This is a very old Maine recipe that comes from the days when fish was salted (or corned) to preserve it. The first time I tasted corned hake was several years ago when the captain of a commercial fishing boat fixed it as a special treat for his crew. (This was a memorable occasion itself, because it’s rare that a captain actually cooks.) He started with a fresh hake, which he buried in a pound of table salt for a day or so. The corned fish then gets “freshened” in several changes of water to remove most of the excess salt, then cooked. If you can’t get your hands on a hake, any salt fish, such as salt cod, will do just fine.
salt fish image courtesy of grit.com
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It’s interesting to note that certain ingredients that become trendy are very often found in a large percentage of old traditional recipes. Crystallized ginger has had its day in the limelight and perhaps will go the way of jicama and other outdated fad foods, but I will always like it in this excellent gingerbread. It’s best served warm with a generous dollop of whipped cream. (Although it’s passé, I like to add a bit of nutmeg to the whipped cream.)
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There’s something about this particular combination of ingredients that makes people think they are eating something more substantial than toasted nuts. Everyone loves this appetizer, and many have offered guesses as to what they are tasting–and have never been right. Continue reading “Walnut Salad in Endive” »
Let’s face it: Blueberry pancakes are usually the result of a very poor blueberry-picking expedition. I would imagine that my mother was bored to tears every time I left the house with a bucket, promising enough berries for several pies and returning with what made a couple of skimpy pancakes. She often tried to pass the meager harvest off as a topping for cereal or ice cream, but I usually insisted on pancakes. These are exceptionally light, due to the beaten egg whites. Continue reading “Wild Blueberry Pancakes” »
Beets may be the unsung hero of the vegetable world. I rarely think of cooking beets–I don’t know why–but when I do, I love to make this salad. It’s as delicious as it is aesthetically pleasing. Continue reading “Tricolor Beet Salad” »
I have to admit that my first Dark and Stormy did little to impress me. It was served as a “welcome aboard” libation upon boarding a visiting sailboat in the Isle au Haut thoroughfare. Two friends and I were handed large plastic beer mugs filled to the brim with a brownish beverage. A chronic problem with yacht drinks is a shortage of ice, and my first encounter with the cocktail was no exception, as the bartender had been stingy with cubes and generous with rum. After one sip, Patti and Doug looked frantically around the cockpit for a plant to water. Being the heartier sailor the three, I was able to choke mine down, trying to avoid swallowing the tired wedge of lime that drifted aimlessly in the sea of booze. The next Dark and Stormy I drank was made with perfect proportions and it has become one of my favorite cocktails.
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The basic lobster stew recipe–usually just lobster, cream, and butter–doesn’t do it for me. I don’t think it has much flavor. But if you use the tomalley and the roe (Tomalley is the soft green material full of delicious flavor you find tucked away in the lobster bodies. Roe, also called coral, is brilliant red when cooked and less flavorful, but it adds pretty color to the stew.), I am confident that just one taste and you’ll never go back to throwing all this good stuff away.
Continue reading “Linda Greenlaw’s Lobster Stew” »
The basic lobster stew recipe–usually just lobster, cream, and butter–doesn’t do it for me. I don’t think it has much flavor. But if you use the tomalley and the roe (Tomalley is the soft green material full of delicious flavor you find tucked away in the lobster bodies. Roe, also called coral, is brilliant red when cooked and less flavorful, but it adds pretty color to the stew.), I am confident that just one taste and you’ll never go back to throwing all this good stuff away.
Continue reading “Linny’s Tomalley & Roe All-Go Lobster Stew” »
We eat a lot of salads, mostly because we enjoy them, the also for health reasons. This one is a particular favorite and we like the fact that it’s made with some of the best local New England ingredients, including the maple syrup, cranberries, and goat cheese. It makes a great first course or is substantial enough to be a light meal by itself. You can vary the amounts of ingredients to suit your taste.
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Here's a great recipe for swordfish–this one with a neat spiced cucumber topping. Swordfish happens to be my personal all-time favorite seafood, but then I have been spoiled by years of thick swordfish steaks cut seconds after the fish have landed on deck. In general, the quality of fish to the consumer has improved drastically in the past twenty years. Commercial boats are often equipped with saltwater ice-making capability and much fish is sold at auction where the middleman sees, smells, and feels the product. Also, there is a great incentive to deliver pristine fish, because the best-quality fish commands the highest price.
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A friend who drags scallops showed up at my door one evening bearing the gift of 2 gallons of freshly shucked scallops. (This may be due to the fact that he had overimbibed at a party on a previous night, passed out in the middle of my kitchen floor, and had to be carried home. The gift was appreciated, and he was forgiven.) The scallops were gorgeous! Although scallops do freeze well, nothing compares to those straight out of the shell. I tried to consume as many scallops as I could while they were fresh. Luckily, I also love them marinated and grilled. The only way to hurt them is to dry them out by overcooking. Like most seafood, to err on the side of undercooking is divine!
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When the mackerel are running, any idiot can catch them. For those mackerel lovers out there, here's a way to cook it so it can really be enjoyed. You'll need four nice big fat mackerel ("horse" mackerel, as opposed to the smaller fish called "tinker" mackerel) that are big enough to be filleted.
Continue reading “Linda Greenlaw’s Spicy Pan-Fried Mackerel Fingers” »
We do a lot of grilling, especially of fish. Halibut is great cooked on the grill, but it can be dry if overcooked, so be careful! We make this basil butter when we get hold of a nice bunch of that fragrant herb.
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The history of Indian pudding is as rich as its taste. Festive
occasions in Old England were often celebrated with choice pudding
desserts. But in the New World, even the simplest of puddings seemed
out of the question due to the lack of wheat flour. But there was
Indian cornmeal.
In the late 1620s, dairy cattle were brought to
Plymouth Colony and milk and milk products became a bit more plentiful.
The Pilgrims could then attempt their English-style "milke" pudding.
Non-Indian, distinctly English touches in the recipe included milk,
eggs, butter, exotic spices like cinnamon and ginger, and thick cream
poured over the final dish.
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One evening I wandered into an Irish pub in Portland, Maine, where the special of the evening was Oysters Guinness, made with Maine oysters from Pemaquid. I ordered a bowl and was tempted to lick the inside of the crockery–it was that good.
I’m shy about asking chefs for recipes and thought I’d try to reproduce the stew on my own. I haven’t quite perfected it yet, but this is pretty darned close!
Continue reading “Linda Greenlaw’s Pemaquid Oyster Stew with Guinness and Vidalia Onions” »
