Purple Potato Salad with Kalamata Olives and Smoked Paprika Dressing

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This is the time of year when an onslaught of recipes featuring an overload of garden-grown zucchini hits the Internet as bloggers, gardeners, and cooks frantically try to use up their crop.

I don't have that problem.

Nope.  My two zucchini plants produce (slowly) just the right amount of fruits for the two of us, sometimes a bit more but nothing alarming.  Nothing I can't deal with.

Freshly dug garden potatoes

My problem is a plethora of purple potatoes.

Purple Majestic potatoes

Of the white, red and purple potatoes that I planted last spring, the purples are the most prolific yielding  more than 20 pounds to date, from 'creamer' size to fist size, with more still in the ground.

I have no idea how I'm going to use them all.

The thing about these purple potatoes?  The variety I planted, Purple Majesty which are purple all the way through to their hearts, are loaded with antioxidants.  Look it up.  In the potato world that means healthy.

Thank heavens.

(Of course, healthy only goes so far:  If you slather your potatoes with oodles of butter and sour cream all bets are off.  Just sayin'.)

One way to use up a quantity of potatoes is to make potato salad.  So when the call went out last week for a pot luck dinner, with the host craving potato salad, three of us complied.  All were delicious.  Mine was purple.

I wanted to play with flavors that would be as unusual as a purple potato salad is unusual so I tossed them with ingredients that are in my standard vinaigrette dressing, using mayonnaise instead of olive oil, and added smoked paprika because the smoked pepper spread that I made from Lydia's post , and which is slathered on the avocado and tomato sandwich that you see in the top photo, was so good (I've made it twice already) that I've had smoked paprika on the brain.

This was good.  Rather adult.  The kalamatas added to the Mediterranean bent and I was quite pleased with the results.





Purple Potato Salad with Kalamata Olives and Smoked Paprika Dressing
Christine's original recipe
serves 6
Ingredients:

• 1 pound (or so) purple potatoes, skins on or off to your liking, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon golden balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (I used Pimenton de la Vera dulce)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt for the pot
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste to finish the dish

Preparation:
Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add the kosher salt. Bring to a low boil over medium high heat. Cook until you can pierce the potatoes with a knife. If you overcook these they will begin to fall apart which, as you can see from the photos, they tend to do anyway.
When done, immediately pour the potatoes into a colander and allow them to drain for several minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, golden balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and smoked paprika until well  blended.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, add the chopped kalamatas and one half of the dressing and toss gently.  Add more dressing if needed until the salad is the consistency you like and tastes well dressed.  (I say this because tastes vary and it's better to start off on the conservative side with the dressing.)
Adjust seasonings with the sea salt and pepper if desired.
Can be served immediately or chilled if not using right away.

Enjoy!

Copyright 2005-2012, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Purple Potatoes, Roasted Garlic and Green Beans in Fresh Lemon, Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

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I am so excited to show you these purple potatoes.

Can you guess where they came from?

My very own garden.

I actually grew these!

My first time. I'm so proud.

Purple Peruvians

My daughter-in-law Evangelina's parents gave us a huge mixed bag of potatoes last fall, and when I had finally used up most of them, I planted what were left in my garden last March. There are still some Yukon Golds out there that aren't ready yet.

Never having grown potatoes before, I really didn't know what to expect, but here they are.

And of course I had to put a recipe together so I could brag about them.

Haricot vert, fresh from the farmers' market, steamed then cut into bite-size pieces.

Combined with gently roasted purple potatoes and garlic, then tossed with a lemon-whole grain mustard vinaigrette, these can be served cold or warm salad as a salad, or warm as a side dish.

Purple Potatoes, Garlic and Green Beans in a Fresh Lemon-Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
4-5 cups Purple Peruvian potatoes, small sized, cut into quarters
1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled, left whole
1/2 pound or so, slender green beans, washed and cut bite-sized
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt, divided
freshly ground black pepper to taste
juice of 1 whole lemon (approx 2 ounces juice)
1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the potato quarters, whole garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a baking pan. Toss well, cover with foil, and roast for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Remove from the oven, take off the foil and set aside to cool slightly.
Put the cut green beans on a steamer rack in a large pot with 1-inch of water in the bottom. Cover and steam over high heat until tender crisp and bright green.
Remove the beans from the steamer and put into a large bowl.
In a small jar or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, sugar, pinch kosher salt, and whole grain mustard. Adjust to taste then whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
Place the potatoes and garlic in a large stoneware bowl (scrape the pan to get all the herbs).
Gently toss the green beans in with the potatoes.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, tossing to coat. You may not need to use all of the vinaigrette.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook's Notes:
One could enhance the finished dish by sprinkling it with toasted, sliced almonds or crispy bacon lardons.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Barley Pilaf Salad With Three Basils Pesto

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First I made this.

