Gravlaks with Sweet Mustard Sauce

Almost FOUR (four?! four. FOUR?) years since I first started my blog, and this is my 200th post. In someways, I consider this to be a huge solo-dance-party-worthy experience, but on the other side of the fence, it's a bit low. Just glance over to my side bar - the number of recipes per year has been slowing decreasing (67, 72, 41,18…) but I consider to be myself to be a better cook.

Now when I approach my kitchen, it's a little more Iron Chef and a lot less exact. There will never be a day in which I stop referencing cookbooks or other food blogs, but now I'm much more comfortable approaching a spread of ingredients with only myself as inspiration. Ingredients are more ingrained and I know how nicely they play with their food friends. Tasting starts before I even start chopping the first onion. But how does this translate over to a food blog?

For me, it doesn't. I take that back, it only kind of does, but it means less posts with more trust. Now when I post something, it's a recipe I have probably tried once or twice. The first time was to inhale and analyze the food without pressure of photography. Second is perfecting. Third is for the blog. Or in the case of this recipe, sometimes I rework a classic and put it on up.

Back when Andy and I were back in Seattle, we made use of the first few catches of a salmon run but curing King Salmon with Aquavit. In my opinion, there is no better way to experience Pacific salmon then cured and on a slice of hearty rye bread. Cut to six months later, and while we are away from my beloved Pacific ocean, it's just as easy to find fresh and sustainable salmon on the Third Coast in Wisconsin. 

The basics of curing are simple and similar to my last recipe, but this time we cut out the Auqavit and upped the amount of sugar and salt. As far as meat goes, I recommend approaching the fish monger of your local food coop and having him select, cut and remove the bones of the best possible cut of fish.

Gravlaks with Sweet Mustard Sauce

From the Kitchen of Light 

Ingredients:

• Two 3-point salmon fillets, skin on, any pinbones removed
• ⅓ cup salt
• ⅔ cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons fine chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon dill seeds
• Sweet Mustard Sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Rinse fillets in cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Combine the salt and sugar, and rub the flesh side down in a deep dish just big enough to hold the fillets (we used a large glass roasting pan).
2. Scatter the pepper, fresh dil, and dill seeds over it. Place the other fillet skin-side-up on top. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place a heavy weight (such as a cast iron skillet like we did) on top of the fish.
3. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, turning the fish every 12 hours and basting it with the brine that accumulates in the dish.
4. Once cured, gently wipe the cure off the top of the fillets. Use a long, narrow, flexible, sharp knife to remove the skin from each fillet. With the salmon skin side down, grab the tail end, pinching it with your thumb and fingers. If the skin is slippery, use a paper towel to grip it. Use the knife to slice between the skin and flesh. Keep the knife at an angle, pointed down towards the skin, and use a rocking motion to slice under the length of the fillet and remove the skin.
5. Once the skin is removed, flip the fillet over and trim off any pieces of skin still left on the fish. After the skin is removed from both fillets, store them in the fridge, well wrapped, where they will keep for at least a week.
6. To serve, slice the salmon as thinly as possible by using a sharp knife to shave off pieces, cutting towards the tail end. Wrap any unused salmon and return it to the fridge. Traditionally, gravlax is served with mustard-dill sauce and rye bread. It’s also delicious just sneakily eaten plain, too! Just don't tell Andy I do that….

Sweet Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons sweet grainy mustard, or to taste
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

Directions:

1. Combine the sweet mustard and 2 tablespoons of the Dijon mustard in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. Gradually add the oil, whisking constantly. 
2. Adjust the flavors as necessary. 
3. The sauce should be neither overly sweet nor overly acidic. Add a little water if the sauce gets too thick. Stir in the chopped dill. It will keep, refrigerated, for 2 to 3 weeks.

Gougères

…And so begins my Elizabeth Taylor marathon.  As I write this post, I skillfully positioned my instant streaming Netflix window in the lower corner of my Macbook as to watch Ms. Taylor in "Cleopatra."  Some might say, "no no, start from the beginning," I say to hell with them.  I want to start off with something big & epic… and it also happened to pop up first on Netflix.  Regardless, RIP Elizabeth T.

It's also nice that such a fancy recipe corresponds to such an opulent movie.  But shhh, I'm going to let you in on a little secret… these cheese puffs, ahem Gougères, aren't hard to make at all.  While it certainly helps if you have a piping bag, you can easily use a sturdy ziplock.

You say you don't have fancy cheese?  Pish posh - I ran to Trader Joe's, stood scared in front of the cheese wall and asked an employee who looked mildly worldly his recommendations.  Gruyere?  Sounds good.  Good Parmesan?  Already got some in the fridge.  No excuses.

Even once I got to the party (yes, this is yet another Superbowl recipe) the comments wouldn't stop flowing in about how they couldn't believe I made from scratch cheese puffs or that they were a nice contrast to the usual Superbowl fare.  Even though football season is over (and might continue to be for a year plus), it is officially soccer season (Go Sounders!).  Why not make these for your next soccer, erm football (as this IS French food), party?

Asparagus Frittata

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful Mom, Ann, and my always glamorous Grandma, Betty!!  All our plans for going out for brunch fell through, so we ended up having brunch at my parents house, but I am so glad we did!  It was honestly one of the best Mother's Day I have witnessed - I got four new recipes for my blog, it was a casual morning sitting around and chatting, the food was pipping hot and we never felt rushed to eat!  And right at the center of the dining room table were flowers my dad and I bought my mom - sunflowers, her favorite.

