Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

A delicacy indigenous to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, halibut cheeks are a treat.  The cheeks are cut from the area behind the halibut’s eyes and jaw and have a flavor and texture compared to sea scallops or lobster.  They vary in size from tiny morsels taken from small halibuts to pieces larger than your entire hand from fish such as the one below which weighed in at 160 pounds.

The guys went fishing while we were in Homer, Alaska.  They were allowed to catch two fish each and the fish they caught were this size; more in the 30 pound range.

Our fish was flash frozen and will be shipped home to us when we return to Lake Lure.  The bowl of fish cheek soup pictured above was what we had for dinner at a restaurant in Seward, Alaska.  It was flavored with garlic and lemon juice.  I am anxious to receive my halibut fillets and my four small cheeks.  It won’t be enough to make a soup or chowder, but we will savor them and use the rest of the halibut in many ways.

David and I celebrated our wedding anniversary while in Alaska.  I have to say that life has hardly ever been boring for us. Forgive my disheveled appearance.  Riding motorcycles is not good for the complexion or the hairdo.

Here are a few more pictures from our trip.

This is Cafe Cups in Homer, Alaska.  It is a funky little place with great food and wine.

One of the most awesome sights we saw was the Mendenhall Glacier in Junuea, Alaska.  It is a tongue of ice stretching over 12 miles from the Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake.  It is around one-half mile wide and about 100 feet tall.

Tulin and me at the Mendenhall Glacier viewing area.

Notice the ice field behind us.  The temperature was about 60 degrees.

Of course I couldn’t resist buying a cookbook while I was here.  This recipe for halibut cheeks comes from Cooking Alaska’s Wild Halibut by Kathy Doogan.  You can substitute scallops or lobster.

HALIBUT CHEEKS WITH BACON AND SHALLOT RELISH

2 strips bacon, cut crosswise into slivers about 1/4 inch wide
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon  rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound to 1 pound halibut cheeks
Salt and pepper

Heat a small non stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon slivers and cook, stirring often, until bacon is browned and crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon pieces to paper towels to drain; if necessary, pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.  Reduce heat to medium and add butter to bacon fat in skillet.  When butter has melted, add shallots and cook, stirring often, until they turn light brown and begin to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add bacon pieces back to pan; stir and continue cooking another 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in vinegar, sugar and parsley them remove relish from heat and keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Season halibut cheeks with salt and pepper then add to pan.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes then turn and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until cheeks are almost firm to the touch.  Do not overcook.  Place halibut cheeks on plates, spoon relish over fish and serve immediately.  Serves 2.

Printable recipe

When you get home from a vacation and want something that feels healthy, but kind of eases you back into your normal routine, this is a good choice. We have just returned from a wonderful four days at Disney World with our Granddaughter and our extended family. There was lots of good food to eat and many quick snacks that were not so good, but they all kept us going while we navigated the complex acres that comprise Disney World.

On our way home we made a quick stop at the grocery store and picked up salmon, puff pastry, leeks, and green beans. The recipe for the Salmon Wellington came from one of my favorite magazines, Coastal Living. Whenever we feel we have overindulged, a fish dish always figures into our meal plans. My husband thought the puff pastry was a little rich for a week night meal until he tasted it with the salmon and decided that maybe even a Tuesday night was worthy of being celebrated.

The whole meal can be prepared in 40 minutes according to Coastal Living. The Salmon is served with roasted green beans which are cooked at the same time. With a meal like this, who needs takeout.

SALMON WELLINGTON

2 large leeks, white part only, thinly sliced and cleaned
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
4 (5 to 6 ounce) skinless salmon fillets

Saute leeks in butter in a medium skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add wine; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.

Roll out each pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface into a 12 inch square. Cut each in half, forming 4 (12-x6-inch) rectangles. Spoon 1/4 cup leek mixture lengthwise down the center of each rectangle. Sprinkle fillets evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; place fillets lenghtwise on top of leek mixture. Fold short sides of pastry over fillets. pinch togethet long sides of each pastry to seal. Place Wellingtons, seam side down, on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut each pastry diagonally in half using a serrated knife. Makes 4 servings.

Roasted Green Beans

Toss 1 pound trimmed green beans with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 425 degrees, stirring once, 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp-tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Printable recipe

1 small green pepper, diced

2 jalepeno peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can creamed corn
1 small package of frozen corn niblets
1 fresh salmon fillet (about 3/4 lb) skinned and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Diced Smoked fish to taste (don’t overdue it, a little goes a long way, but it adds a nice smoky flavor, and takes the place of smoked bacon or fatback called for in many chowder recipes)
1/2 cup Skim Plus milk (or milk of your choice)
A little half-and-half, maybe 1/4 cup — add more or less milk and/or half-and-half to achieve the consistency you desire in the chowder. I wanted it kind of thick.
1 Tbs olive oil for sweating the vegetables
1 Tbs sherry (just for the nice flavor it imparts — leave it out or use more as you desire)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for a little more kick
2 Tbs butter
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute the potatoes, celery, onion, green pepper, jalepeno pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil in a large pot over medium heat to soften them and give them flavor. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatos are cooked. Drain the water and add the creamed corn and corn niblets to the pot, followed by the milk, half-and-half, sherry, butter, and red pepper flakes. Add the cubed salmon and smoked fish and then salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for about 20 minutes to be sure the salmon is cooked. Serve and enjoy with any bread of your choice, but if you have access to sourdough french baguettes, try the toast below.

Sourdough French Baguette Preparation:

Slice a sourdough french baguette on a diagonal making slices about 1/2 inch thick
Arrange slices on a baking sheet
Liberally coat each slice with olive oil and rub the oil in
Top each slice with fresh ground black pepper to taste
Place in a toaster oven or under the broiler of an oven until nicely browned

Printable recipe – Seafood and corn chowder