Then I made this.

The combination of which resulted in this.

Personally, I think the first two photos are prettier but sometimes uglier is tastier and, in my humble opinion, this is one of those times.

Basil is one of my all-time favorite herbs and I've got three types growing in the greenhouse: Genova, Opal and Cinnamon. Combined with a nutty and delicious aged Italian cheese, they made a healthy, knock-out pesto and are the reason I'm submitting this post to Weekend Herb Blogging. WHB began over 3 years ago when my blogger buddy Kalyn... well, read here for the delightful and serendipitous explanation. WHB is being hosted this week by dear friend and neighbor Simona of Briciole. Check out her round-up this coming Sunday or Monday. If you'd like to join in the fun, read here about how to go about it. Then send Simona your link by Sunday, 3PM Utah time. You will be part of a multi-national group of food bloggers who post their fabulous recipes each week.

Basil holds a prideful place as one of the World's Healthiest Foods . And rightfully so. Not only is fresh basil packed with vitamins, it has so many healthful properties, among them anti-inflammatory, anti-oxident and anti-bacterial, that for me to write about them all would take so much time I wouldn't get to the recipe. So click here to read about what this humble easy to grow herb can do for your health, then come on back for a recipe that's not only packed with healthful goodness, I'm proud to say that all the ingredients are organic and come from within 50 miles of my kitchen.

Christine's Barley Pilaf Salad with Three Basils Pesto
Click here to print recipe

To make the Pesto:
Using a food processor, pulse 4 cloves of peeled garlic with 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt until the garlic is finely chopped. Next, place 2 cups fresh basil plus 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts into the processor bowl and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, slowly drizzle 1/4 cup good olive oil through the feed tube until a paste forms and the pesto leaves the sides of the bowl. Stop there. Scrape the pesto into a bowl and fold in 1/3 cup finely grated Piave Vecchio cheese. Set the pesto aside until the pilaf is assembled.

To make the Pilaf:
1 cup hulless red winter barley
2 1/2 cups water
golden cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
6 small radishes of different colors, thinly sliced
1 Armenian cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup blanched corn kernels, cut from 2 cobs
1/2 fennel bulb, cut in half again and thinly sliced
Preparation:
The barley needs to be prepared the day before assembling the pilaf.

Put the uncooked barley into a large metal pot and cover with cold water. Give it a stir and skim off any hulls that float to the top. (Even though it's called hulless, but there will be a few strays.)
Let the barley soak for about 8 hours then rinse well.
Return barley to the rinsed pot, cover with 2 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil on high heat.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has been absorbed and the barley is just tender and chewy, about 50 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir to separate the grains and pour into a ceramic bowl or casserole dish to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Several hours before serving, add the tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, corn and fennel to the cooked barley and toss well. Gently stir in the pesto until fully combined.

This pilaf may be served chilled or at room temperature, on the back deck or down on the beach, and would be a healthy side dish to grilled fish or stuffed chicken breasts. Bon appétit!

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Nancy's Corn And Black Bean Salad

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On a weekend this August, Mr CC and I met with friends, some of whom we'd just spent time with in Ashland, some of whom we hadn't seen in a number of years and some of whom we had met only once, ten years ago, at the laying to rest of the man whose memory we had come together again to honor these ten years later - to remember his laughter, his sparkling wit, his comitment to the Marine Mammal Center, his love of a good woman, good friends and good beer.

That evening, in the heart of San Francisco, deciding that staying "in" would be ever so much better than going out, we cooked, drank, laughed, talked and ate around N&N's most hospitable table. An evening well spent and fondly remembered.

