Food Day in Alaska!

Kale Potato Soup

(from Simply in Season, Herald Press 2009)

 Yields 6 cups

• 1 large bunch kale (chopped) - Steam and set aside
• 1T butter
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• Melt butter in a soup pot. Add onion and sauté until golden. Add garlic and sauté another minute.
• 2 large potatoes (diced)
• 2 cups hot water or broth 

Add to pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft. Remove half of the cooked potatoes; puree the rest with the cooking liquid and return to the soup pot. Return reserved potatoes and steamed kale to soup pot.

•  3 cups water or broth
• 1/2 t salt or to taste
• Pepper to taste

Add along with additional hot water or milk to preferred consistency. Heat gently until hot and serve.

Chard or Kale Enchiladas

(from Simply in Season, Herald Press 2009)

Serves 4

• 1 pound Swiss chard or Kale
• Rinse and remove stems. Finely chop leaves and set aside. Finely chop stems.
• 2 onions (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• In deep frypan sauté in 2 teaspoons oil with chopped stems until softened, 10 minutes.
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t pepper
• Add with chopped green. Cook until greens are wilted, 5 minutes. Add water if necessary. Remove from heat.
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
• Mix in. Set aside.
• 3 cupe tomato sauce
• 2 T taco seasoning
• 8 corn or flour tortillas
• 1 cup cheese (shredded)

  
Combine and pour 1 cup sauce in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.

If using corn tortillas, fill a shallow bowl or pie pan with boiling water; dip each tortilla in water to soften , 10-15 seconds. Spoon greens/cheese mixture into tortillas, roll up , and place seam-side down in baking pan. Pour remaining sauce evenly on top, covering all tortilla edges. Cover and bake in preheated oven at 350F for 40 minutes.

Sprinkle on top. Bake uncovered another 10 minutes.

Curried Carrot Soup

(from Simply in Season, Herald Press 2009)

 Serves 4-6

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 stalks celery (chopped; optional)
• In large soup pot sauté in 2 T olive oil until soft.
• 2 pounds carrots or sweet potatoes (chopped)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 t curry powder
• 1 t lemon juice or 1 cup apple cider
• salt and pepper to taste

Add and bring to a boil. Simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and puree.

Add and stir well. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or a sprinkle of cilantro leaves.

Meltaway Cabbage

(from Simply in Season, Herald Press 2009)

Serves 6

• 1/4 cup butter - Melt in Dutch oven or large soup pot with a heavy bottom.
• 1 large onion (diced)
• Add and sauté 10 minutes until very soft.
• 2 T paprika
• 1 medium head cabbage (thinly sliced)
• Stems of 1 bunch Swiss chard (thinly sliced; optional)
• 2 t salt
• 1 pound egg noodles, spaetzle, or chunky pasta (cooked)

 Add paprika and sauté briefly. Add cabbage, chard stems, and salt, stir to coat vegetables with paprika, cover and ooh on very low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is very soft. The longer the cabbage cooks the sweeter it will be.

Mix into cabbage with pepper to taste. Serve with sour cream.

Hot and Sour Salmon with Greens

Adapted from A Spoonful of Ginger By Nina Simonds

Makes 6 servings

• 2½ pounds baby bok choy or bok choy, stem ends and leaf tips trimmed
• 8 to 9 whole scallions, ends trimmed, cut into thin slices on the diagonal
• ¼ cup fresh ginger cut into very thin julienne shreds
• 6 salmon steaks, about 6 ounces each
• 3 cups cooked brown rice 

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic

1.  Trim the tough outer leaves from the bok choy and discard. Rinse the stalks and leaves and drain. Cut the stalks in half lengthwise. Cut the halves diagonally into 2-inch sections. In a bowl, toss the scallions and ginger with the bok choy sections. Arrange on a heatproof platter.

2.  Mix the ingredients of the dressing, and pour into a serving bowl.

3.  Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the salmon steaks on top of the greens. Pour into a roasting pan several inches of water and heat until boiling. Carefully place the platter of salmon and vegetables on top of a rack or steamer tray in the roasting pan. Cover the top of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until the fish is cooked.

4.  Serve the salmon from the heatproof platter or arrange the steamed vegetables and salmon on serving plates. Spoon the dressing on top and serve with brown rice.

Roasted Roots Mac 'N' Cheese

From food52.com 

Serves 1 9x9 casserole

• 2 parsnips - peeled and in a smallish dice
• 1 small sweet potato - peeled and diced the same size
• 2 small turnips - peel and dice the same size (you should have a total 2 cups diced roots)
• 4 cloves garlic - still in the paper
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup (dry) elbow macaroni 
• 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• Butter for the pan 

1.  Heat the oven to 375. Toss the roots, garlic and rosemary with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast on a sheet pan until they are tender and just getting crispy. Remove the rosemary - some needles will stay with the roots - that's OK. Turn the oven down to 350.

2.  Meanwhile boil the macaroni in salted water until it is on the dente side of al dente, and butter a 9x9 baking dish. Mix the two cheeses.

3.  Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the paper and mash it, then whisk it with the eggs and milk. Toss the roots and macaroni together. Put 1/3 of the mixture in the dish, then 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining mac and roots and cheese so you have three layers, ending with cheese. Pour the milk egg and garlic mix over the macaroni, then gently press down with a spatula or a big spoon. Bake until it is golden and crispy on the edges. 

4.  Let it cool for around 10 minutes before you dig in.

Salmon in Sorrel Sauce

From food52.com

 Serves 4

Prepare the Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• Prepared Salmon - see below
• 2 cups fresh sorrel leaves (chopped rough; can substitute spinach)
• 1/4 cup chervil
• 1/2 cup chives, with flowers if possible
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper 

1.  Adjust an oven rack to be at the very top of the oven. Preheat the broiler. Warm the plates (very important) in a sink of warm water, your extra oven (ha), or remove them from the just run dishwasher.

2.  Prepare all ingredients and stage. This dish comes together quickly and you don't want to be scrambling. Hold back the chive flowers, if you have them.

3.  When the oven is ready, start the sauce. In a large, wide skillet, melt the butter until it starts to toast. It should be golden brown. At this point, put the salmon under the broiler.

4.  Add the sorrel, chervil and chives to the butter and coat quickly. Allow them to wilt a little, and then pour in the cream. Bring to a boil and reduce just until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, remembering you have seasoned the fish.

5.  The salmon should now be ready. (2-3 minutes) Watch it carefully the entire time it's in the oven -- it could take you as little as 30 seconds, depending on your oven.

6.  Dry the warm plates. Place four medallions per person on each plate and decorate with the sauce, being very generous. Sprinkle chive flower petals and serve with crusty bread.
 

Prepare the Salmon:

• 1 pound beautiful, wild, center cut salmon (Alaskan King is my preference here, but any wild caught salmon will do)  

1.  Slice the salmon into thin medallions. A flexible salmon slicing knife is my choice, but any long thin knife will work well. It must be very sharp. Slice on a slight angle cutting away the skin as you go. Aim for 16 pieces.

2.  Place the salmon on a sheet pan lined with parchment and very lightly oiled. Brush the tops very lightly with oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the fish.

3.  PS I like to put the salmon skin under the broiler, too. Salt well. It's a delicious cook's snack.

 
More recipes using seasonally available produce can be found at:

 South Anchorage Farmers Market Recipe Page

Food Day recipe page