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| Elephant Rock State Park, MO. The old quarry. |
The Meal Plan
Sat (L) leftovers (S) new restaurant: McQuades in Two Harbors
Sun (L) leftover chickpea burgers (S) Smoked Salmon
Mon (yoga) leftover smoked salmon
Tues - Chicken, Kale and Pinto bean soup
Wed (yoga/Legion mtg) leftovers
Thurs - leftovers
Fri - leftovers
Lunches - sandwiches
Smoked Candy Salmon (Steve Raichlin BBQ Bible)
We ventured into the realm of smoking once again. The first foray being smoked brats (which turned out fantastic). We followed the recipe as directed, except the piece of salmon I bought was 2.25 lbs because (I was guessing at how much we needed) and a farm raised center cut (that was what was available as center cut). We increased the brine amount accordingly to compensate.
The Husband had to smoke this in two batches. First batch - perfection. Second batch, less so. He admitted he should have added more charcoal. It's a learning experience - this was the second time he's used the smoker.
This was very good (especially that first batch). We did forget to add the maple glaze, and it was still very good. I don't think I can find a piece of wild-caught center cut salmon in the size we need around here, but it might be worth driving around for. I served this with a side of wild rice. Recommneded (if you have a smoker).
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| Photo from BBQ Bible |
Served 6
1 piece (1½ pounds) fresh skinless salmon fillet (preferably a center cut)
1 cup dark brown sugar or maple sugar
¼ cup coarse salt (sea or kosher)
¾ cup pure maple syrup (preferably dark amber or Grade B)
1 quart water
Vegetable oil, for oiling the rack
Step 1: Rinse the salmon under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Run your fingers over the flesh side of the fillet, feeling for the sharp ends of pin bones. Pull out any you find with kitchen tweezers.
Step 2: Using a sharp knife, slice the salmon widthwise into strips 1 inch wide and 4 to 5 inches long. Transfer the fish to a large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and place the bag in an aluminum foil pan or baking dish to contain any leaks.
Step 3: Combine the brown sugar, salt, and ½ cup of the maple syrup in a bowl. Add the water and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour this over the salmon and seal the bag. Cure in the refrigerator for 8 hours, turning the bag over several times to redistribute the brine.
Step 4: Drain the salmon in a colander, discarding the brine, and rinse the salmon well under cold running water. Blot dry with paper towels. Arrange the salmon flesh side up on an oiled wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and let air-dry in the refrigerator until tacky, 2 hours.
Step 5: Set up your smoker following the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat to 225° to 250°F. Add the wood as directed by the manufacturer.
Step 6: Place the salmon on its rack in the smoker and smoke until the outside is bronzed with smoke and the salmon feels firm, 30 to 60 minutes. Start brushing the salmon with the remaining ¼ cup of maple syrup after 15 minutes, and brush several times until it’s cooked (about 140°F on an instant-read thermometer). Transfer the salmon candy on its rack to a rimmed baking sheet to cool and brush one final time with maple syrup before serving. Serve at room temperature or cold.
Step 7: In the unlikely event you have leftovers, store the salmon candy in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least 3 days.
Chicken Stew with Pinto Beans and Kale (Eating Well, March 2021)
Instant Pot An instant pot dish! I think it's great that Eating Well is starting to incorporate this fantastic kitchen tool. I use mine weekly. Really! If you don't have and IP, you can make this on the stovetop and increase the cooking time.
I modified this dish slightly - I still have a couple of our homegrown chickens in the freezer which do well in the instant pot - they aren't like your standard supermarket broilers/fryers. They are on the lean side. I used bone-in, skin-on legs, thighs and breast, which give *me* about 1lb+ of meat after boning. PLUS! I've learned you can up the flavor in a soup like this by using bone-in. Bonus!
I also don't have ground chipolte, so I used adobo. I got some of the "smokey" without out the heat.
With the two substitutions noted above, I really liked this soup. Don't skip the lime - that adds the perfect balance of acidity. I did skip the sour cream - didn't seem right with all that great broth. I would absolutely make this again. Recommended!
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| Photo from Eating Well |
Serves 6
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
(~ 2 lbs Bone-in, skin-on breast, thighs and legs)
2 (15 ounce) cans no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed
1 large bunch kale, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces (7 cups)
⅔ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons lime juice
Lime wedges, sour cream & hot sauce for serving
Heat oil in an electric pressure cooker set to Sauté mode. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chile powder and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, chicken and beans. Use a wooden spoon to press all the ingredients down into the broth. Close and lock the lid. Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
Release the pressure manually. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir the chicken back into the soup along with kale, cilantro and lime juice. Garnish with more cilantro and serve with lime wedges, sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.
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