The salad appearing here was inspired that day by many minds, all food lovers, but mostly by Nancy who had a craving for fresh, sweet corn in a raw salad with celery, cilantro and red onion. She may have stipulated more of the ingredients, but by then we were all riffing on what could go into it. And forgive me, friends, if I've left anything out - Normie was mixing the drinks, and he's not known for his light hand, nor am I known for a stellar memory after hoisting a few.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Recipe by Nancy, Norm, Susan, Harvey, Christine and Clay

Ingredients: (all measurements are approximate)

6-8 ears fresh, sweet white corn

several green and yellow zucchini

1/2 of a red onion

red bell peppers

cucumber

celery

sugar snap peas

canned organic black beans

fresh basil

fresh cilantro

fresh japapeno pepper

I'm pretty sure there was fresh, diced garlic in there also

Preparation:

Cut the kernels from the corn cobs, reserving the cobs for corn chowder later in the week (subject of another post coming soon.)

Cut the rest of the vegetables in small dice, shucking, peeling and seeding as appropriate, so their size doesn't overpower the corn kernels.

Toss all of the veggies together in a large bowl.

Rinse the black beans and drain well. Toss with the veggies.

Finely chop the basil leaves and sprinkle them in.

Rather coarsely chop the cilantro leaves and toss them in also.

For the dressing, we wanted something light with southwest flavors, so began with a base of cider vinegar and raspberry vinegar then added about 2 tablespoons of

this fabulous chipotle chile powder from Tierra Vegetables in Healdsburg (at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturdays) and about 3 tablespoons of

this lively sauce from Trader Joe's. The usual suspects of kosher salt, freshly ground black peppercorns, minced garlic and I'm sure some olive oil was used to combine the concoction together. Whatever you use, keep spicy and southwest in mind.

Toss the dressing with the veggies and let it sit for at least 1/2 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

As she took her first bite, Nancy's eyes lit up.

"This is exactly what I wanted."

I felt that pretty much summed the day up for all of us.

Rest well, Sweetie.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Roasted Beets With Duck Confit And Toasted Hazelnuts

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Roasted Beets with Duck Confit and Toasted Hazelnuts
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
3 medium red beets, roasted
duck confit from one leg, cut into slivers
3 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons blackberry balsamic pear vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard, such as Maille
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I wish I'd had hazelnut oil)
A few grains kosher salt
A few grinds black peppercorns
A celery leaf from the heart of the bunch for garnish

Preparation:

To make the dressing, combine the vinegar and mustard in a glass measuring cup and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified. Add a tiny pinch of kosher salt to taste along with a few grinds of black pepper. Whisk and set aside.

To roast the beets, wash and trim them and wrap each one in a square of foil, bringing the edges to the top of each beet and sealing them. Place on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and open the foil to allow the beets to cool slightly.When they can be handled without burning your hands, peel the beets and thinly slice crosswise.

To toast the hazelnuts (and hopefully you will have done this long before now), place them on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven and toast them for no more than 12 to 15 minutes, watching them carefully so they don't burn. When they smell delicious, they're done. Pour the nuts onto a dishtowel and, bringing the towel over the nuts, rub them until much of the brown skin comes off. Not all of it will be removed and that's okay.

To assemble, place a very small pool of vinaigrette on a small plate and top with several slices of beet followed by the slivered duck confit and some coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Drizzle a bit more vinaigrette around and over, garnish with a celery leaf and serve.

Cooks' Notes:

The vinegar used for the salad dressing is from Tulocay's Made in Napa Valley. It's thick and rich and was a perfect compliment to the beets and duck.

This was served along side a bowl of cream of celery soup, the recipe for which is posted here.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Confetti Coleslaw

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I know summer is not far off when I begin thinking about making coleslaw. Once I make it, I'm doomed. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Come to think of it, I have. And as a snack in between. There's something about the combination of fresh crisp cabbage, sweet carrots and this incredible buttermilk dressing that I can't seem to get enough of.

The inspiration for the dressing comes from Kalyn's Buttermilk Dressing that she used on her coleslaw last summer. I've made a few changes to suit my whimsy, but the credit really goes to Kalyn.

Confetti Coleslaw

Inspired by Kalyn's Buttermilk Dressing

Ingredients:

Slaw

1 medium head green cabbage

1 medium head red cabbage

6 carrots

1 cup (heaping) frozen peas per bowl of slaw

1 cup lightly toasted pecan pieces

Dressing

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups Vegenaise

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon wasabi powder

3/4 teaspoon celery salt

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch kosher salt

1 packet Splenda

Preparation:

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a large glass measuring cup and whisk until blended. Taste and adjust seasonings and refrigerate until ready to use. This will keep in the fridge for several days, covered.

