Eat Fresh! Eat What is in Season! Wild Salmon!

Such a great adage. Eat seasonally. Eat fresh. Works for me!

And, for me? It's fresh wild salmon! O. M. G. Talk about food of the gods!

On Friday, Morgana bought a lovely Copper River fillet and asked me to smoke it. Well, it's just as easy to smoke one fillet as several. So, on Saturday, I bought 8 pounds of fresh wild sockeye to add to the mix. They have been marinating their little hearts out for the last thirty-six hours. 

This morning, I cleared off the kitchen counter, put down a layer of kraft paper, got out the smoker grates, took the fully marinated wild salmon out of the refrigerator and arranged them on their respective grates.

They are now relaxing on the counter under the fan while the pellicle is being formed.

     

This afternoon? Into the smoker.

I predict smoked wild salmon Caesar salad for dinner. Maybe in the back deck.

I'll keep you posted.

Day 59 Everyday Grateful ~

Sunny and completely beautiful.

Blue skies, clean air. Still.

Salmon in the smoker. Heaven!

Summer is here!

Copper River Salmon BBQ ~ First of the Year!

So, Kim is new to Seattle. Since she arrived last week, she's been hearing about this mysterious food ~ Copper River Salmon. Not only has she heard about Copper River salmon from me but, also from friends at work. Kim's a foodie, so it makes sense that she  is adventurous about eating. But, Copper River? It's a mystery!

This evening, she came home from work with a shopping bag from Whole Foods. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and asked if I had had dinner yet. "No," sez I.

"I bought some Copper River salmon for dinner. Would you care to join me?" she said.

"Wow, that would be great. I'll be right down."

"I don't know how to cook the salmon. Shall I bake it in the oven?"

"Oh, no! It's BBQ, baby. I'll start soaking the cedar plank, make the marinade and start the wood for the BBQ."

Usually when I BBQ salmon, I have lots of time to get the cedar plank soaked; make sure the wood has burned down to red coals, but tonight, it was a bit of a rush. More flame than usual. But, the Copper River King was wonderful. Moist and flavorful!

And, best of all, it was Kim's first taste of this very elegant fish.

She was in charge of the green Caesar salad, the Greek salad and the brown rice. I was in charge of the Copper River and keeping the flames from devouring this succulent morsel.

Kim brought a nice white wine ~ Kim Crawford Marlbourough Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and fragrant.

Ramses enjoys the evenings when I BBQ salmon. He waits patiently for the skin.

All and all, perfect! Much laughing. Much talking, and, a lovely way to start the weekend.

Day 41 Everyday Grateful ~

Drizzly, lots of small projects

completed or fully in the works.

First Copper River Salmon of the Season!

Lovely.