First up in the list of Mother's Day foods is an asparagus frittata.  I should let you know I despise quiche, but I love this frittata!  I have never made a frittata before, nor had I eaten one, but I had seen them in restaurants in Europe and all over TasteSpotting.  And what's even cooler is that they really aren't that hard to make but so amazing!  The texture is dense while having a nice bite to it and the crunchy cheese crust on top makes it even more delectable!  For your next lazy Sunday or breakfast in bed, I recommend you whip up one of these, it's sure to impress!

Asparagus Frittata

Adapted from The Traveling Table 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, peeled and blanched for 2 minutes,
• cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 eggs, slightly beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of hot sauce to taste
• 4 ounces fresh Dubliner cheese, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped Chinese chives (harvested them fresh from my Mom's new chive plant!)

Directions: 

1. Preheat the broiler. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick 10-inch skillet. 
2. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is starting to brown. 
3. In a medium bowl break the eggs and whisk. Season with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce and pour into the pan. 
4. Scatter the asparagus into the pan. Lift the edges to allow the liquid egg to run into the bottom. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes until the eggs are setting and the bottom is starting to brown. 
5. Drop the cheese over the top in small mounds and place under the broiler until the top is set and crusty brown. Sprinkle the chives over the top (at this point, because I was still making hash browns, the frittata was warming in an oven set at 170 degrees). 
6. Let cool for a couple minutes, slide out of the pan, and cut into 6-8 wedges.

Mac n' Cheese Bake

 Just look at that cheese oozing out

I doubt you've ever had a anything as decadent as this.  I made this last Tuesday for our house's weekly viewing/hosting of LOST.  I have been making this for two years, or ever since I bought Amy Sedaris's "I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence."  While I originally bought this book for the comedy, I ended up using it for the recipes.  The Greek recipes in here are authentic and absolutely wonderful.  But this is my favorite recipe - there are so many different kinds of cheese and so much richness.  When I made this I forgot to buy some yellow cheddar cheese so I had to use some Asiago cheese... but I'm not complaining!

Amy Sedaris’a Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted from: I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence

Ingredients:

• 1 box of elbow macaroni
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup grated smoked Gouda
• 1 cup grated white Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 cups grated mild yellow Cheddar cheese (I used sharp)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Topping

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 thin pats of butter

Directions:

1. Boil macaroni in salted water to al dente. While you are waiting for it to boil, melt together  butter, cheeses, cream, milk and salt and pepper.
2. Drain macaroni and put back into the pot. When cheese mixture is melted and smooth, pour over macaroni and mix well. Add to a 2-quart casserole dish.
3. For topping, mix together Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper, and sprinkle on top of the macaroni and cheese. Top with pats of butter.
4. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until browned on top. One should be forewarned: this is a very rich dish. Not appropriate for diners with heart problems, the elderly, or breast-feeding mothers.

Grilled Pizza

Pizza's on the Grill

Pizza's being prepped with toppings

Teaching Caroline how to stretch out pizza dough

Plate of toppings

First go around on the grill

I have been wanting to make grilled pizza for a long time now - whenever I see pictures the pizza just looks so delectable. As my sister is leaving for college on Tuesday (all the way across the country in Oregon), I need to teach her to cook as soon, and as fast as possible. I taught her how to properly stretch out pizza dough (as I will never be graceful enough to throw it in the air) and how to grill it. I must say... I don't think I will ever go back to just plain oven cooked pizza again. This pizza had an amazingly deep flavor and the crust was both crunchy and soft at the same time. My pizza has pesto, fresh tomatoes, onions, pine nuts, mozzarella, and parmesan on it - I recommend this combination, but the addition of blue cheese would also work very well. If you don't feel like cooking on a hot day - just heat up your grill and make some pizza!

(See older post for pesto recipe)

Thin Crust Pizza Dough + Grilling Instructions

Adapted from Frolicking Foodies

• 500 g strong white flour (I used King Arthur Bread Flour, and must weigh the flour - it really makes a huge difference)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 TBSP sugar
• 1 package yeast
• 2 TBSP oil (I try and use oil reserved from sun-dried tomatoes or similar)
• 300 ml lukewarm water (not too hot or the yeast will not perform - trust me here!)

1. Mix the sugar, yeast, oil and water together in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes to bubble up. Weigh out the salt and flour. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, make a well and then add the watery mixture. Incorporate by bringing the flour into the well of water, gradually. Knead the dough until it is very smooth and very elastic - it will be quite sticky, so I would recommend adding a little flour to your kneading surface.
2. Oil the same (cleaned) bowl with a little bit of olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and wait until doubled in sized. I personally hot box mine in the oven (aka, I heat the oven up to 100 degrees, turn it off, and place the bowl inside there to rise), it takes a lot less time.
3. Portion your pizza dough into four (maximum six) even balls. Heat your grill to a medium-high heat, then stretch your dough balls out thin and place them on your grill. Cook on one side until it’s crispy and a little golden, then take off the grill.
4. Once you’ve done them all, dress the sides that have already touched the grill with your sauce and desired toppings. Place the uncooked side back on the grill and cover for a few minutes, until the bottom is really crispy and your cheese is melted through. Serve immediately, maybe with a beer and a simple green salad.