For the slaw, remove any limp outer leaves from the cabbages, slice them in half and cut out the core. Cut the coreless cabbages into wedges small enough to fit through the feed tube of a food processor. Fit the food processor with a slicing blade and process all the cabbage, emptying the contents into a large bowl when necessary.

Peel the carrots and snip the ends. Fit the grating blade into the food processor and push the carrots through the feed tube until they've all been grated.

Combine the carrots and the cabbages and mix well.

This makes a lot of slaw so I package about half of it into a gallon-size zip top bag and put it in the crisper of the fridge to use later. It will keep this way for about 4 days.

Toss about 1 1/2 cups of the dressing with 1/2 of the cole slaw. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours in a sealed container, turning it from time to time to evenly distribute the dressing. About 1/2 hour before serving, add a cupful of frozen peas and toss well to mix. The peas will have defrosted by the time the salad is served. Lightly toasted pecans, added just before serving adds a nutty crunch factor. Too bad my pecan container was empty this time!

Cook's Notes:

Vegenaise. Bless the Follow Your Heart people for coming up with a mayonnaise substitute that tastes wonderful! Made without eggs, you'd think it would taste just awful but it doesn't. I prefer it to mayonnaise now and am delighted that it's full of good omega 3's. Check their site out for yourself.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Radish Walnut Salad With Golden Balsamic Vinaigrette

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I've had the best intentions of posting some back-logged recipes, but sadly have found myself so otherwise occupied that I'm barely keeping up with a photo a day on my garden blog.

Mr CC has been grilling veggies and I've been making salads and that's what's been on the table for dinner lately. Good, healthy food but not particularly blogworthy. Until last night's salad.

You might think those are apples in the photo, but you'd be wrong. No, the secret ingredient here is radishes; recently re-discovered (by me), sweet, crunchy, crisp radishes. I've been born again.

I'd not been a radish fan since, as an unknowing child, I bit into one that not only burned my mouth, but burned a memory forever in my brain - EAT RADISHES, SUFFER PAIN!

Then I discovered the round, red, sweetly delicious Red Globe Radishes and suddenly I can't get enough of them. All these years. Who knew?

This simple salad is superb with a vinaigrette made with a combination of walnut and olive oils.

Radish Walnut Salad with a Golden Balsamic Vinaigrette
Christine's original recipe
Ingredients:
Organic spring mix of salad greens
4-6 sweet red globe radishes
1/2 cup walnut pieces
2 ounces golden balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon good dijon mustard
2 ounces roasted walnut oil
2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt
several grinds good black peppercorns

Preparation:

Wash and trim the radishes and cut into quarters.

Assemble the salad by putting the greens in a large bowl followed by the radishes and walnut pieces.

For the dressing, whisk the vinegars, mustard, salt and pepper in a glass cup until blended.

Briskly whisk in the walnut oil then the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified (thickened and combined).

Pour some of the dressing over the salad, toss and serve.

This salad goes nicely with grilled zucchini and portobello mushrooms. If you'd like a bit more protein, add a filet of pan-seared tilapia.

As for my new love affair with radishes, French Breakfast is next on my list. Where will it end?

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Farmers Market Fresh Herbs And Lettuce

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Baby lettuces, chard, green onions, bronze fennel fronds, stems of rosemary, sage and lavender, all tucked into a basket. Who could resist such sweetness and light?

This was part of our bounty from the Arcata Farmers Market yesterday and is my offering to Weekend Herb Blogging, being hosted this week by the fabulous Sher of What Did You Eat? who happens to live in my home town. Besides loving all the wonderful recipes that come from Sher's kitchen, I get vicarious thrills from reading about her gardening experiences - experiences that I miss so much living here in the foggy dampness of the north coast. Though I must admit to a twinge of jealousy when she writes about the tomatoes that she picks from her veggies boxes.

Organic food lovers know the healthy and aesthetic advantages of eating produce that comes directly from an organic farm to a farmers market and then into your basket to take home for dinner. Apart from growing your own (a popular phrase here in Humboldt County), there's nothing fresher or better for you.

