Copper What?

Anybody out there like Salmon? If you're sitting there nodding your head then I guess this is just about your favorite time of year!

Any salmon aficionado knows that in May and June the Copper River salmon run, and it is known for being the best example of the breed.

I really can't say that I'm a die-hard fan of the Copper River salmon, in fact I've often said that the Copper River marketing folks are absolutely brilliant since they've created this amazing brand for a product that isn't really that different or special. This year I think I've changed my mind however.

Last night we had a small dinner party and since we've had enough great steaks and it is Copper River season we figured we'd try our hand at a Tom Douglas-themed meal.

If you haven't been, you really need to check out Tom's restaurant Etta's which is adjacent to Pike Place Market, and where he serves his best fish dishes.

We started out with an appetizer Emily invented. She took chunks of watermelon, drained them, then skewered them with toothpicks, added prosciutto, and a small chunk of Grana Padano cheese, then drizzled aged balsamic over them and nestled it all in a bed of watercress. **IMPORTANT** If you are going to do this, don't try to substitute some sort of Stella shrink-wrapped bullshit cheese either, you gotta have some really good cheese and the GP is the one. Tasty!

For dinner we had the Copper River of course, some little squashes, and Tom D's cornbread pudding hint: you don't have to use heavy cream. try 2%, your arteries will thank you.

Here's how I did the salmon:

-I bought about 2.5 pounds of Copper River Sockeye to feed six adults

-Portioned the fish in equal yet delightfully robust pieces

-Coated the pieces with Tom D's "rub with love" about two hours before grilling

-Soaked cedar planks for two hours before grilling

-Preheated the grill to 500

-Put the planks on the hot grill five minutes before touchdown

-Once the planks start smoking/smelling i pull them, oil the grill

-Sear the top of each salmon portion for about a minute

-Pull the fish off the grill, put the planks back on, then put the fish skin-down on the planks

-Close the lid, cook for eight minutes

-Pull the fish, put it on a large cookie sheet, and tent loosely with foil for a few minutes

The result was one of the best meals I've ever had...seriously! The flavors go together so nicely, and the Copper River was flaky, moist, flavorful, and has a little extra fatty goodness.

We paired the meal with a very nice Pinot Noir from New Zealand called Amisfield and it went perfectly with the meal. I highly recommend this wine, and it may very well be available at your local Costco!

To top off our "Tom D at home" experience we served the famous coconut cream pie from Dahlia Bakery and basked in our fullness.

So if you are interested in trying Copper River salmon, and you're not in a region where it is readily available, I suggest you look up our friends at Wild Alaska Salmon Company. Sara can ship you fresh salmon straight from Alaska overnight!

Cheers

What is BBQ 2U?

Do you love barbecue? or is it bar-b-que?
Any way you slice it, I like bbq. I like to eat it, cook it, even type it. It just feels good.
I've been enjoying some bbq lately and I imagine you're probably doing the same.
I thought I'd share some of my recent discoveries and favorite things about the big bbq season.

You know what? it turns out nobody likes chicken that's black and crispy on the outside and cold and salmonella-y on the inside. That's where slow cooking comes in!
I recently had a little dinner thing (or my wife did and I was a key contributor?) anyway we decided we'd go old school and have chicken...complete with bones and skin no less!
In anticipation of the event I broke out the trusty barbecue bible (thanks ian and julie for the fine wedding gift that i'm still using!) some great recipes and directions on cooking fast or slow.

I called my friend Matthew who happens to be a chef (the real deal) and an amazing barbecue-ist (heh) Matthew played Master Po to my Caine as I walked the earth searching for moist poultry and left me with this tidbit...use a subtle marinade of olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Do not be shy about the oil. Do not salt and pepper until 30 minutes before cooking. do not baste with a sugary sauce until you are almost done cooking. All of this was very important advice indeed.

Have you tried cooking with a little smoke? no, i don't mean breaking out the phatty before you fire up the grill, i mean using wood chips or pellets to enhance the flavor of your meat while cooking! I tried some apple wood pellets and I was pretty pleased with the results.

So here's the blow by blow:

-Chicken pieces; breasts, legs, thighs etc
-marinate in olive oil, lemon zest, rosemary, red pepper flakes for as little as two or as much as 24 hours
-heat grill to medium, then turn off the section you will be cooking on (indirect method) leaving the other burner(s) on
-Salt and pepper the chicken before putting on the grill
-Place chicken on grill, turning occasionally. Cook for ~75 minutes at 325ish
-At the 55 minute mark bust out the bbq sauce. baste the bird every five minutes 'til done
-Remove pieces and place on a platter, loosely tented with foil
-Serve with some piping hot cornbread, potato salad with the skin left on/tossed with blue cheese, and some sort of greens

Some other recent barbecue victories:

1. Opah . Do not confuse this fish with the popular talk show host, its just not nice. Grilled this one up over the weekend. Its like a tuna steak that smells less like tuna. i really like it.
2. Scallops wrapped with bacon. This could not be easier. Get some bacon. wrap the biggest scallops you can find with it. secure it with a **wooden** toothpick (don't ask) and grill over medium heat for about 10 minutes. AMAZING
3. Northwest Exclusive steaks. Yeah, its kind of like saying "my kid is the cutest" but the reality is my steaks are better than yours. Check out the fathers day special which includes a couple killer, aged, prime ribeyes and a bottle of Stevens 424 red blend. I'd like to receive this little gift but since I'm only dad to a yellow lab and he doesn't have any money I don't think I'll be getting one.
4. Great bbq technology. Have you noticed what's going on with the grill these days? Its like some sort of bbq renaissance! If you don't have 62,000 BTUs and 830 inches of cooking area you are just not a player. For great value in grills, I like Vermont Castings which are available at your local Home Depot.

So there ya go, there's my early-season take on bbq. Now get out there and grill.