Salmon

Pan seared salmon, cooked in butter and garlic.  Topped with (rinsed) capers and  lemon peel.  Snap peas also pan cooked, with fresh ginger, lemon juice, and sesame seeds.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Pickling Spice
2 Tb. black peppercorns	2 Tb. mustard seeds
2 Tb. coriander seed	2 Tb. crushed red pepper flake
2 Tb. allspice berries	1 Tb. ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks crushed	3 bay leaves, crumbled
2 Tb. whole cloves	1 Tb. ground ginger

Toss the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet and place over medium heat until the spices are lightly toasted. Dump them on a cutting board and smash them with the side of a chef’s knife to crack them, being careful so the seeds don’t roll all over your counter and onto the floor. Scrape the cracked spices into a large plastic container or glass jar or other nonreactive container and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until completely combined. Cover tightly.

Brine
1 gallon water	2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar	1 ounce (5 teaspoons) pink salt*
3 garlic cloves, minced	2 tablespoons pickling spice
One 5-pound well-marbled (first-cut) beef brisket

In a pot that’s just large enough to hold the brisket, combine the water, salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic, and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove the pot from the heat, let the brine cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until the brine is completely chilled. Place the brisket in the chilled brine and weight it with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days. Remove the brisket from the brine solution, discarding the brine. Rinse the brisket thoroughly under cool running water. (Don’t worry, you’re just rinsing the the brine solution from the surface of the brisket. The brine will continue to permeate the beef and work its considerable magic.)

Cook the corned beef

Fried fish

Tartar sauce

1/2 C. Mayonnaise 

1 pickle, finely diced

1 TB white wine vinegar

1/2 TSP. Sugar (Splenda)

1 TSP. Mustard powder

The juice of 1 slice of lemon

Stir together.

Gouda Stuffed Chicken

Butterfly chicken breast. Open, and pound flat until uniform thickness. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Fill breasts with garlic, broccoli, and Gouda cheese. Pin chicken shut with toothpicks. Brown both sides of stuffed chicken in a skillet, then transfer to an oven and bake at 350* until center is 165*.

Globes

Salmon Croquettes

2 cans salmon

2 eggs

1 bag plain pork rinds

Salt and pepper (Ruthy blend from Penzeys)

1 C. oil

High sided skillet.

Gently heat oil over medium heat. Crush pork rinds until they resemble bread crumbs.  Pour 1/2 C. Into large mixing bowl, and the rest onto a plate. Set both aside for now.  Open salmon, strain, and remove bones and skin. Add good salmon to large mixing bowl. Crack one egg into a small bowl and beat it. Add the beaten egg to the mixing bowl.  Crack the second egg into a small bowl, beat it, and then set it aside. Do not add this second egg to your croquette mixture.  Season the mixture and stir the crumbs, egg, and salmon until well combined.  Use a scooper to form patties.  Using a pastry brush, give each croquette an egg wash, and then dip each into your remaining crumbs.  Gently fry each croquette for about 2 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towel and gently salt. Ours were served with tartar sauce. Yield 10 patties.

Bananas

Bananas are a tree-like perennial herb that replace themselves every year. They are an herb because the aerial parts of the parent plant die down to the ground after the growing season. It is a perennial because one of the offshoots growing at the base of the plant takes over and grows a new plant. Much like watermelon and grapes, the banana is also a berry! Botanically speaking, a berry has three distinct fleshy layers: the exocarp (outer skin), mesocarp (fleshy middle) and endocarp (innermost part, which holds the seeds).
The time between planting a banana plant and the harvest of the banana bunch is from 9 to 12 months. The flower appears in the sixth or seventh month. Bananas are available throughout the year - they do not have a growing 'season'. Bananas are grown in tropical regions where the average temperature is 80° F (27° C) and the yearly rainfall is between 78 and 98 inches. They require moist soil with good drainage. In fact, most bananas exported are grown within 30 degrees either side of the equator. Worldwide, there is no sharp distinction between "bananas" and "plantains". Especially in the Americas and Europe, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet, dessert bananas, particularly those of the Cavendish group, which are the main exports from banana-growing countries. By contrast, Musa cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called "plantains". In other regions, such as Southeast Asia, many more kinds of banana are grown and eaten, so the simple two-fold distinction is not useful and is not made in local languages.