This beautiful basket of greens and herbs will turn into tonight's salad and adorn the leg of lamb that's about to go on the rotisserie. I'll show you the finished product in another post. For now, enjoy this image of the incredible offering of earth's bounty on this Earth Day. And be sure to pop on over to Sher's kitchen to see this week's round-up!

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Catfish Salad With Green Beans And Toasted Almonds With Champagne Raspberry Vinaigrette

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Happy St. Patrick's Day, Irish. I hope your eyes are smilin'!

I am, indeed, a goodly amount Irish, with some Scots thrown in, and, we've been told, a smidgen of Osage, but that's never been proven. These are on my mother's side. Along patriarchal lines: warm French, cool English and a bit of Dutch round out my Heintz 57 lineage.

Still, when St. Patrick's Day rolls around, I'm Irish.

And while I haven't gone and whipped up a quintessentially Irish dish today, I did go for the green with this tasty catfish salad which matches my mood for lighter fare.

Sprinkled with organic celery salt and the crushed leaves of Claudia's Herbs Fantastic Fish Blend, the filets are quickly sauteed then placed atop a bed of crispy spring salad greens, followed by hot buttery green beans and a sprinkling of toasted, slivered almonds. A champagne and raspberry vinaigrette drizzled over and around finishes the dish.

The organic herb blend used here is a combination of lemon basil, chives, dill, thyme and celery leaves, but the flavor that comes to the forefront is the celery. Pair that with celery salt and celery really speaks out loud in this dish. Nicely so.

Where does this herbal blend come from? Claudia's Organic Herbs is a local company run by Claudia Holzinger on her family farm in Orleans, a beautiful spot on the Klamath River about 35 miles as the crow flies from our coastline. She's famous for her green and dried garlic and her produce is widely sought after by local restaurant chefs. Fantastic Fish Blend is available locally year-round and Claudia doesn't have a web site. can now be ordered online their new web site.

Celery, which is rich in vitamin C, is recognized as a blood pressure reducer and may be helpful in reducing blood cholesterol levels. It was first used for medicinal purposes by the Romans and Greeks before it was used as a food.

One of three ingredients that serves as the flavor base for many French and Creole recipes, celery is found in the Holy Trinity - onions, bell peppers and celery - and is what every good jambalaya begins with, while a mirepoix, carrots, celery and onions, comprises the beginning of many a fabulous French stew.

Weekend Herb Blogging, which orginated with the wonderful Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, is being hosted this week by Becky of Key Lime and Coconut. Click here to find out about this popular and fun weekly event.

The only thing left to do now is eat and enjoy!

Catfish Salad with Green Beans and Toasted Almonds
Drizzled with Champagne-Raspberry Vinaigrette
Christine's Original Recipes
Ingredients:


for the vinaigrette:
1 ounce champagne vinegar
1 ounce raspberry vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
pinch kosher salt
pinch sugar (or Splenda)
several grinds black pepper
3 ounces roasted walnut oil
3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
In a glass jar or measuring cup, whisk together the vinegars, mustard, salt, sugar and pepper.
Slowly whisk in the walnut oil, then the olive oil, until the mixture is thickly emulsified.
Set aside and keep at room temperature.



For the Salad:
4 fresh catfish filets
1/2 teaspoon organic celery salt
1-2 tablespoons Claudia's Fantastic Fish Blend, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper or a good pepper medley
1 teaspoon good olive oil
1 teaspoon unsalted butter (or Earth Balance)
Enough organic spring salad mix for 4 plates
1 - 1 pound package frozen, organic green beans
1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or Earth Balance)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Preparation:
The green beans may be prepared by microwaving or steaming.
This is what I did:
Place the frozen beans in a glass dish, dot them with Earth Balance and some kosher salt, place a lid on top and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, give the beans a stir, replace the lid and microwave an additional 4 minutes on high or until hot and tender-crisp.
Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and set aside.


While the beans are cooking, place a teaspoon each olive oil and butter in a skillet large enough to hold the fish filets and bring to medium high heat.
Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and sprinkle 1/2 of the celery salt and 1/2 of the herb blend and a few grinds of the pepper on one side of each filet.
Place the filets in the skillet, herb side down, and saute for about 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
Flip the fish over and sprinkle with the remainder of the seasonings. Cook until the fish is done, about 4 minutes more.
Arrange the salad mix on plates.
Lay a piece of sauteed catfish on top of each salad, followed by a generous portion of green beans.
Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Copyright 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved. No content from this site, including text and photos, may be copied, re-located or otherwise reproduced, in part or in full, for personal or monetary gain, without the express permission of the author.

