesting variety of tastes to food. Keep several kinds on hand in peppermills to use daily.

Cayenne Pepper adds very intense heat. A well-placed pinch of Cayenne brightens up cream soups, tomato sauces for pasta and dips for crudités. Aleppo Pepper is like paprika. Sauté with onions, garlic, or bell peppers and use in breading for baked or fried chicken. Its moderate heat enriches savory fish stews, rice pilafs, simmered beans and lentils. Hot Red Pepper Flakes add a touch of heat to marinades or can be fried with garlic in oil to start vegetarian pasta sauces or beef stew. Italians often keep pepper flakes on the table to sprinkle on pizza or pasta. Try adding some pepper flakes to a simmering tomato sauce to give it a little bit of heat.

Northport Wheat Berry Cherry Salad

Fresh cherries can be found everywhere at roadside farm stands and markets in Northern Michigan. Most grocers also stock dried cherries that keep very well in the pantry. I like to keep a supply of them on hand. They are a delicious addition to this Wheat Berry Salad. You do not have to soak the wheat berries overnight as some cookbooks say. Just put them in a big pot, cover with plenty of water and cook until tender. The wild rice cooks separately for about 45 minutes. You can easily prepare the wild rice and the wheat berries ahead of time. When combined with this dressing, the wheat berries, hazelnuts, wild rice and cherries are amazingly good. Serve it with some Butter Crunch lettuce or fresh baby spinach.

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat berries
1/2 cup raw wild rice
2/3 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
1 cup chopped dried Michigan cherries
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup roughly chopped green onions

Dressing:

3 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tbs honey
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Boil the wheat berries in 6 cups of water for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Add more water as necessary to keep wheat berries covered during cooking. Drain excess water when done.

In another pot, boil 2 cups of water. Add the wild rice and simmer covered for about 45 minutes, or until the rice begins to split. It is better if slightly undercooked. Drain excess water when done.

Combine the cooked wheat berries and wild rice in a large bowl.  Combine the lime juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Add the dressing  and mix thoroughly.  Next add the chopped dried cherries, toasted chopped hazelnuts, parsley, and green onions and combine well.  Serve on leaves of butter crunch lettuce or fresh baby spinach leaves.

Wild-caught Lake Trout with Capers and Lemons

Wild-caught Lake Trout from Lake Michigan’s clear blue water is so fresh and delicious.  Roasted in foil and dressed with a sauce of capers and lemons it is a feast for the senses.  A salad of heirloom tomatoes, spinach, sliced fennel, orange sections, thinly sliced red onions, black kalamata olives and fresh basil with a simple apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing is the perfect finishing touch.

Ingredients:

4 wild-caught lake trout fillets, each 6 ounces
2 lemons
1 cup chicken stock, homemade if possible
1 tablespoon soft butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 squares of non-stick aluminum foil.

Place 1 lake trout fillet on each of the foil squares. Cut 1 lemon in half. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the fish. Cut the other half of lemon into very thin slices, place over the fish and seal the foil.  Place in the oven and bake until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. While the fish is cooking, zest the rind of one lemon. Set aside.

In small pot melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon of flour and mix together. Add the chicken stock to the butter mixture and continue to stir until thickened. Add the rinsed capers and remove from the heat. Serve over the fish and garnish with the lemon zest.

Smoked Lake Trout Pate

After a great day on the boat or at the beach, this smoked trout pate is delicious on a tortilla chip or a tasted bruschetta with a glass of Pinot Grigio.   Made with low-fat cottage cheese instead of cream cheese it is better for your heart than the ready made smoked fish pates that you find at the grocers. 

Ingredients:

1/4 pound smoked trout fillet, skinned and broken into pieces
1/2 cup 1 percent low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 celery stalk, finely diced or minced

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, combine the smoked trout, cottage cheese, red onion, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the minced celery. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving.  Serves 4 hungry people, but don't expect to have any left over.

Wake Up Virgin Mojito

Something more interesting than the usual glass of juice is a great way to wake up on a vacation morning. This non-alcoholic combination of fresh lime juice, grapefruit juice and orange juice looks so inviting in a tall pitcher with sprigs of mint leaves. It is sure to please your guests. You can prepare it the night before and have it chilling in the fridge. Pair it with some scrambled eggs and some smoked salmon for a breakfast you will remember.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
5 or 6 fresh mint sprigs
2 cups fresh grapefruit juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 lime, cut into slices

Directions:

In a large glass pitcher, combine the lime, grapefruit and orange juices, and 2 teaspoons of lime zest. Pour into a tall glasses and garnish each with a mint sprig and a slice of lime.