Summer Solstice Salmon Breakfast

This weekend, the store where I work is having an incredible sale on wild Bristol Bay Sockeye salmon-$7.99 lb cut and wrapped! Incredible. Needless to say, I cleaned out my little freezer and bought one. I'm thinking I'll buy two more, maybe three. This Sockeye is soo delicious and fresh, you barely need to do any preparation.  I simply drizzled it with good olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and pepper and baked it at 325' for about 15-20 minutes. When it is done to your liking (and I prefer mine a little more rare in the middle) squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top and boom! Done, divine and delicious.  I refrigerated what I didn't devour last night and made this beautiful breakfast to celebrate the Solstice. I prefer a savory breakfast and this was quick and easy and so satisfying. In five minutes I had breakfast: a bowl of baby arugula, half an avocado diced,  a hunk of salmon, two forkfuls of raw sauerkraut, half a lemon squeezed over the top, a drizzle of that good olive oil, sesame seeds and for the grand finale Jacobsen salt. To round it off, a lovely smattering of fresh picked raspberries from Sauvie Island from my friend Els. Try it, what a lovely way to begin your day with a healthy bowl of Superfoods!

Sweet Oregon Strawberry Tarts

Nothing is sweeter or more delicious than Oregon ruby red strawberries. The only downside to these little gems is their season is so short. When they come on, DON'T DILLY DALLY!

So that you will be ready for them, my friend and guest Gretchen from Portland's Woodlawn Coffee and Pastry, and I created a wonderfully simple tart recipe to wet your appetite for the fast approaching strawberry season.

Fresh Oregon Strawberry Tarts

Individual Strawberry Ricotta Tarts

Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Cooking Time: less than 10 minutes

Tart Shell Dough
1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp Diamond Kosher salt
4 ounces (1/2 stick) cold unsalted Tillamook butter cut into cubes
2 Tbls heavy cream
1 egg yolk

 

Place dry ingredients in a medium bowl. With fingers, pastry blender or mixer, work the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. In a small bowl, whisk cream and yolk together and add to dry mixture. Work gently until just comes together and then form it into a disk. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into desired shape for tart shells.  We made circles about 3 inches in diameter and then froze them. When you are ready to bake the shells, preheat the oven to 350’ degrees. Place a muffin pan upside down on a baking sheet and place a circle of frozen dough on the top of each muffin mold. As it bakes it will hang over the edge to form a cup. Place in the preheated oven and bake 4 minutes. Check for doneness and bake approximately 4 to 6 more minutes. The shells are done when crisp, golden brown and shaped into a cup. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before carefully removing them and letting fully cool. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to fill them.  

Filling:
2 cups whole milk Sargento ricotta cheese
1 tsp. orange zest
2 Tbls. honey or sugar

In a small bowl, mix until combined. Taste and adjust with sweetener.  You can make this ahead and store covered in the refrigerator.

 

Strawberries:
Just before serving hull and halve 2 pints strawberries and toss with
1 Tbls. orange juice
2-4 Tbls. honey
about 15 torn leaves of mint (or basil)

To assemble: Place tart shells on a plate, fill halfway with ricotta mixture and top with berries. Serve and enjoy!

Combinations to experiment with:

• Sweetened whipped cream and berries or halved cherries
• Honey Greek yogurt and peaches, nectarines or apricots with honey and toasted nuts
• Lemon curd and blueberries
• Ice cream and fruit
• Coconut pudding, sliced banana, chocolate or caramel sauce

Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon

Think you can't entertain in a tiny kitchen? 

Check out Chef Sam Reed from Portland's Hop & Vine as he shows me how he makes his addictive Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates in his VERY tiny kitchen.

When in Portland Oregon be sure and stop in at  The Hop & Vine and say "hi" to Sam!

 Ingredients: 

12 Dates Pitted and Scored

1/2 Cup Rogue Oregon Blue Cheese

12 Slices Pepper Bacon

Method:

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375F, lay the bacon out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. While bacon is cooking fill each date with blue cheese, pinching edges closed to seal. Wrap each date individually with one slice bacon, securing with a toothpick or skewer. The dates can then be grilled, baked, or pan roasted till the bacon is hot and crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette. (1 part vinegar, 3 parts oil, salt and pepper to taste)

 Pairing: Delicious with Cardamaro Amaro

Note:  These can be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven or on a grill.

Fresh Strawberry Shrub

One of the things I like about making a shrub is that it is so versatile that it can be made from almost any fruit. It's also a great way to use up that blemished fruit that is maybe on its way out. When traveling, be sure to stop by local produce stands and see what you can procure to create your own flavors. I made this one with fresh Oregon strawberries because they are so sweet and the their color is brilliant. It is a way to preserve and save the best of summer, to enjoy during those long grey winter months. It makes a beautiful and delicious gift as well!

Fresh Strawberry Shrub

Prep time: 10 minutes plus a day to rest   

Cooking Time: none

4 cups washed, hulled, sliced strawberries (overripe or blemished fruit is okay)

4 cups sugar

3 to 4 cups of Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar

1 bottle of Seltzer water or create bubbly water with an eco-friendly Soda Stream

Place berries in a non-reactive bowl or dish and toss with sugar. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours and up to 48 hours. Using a fine mesh strainer or a cheese cloth lined colander, strain the sugar-juice off of the berries into a clean bowl. Press the berries to extract as much as possible. There may be some undissolved sugar in the berries. Add all of this to the sugar-juice as it will eventually dissolve. Discard the berries. (Or save and use as garnishes in the drinks you create.) Add 3 cups of vinegar to the sugar-juice and stir well. You now have shrub! Taste for tartness. It should be both sweet and tart. You can make a test drink with 2 Tbls. of shrub and 8 ounces of seltzer water. Stir and see if you like the taste. If you would like a bit more sourness, add additional vinegar. Store shrub in a sterilized glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator. You can use it to make a refreshing non-alcoholic drink by combining it with bubbly water. Add it to your favorite cocktail, or use it to create your own delicious signature cocktail recipe. It is also delicious drizzled on fruit salads or as an ice cream topping.

Encores: Shrub can also be made with other berries or peeled and sliced stone fruit. It is a great way to preserve the taste of summer and a perfect way to use overripe and blemished fruit.