Lime Jello Salad . . .

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... or Mouldy Moldy Salad, as we kids used to call it to tease our mother. My mother served this Jello salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can clearly remember those holidays. She must have started sometime in the 50s, as the WearEver aluminum ring mold that's shown here is what she always used and it comes from the late 50s. In my family, not having this molded gelatin concoction at the Thansgiving table would border on the unforgiveable.

On the handwritten 3x5 recipe card, it says that the recipe came from Jeanne Bryant, a friend of my mother's from our church potluck dinners that we attended on Sunday nights in the Fellowship Hall of the Davis Community Church (what memories I'm having!). From the first time my mother put this on our dinner table, she was not allowed not to make it every holiday season. We children would jump up and down in her kitchen chanting "mouldy moldy salad! mouldy moldy salad!", at which my mother would pretend to be annoyed. The salad always appeared on her Thanksgiving table; of such are loving memories and traditions made. My mother is gone now and although it's been a number of years, I'm particularly missing her as I write this.

I inherited my mother's mouldy moldy salad ring mold and every Thanksgiving I bring it down from the top of my kitchen cupboard, wash and dry it and set it out to receive this time-honored, if a little old fashioned, treat.

Before I assembled the recipe today, I thought of low carbing it by using diet Jello and reducing the fat content by using low or no-fat ingredients. Not only could I just then feel my mother cringe at such blasphemous thoughts, it occurred to me that some things are sacrosanct and just shouldn't be messed with. When the salad is un-molded for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, I'll take a photo and put it on this post. Note: 11/2008, it took 2 years, but I finally remembered to take a photo.

Lime Jello Salad (or Moldy Salad)
Recipe courtesy of Skip Hills via Jeanne Bryant
Ingredients:
1 large package lime Jello brand gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 #2 can* crushed pineapple in its own juice
1 cup canned milk, such as Carnation
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped finely

Preparation:
In a large glass or ceramic bowl, dissolve the Jello in the boiling water, stirring until all the gelatin has melted and the liquid is clear. Allow to cool to below lukewarm.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients, gently using a wire whisk. Having a few lumps of mayo here and there is part of this salad's charm.
Pour into a 12-cup mold of your choice and chill until the gelatin is completely set.**
To un-mold, fill your kitchen sink with about 3 inches of very hot water.
Quickly dip the mold into the hot water, half-way up the sides, for just a few seconds, taking care not to splash water onto the gelatin.
Take the plate or platter you wish to present your molded salad on and place it over the top of the mold.
Holding the mold and the plate firmly in your grasp, flip the whole thing over and give it a quick up and down shake.
The gelatin should gently drop onto the serving plate. If it doesn't, repeat the process with the hot water dip. It's important to not leave the mold in the hot water for more than a few seconds as it will melt the gelatin at the edges and compromise your presentation.

Cook's Notes:
* This is what the recipe says, a number 2 can. Since I don't know what size that is, I've been using a 20-ounce can and it has worked just fine.
** This gelatin mixture will set up much faster than regular jello because less liquid is used. I put it in the fridge just over an hour ago and it's already set. It will hold, unmolded in the fridge for several days.

Oven Roasted Steelhead, or, The Star Of This Post Is The Steelhead. . .

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But it just as easily could have been the balsamic-blood orange reduction sauce, into which we dipped grilled figs, cantaloupe and garden grown cucumbers, or the fantastic mango, tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil salad drizzled with a blood orange vinaigrette.

As they have for the past few years, my sister and brother-in-law came over from Chico this last weekend, to attend the Blues by the Bay Festival in Eureka and spend long leisurely hours with us so we could catch up with one another. This is a real treat for all of us; Cynthia and Mark get out of the Sacramento Valley heat and we all get to enjoy great blues at our small-but-mighty festival. The Festival runs both Saturday and Sunday. One evening we'll dine out and for the other we'll cook at home. Our culinary preparations of last night are the subject of this post. We ate ever so well and it was such fun cooking with my sister!

