This Dame Cooks A Collection of Recipes from Alaska to the South Pacific and Caribbean

Don’t let the photo confuse you.  This recipe is for a soup that is reminiscent of stuffed bell peppers.  It is very hardy and goes down well with a Waldorf salad and cornbread.  Serve it on those cold, snowy nights or rainy days when you need something to stick to your ribs.

1 lb ground round

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

3 large green bell peppers, chopped

1/2 cup white rice

1 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 cups beef stock

1 Tbsp tomato paste

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Warm a medium sized stock pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Brown beef thoroughly and drain off grease.  Add onions, garlic, and bell peppers, cook another 5-7 minutes.  Add tomatoes, wine, thyme, Worchestershire, 1-1/2 cups beef stock and the rice.  Whisk tomato paste with remaining 1/2 cup of beef stock and add to the pot.  Add salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is done.    Serve with grated cheddar cheese on top.  Makes 5 servings.

When you live in salmon country creating new salmon dishes is a must lest we are bored with the local fare.  In Alaska, not only did we catch and eat pinks, silvers, and reds, but we also caught huge 40 + pound King Salmon.  There was salmon roasts, salmon steaks, salmon cheeks, salmon eggs for bait and caviar, salmon bones for fish stock and fertilizer in the vegetable garden.  Everyone ate salmon, even the dogs and kitties and everyone had salmon in the freezer along with razor clams, mussels, and crabs.

This recipe is simple yet elegant for a starter course or main dish supper.

6 Tbsp butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

2 cups diced potato

2 cloves garlic minced

1 cups diced carrots

4 cups fish stock (or chicken stock)

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chopped zucchini (courgettes)

1/2 tsp each salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme (2-3 sprigs fresh)

2 tsp dried tarragon  (5-6 sprigs fresh)

2 lbs fresh salmon chopped

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

Tabasco to taste (1-2 dashes)

Warm a good sized stock pot or dutch oven, melt the butter, add the onion, celery, pepper, garlic, potatoes, and carrots. Saute over medium high heat until fragrant and wilted.  Add the wine to deglaze the pan, then add the stock.  Bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes, lower heat and simmer 30-40 minutes.  Add the salt, pepper, thyme, tarragon, zucchini, and salmon.  Simmer 10 minutes more and add milk, cream, and Tabasco.  Cook until heated through.  Adjust seasonings if needed.  Serve with parsley garnish, big loaf of warm sourdough bread, and your favorite salad.

Jewels of the forest and cow patties, mushrooms are a gastronomic experience that everyone should be exposed  to at an early age.  Mushrooms are loaded with vital elements we need to reduce heart disease, stroke and prostate cancer.  They are low in calories, fat and sodium yet a good source of fiber.  This recipe is easy, delicious and filling for a quick supper on a cold winter’s night.  If there is any leftover, which is doubtful, add it to a green bean or broccoli casserole.  Any mushroom will work with this recipe  though the darker the mushroom, such as a crimini or portobello, the richer the color and flavor will be.    This is pure comfort food yet delicate in flavor.  Serve with a salad of baby greens dressed with a simple vinaigrette and warm crusty bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp of butter
• 2 strips of bacon
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1/2 Walla Walla Sweet Onion, diced
• 4 cups beef stock
• 2 hots of brandy
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
•  Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a non-stick skillet, fry bacon to render fat.  Remove from skillet and chop. 
2. Add butter to skillet and saute shallots and onion for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and continuing cooking until the juices evaporate and mushrooms are browned.
4. Remove to a stock pot with the bacon, add the beef stock and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes.  Reduce to a simmer.
5. Deglaze the saute pan with brandy, scraping up bits from bottom of pan.  Pour into stock pot.
6. Reduce heat to simmer, add fresh thyme, and Tabasco.  Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Add cream, salt and pepper.  Cook only until cream is heated through. 

Easter is just around the corner so you can start practicing the art of boiling eggs right now.  For years the media hype on the ill-effects of eggs put off the daily consumption of eggs.  The fact is, eggs are very healthly.   The secret is to buy farm-fresh eggs that have not been refrigerated and are not more than 7 days old.  A farm-fresh egg has lutein for your eyes, choline for your brain, B12 for your nervous system and are a cheap source of protein for building strong bones and rejuvenating cells.  Eggs have also been proven to help lower bad cholesterol levels rather than exacerbate bad cholesterol levels.  If your local health food store or farmers market doesn’t carry farm-fresh eggs, ask them to do so. 

A tried and true method for boiling eggs:

Cover raw eggs with cold water.  Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes uncovered.  (Use a timer if you are busy.)   Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes.  Then drain off the hot water and run cold water over the eggs until they are just barely warm.  At this point, eggs may be colored for Easter baskets or an Easter Egg Hunt.

To shell eggs for your favorite dishes, crack the eggs all over while holding them under the cold water.  The shells should come off in a ribbon and the yolks will be lovely and yellow.

To make your own colors simply use a separate ramekin or tea cup for each color and add 1 tsp white vinegar and 1/2 cup boiling water to each cup.  Then add as many drops of food coloring as needed to make the desired colors.

When I  lived in the South Pacific, only brown eggs were available and dyed Easter Egg was not a cultural tradition in the islands.  But, a lot of ex-pats got together and celebrated Easter with an Easter Egg Hunt, easter baskets and egg exchange.  Obviously, brown eggs would not color so we used felt pens and drew geometric designs, crosses, flowers and such on our brown eggs.  Some of them were quite artistic.  At any rate, we were still able to celebrate our Easter tradition a long ways from home.

Eggs symbolize the rites of spring or new beginnings.  The celebration of spring was actually a pagan festival prior to Christianity.  The Christians adopted the  pagan holidays for church holidays hoping to eradicate the pagan rituals.   However, small elements of those ancient pagan rituals have continued to exist in most of our holiday celebrations today.   So we can thank the pagans for their contribution to civilization and the pagan part of our Easter traditions.

How many ways can you use hardboiled eggs? 

Let’s see!  Drop a comment and tell me what I’ve missed!

1. Deviled eggs:  add a pinch of curry and sweet pickle relish with the mayo and mustard.
2. Egg-salad sandwich:  add tuna or chicken, pineapple bits, arugula and/or fresh basil along  with a slice of  tomato or mango chutney.
3. Salads:  add chopped eggs to a Caesar salad, or wilted spinach salad, add sliced eggs to a Cobb salad, egg wedges to a Chef’s salad or Salad Nicoise.
4. Creamed eggs:  on toast with parsley garnish for breakfast, or with  ham on biscuits for lunch or a quick supper.
5. Pickled eggs:  Boil 1 cup water with 2 cups cider vinegar, add 1 Tbsp of pickling spice.  Let cool and pour over shelled eggs in a sterile jar.  Refrigerate for a few days.  To add color to your proverbial “boneless chicken” place pickled eggs in a jar of pickled beets.  They’ll change color within a day.