The steelhead (see note below) came to us courtesy of our dear friend Norm, who goes fishing on the Klamath River each fall with a group of very fun "fisher-guys", to quote my son Jeffrey's childhood vernacular. Norm and his buddies stop at our house for breakfast on their way back down to the Bay Area and he leaves us with a gift of steelhead, just out of the water. I've been holding it in the freezer for a special occasion, such as the one this weekend provided.
The fish plate is made by a friend and local potter, Marty Schwartz. It's a high-fired piece that can withstand oven roasting temperatures, then goes to the table for a visual treat.

Steelhead with herbes de Provence and fresh basil
Ingredients:
2 boned steelhead fillets (if you're lucky enough to have a handy fisher-guy around)
1 1/2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence
A few pinches kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
8 large fresh basil leaves, stemmed and left whole
Olive oil for the baking plate or roasting pan

Preparation:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Rub a thin film of olive oil on the plate or roasting pan, large enough to hold both fillets.
Wipe fillets clean and place in pan, skin sides down.
Sprinkle the Herbes de Provence over both fillets on the skinless side only, pat lightly to adhere.
Lightly sprinkle each fillet with kosher salt and a few grinds of good black pepper (my favorite is Tellicherry).
Sprinkle the cubed butter over the fillets and lay the basil leaves over the top, pressing down lightly.
Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until flakey but moist when stuck with a fork.
(If you can't get your hands on steelhead, rainbow trout would be a good substitution. It would be best to have your fish monger remove the bones for you to make eating it more pleasurable and less work.)

Blood Orange Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
juice from 2 blood oranges, about 1/3 cup
champagne vinegar to bring the liquids to 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon sugar
Very small pinch kosher salt
A few grinds good black pepper
2 teaspoons red raspberry vinegar, such as Kozlowski Farms , my favorite (optional)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:
Pour the blood orange juice into a glass measuring cup. It should measure 1/3 cup. Pour enough champagne vinegar into the measuring cup to make 1/2 cup total liquid. Add the sugar, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. At this point I added the raspberry vinegar to soften the taste just a bit. (You may or may not need to do this, but having red raspberry vinegar in your pantry is not a bad thing at all.)
Whisk in the olive oil but do not try to emulsify. This should remain in a "broken" state, in that the vinegars and oil will separate. Whisk again just before drizzling over the salad.

Mango, Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Fresh Basil
Ingredients:
2 ripe mangos (organically grown if you can get them)
1 basket organic cherry tomatoes
1 carton small, fresh mozzarella balls (about 16 balls)
4 large leaves fresh, organic basil

Preparation:
Peel and slice mangos from pit.
Cut cherry tomatoes in half from stem to bottom.
Arrange on a platter with the mozzarella down the middle.
This can be refrigerated for about 1/2 hour at this point.
Just before serving, stack the basil leaves one atop the other then roll up together, beginning along the length of the leaves, cigar-style. With a sharp knife, slice the rolled up basil cross-wise into thin strips, starting at the leaf-tip ends. Sprinkle the basil strips over the salad ingredients and drizzle with the blood orange vinaigrette.

As I was prepping the blood orange vinaigrette, my sister sliced some of the left over orange rinds into thin strips, then covered them with about 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar. I think we were both having the same thought when one of us suggested making a reduction sauce out of it. We weren't sure if it would be a better accompaniment to the fish or the figs, but the idea sounded wonderful and it turned out beautifully. Delicious as it was, per Cynthia's suggestion, the next time I make it I'll include a small amount of blood orange juice with the balsamic.

Balsamic Vinegar and Blood Orange Reduction SauceCut thin strips from one of the juiced blood orange rinds and place in a small, heavy saucepan. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar over the top, stir to blend and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer gently until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. Be careful to not let this burn as it will turn bitter. Remove from heat and allow to cool before serving.



Here's the most artfully composed pile of compost scraps I've ever seen, courtesy of sister Cynthia.
A note about steelhead: While closely related to salmon, they are actually ocean-going rainbow trout. To read about them, click here and here.
Lastly, but in no way least (ly), with the use of both herbes de Provence and the fresh basil, I submit both the roasted steelhead and the mango, tomato, mozzarella recipes to Weekend Herb Blogging over at Kalyn's Kitchen, one of my favorite food bloggers.